How Benfica could line up against Liverpool

Benfica should have Adel Taarabt at their disposal for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday.

The former Queens Park Rangers man has been dealing with an adductor problem which forced him to miss Friday's Primeira Liga loss to Braga but has been pictured in training with the team ahead of this encounter.

Head coach Nelson Verissimo is also without the services of striker Rodrigo Pinho and centre-back Lucas Verissimo, with both men seemingly out for the season with ACL problems.

Should Taarabt not be passed fit to start in the middle, Joao Mario could get the nod to partner Julian Weigl after coming off the bench to net in the recent league defeat to Braga.

In-demand striker Darwin Nunez - who has been linked with Liverpool - also made the net ripple as a substitute in that game and is sure to come back into the first XI here - most likely in place of Goncalo Ramos as Roman Yaremchuk also features from the off.

Rafa Silva and Everton ought to provide support from the flanks, as Alejandro Grimaldo and Gilberto begin further the back either side of an ex-Premier League centre-back pairing.

Indeed, Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi both have plenty of experience on the Anfield turf and should protect number one Odisseas Vlachodimos here.

Benfica possible starting lineup: Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Otamendi, Vertonghen, Grimaldo; Silva, Mario, Weigl, Everton; Nunez, Yaremchuk

>Click here to see how Liverpool could line up for the first leg