Manchester United vs. Benfica: Champions League Odds, Prediction
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Ricky Rothstein
Manchester United can take another step toward winning Group A and advancing to the knockout round of the Champions League on Wednesday with a victory at the last-place team in the group, Benfica.
Check out full Champions League odds.
Manchester United vs. Benfica UCL Group Stage
When: Wednesday, 2:45 p.m. ET
Where: Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
Moneylines: Man Utd -132, Benfica +356, Draw +268
Champions League Betting
It’s the 10th all-time meeting between Manchester United of the English Premier League and Benfica of the Portuguese Liga. United holds a 6-1-2 record with 22 goals scored to Benfica’s 11. The sides haven’t played since the group stage of the Champions League in 2011, drawing 2-2 at Manchester and 1-1 at Lisbon.
Reds manager Jose Mourinho also managed Benfica for 11 matches starting in 2000, the moving on to fellow Portuguese club União de Leiria in 2001. Mourinho was just 37 when he replaced the legendary Jupp Heynckes at Benfica. Man Utd also signed away centre-back Victor Lindelhof from Benfica on a four-year deal this summer.
Manchester United
The Red Devils are atop Group A with six points through two matches, beating FC Basel 3-0 on Sept. 12 and CSKA Moscow 4-1 on Sept. 27. Manchester United paid big money to land Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku from Everton in the summer transfer window, and he has become the first United player to score in his opening two Champions League matches. He had two goals vs. CSKA Moscow and one vs. FC Basel.
In that latter match, United saw captain Paul Pogba leave with a hamstring injury. He remains out, as does fellow star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, recovering from a knee ligament injury against Anderlecht in the Europa League back on April 20. He might not return until January. Ibrahimovic scored 28 goals in 46 overall games last season. United hasn’t lost in any competition (11 game unbeaten streak) since a 2-1 loss to Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid on Aug. 8 in the UEFA Super Cup. Mourinho’s club is second in the Premier League table, two points behind rival Manchester City.
Benfica
Benfica has yet to earn a point in its two Champions League matches and isn’t likely to advance. It opened UCL play with a 2-1 loss to CSKA Moscow and then was routed 5-0 by FC Basel – the side’s worst ever Champions League loss. Benfica was to play a friendly early this month in Hamilton against Scottish side Rangers but pulled out. This is Benfica’s first match against an English team since facing Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League three years ago. Benfica’s lone win against United was 2-1 in Lisbon in December 2005 in UCL group stage.
In domestic play, Benfica is third in the Portuguese Liga; it won the league last season. It’s the eighth straight year Benfica is in the Champions League group stage. Last year, the Lisbon club advanced but was beaten 4-1 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16. André Almeida serves the first of a two-game ban for Benfica following his red card in the last UCL match.
Manchester United at Benfica Prediction
The Red Devils aren’t at full strength and could take this match somewhat for granted. It ends in a 1-1 draw. That exact score is +543.