Preview:Fenerbahce vs Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

One of the standout clashes in the Champions League playoff round will take place on Tuesday, as Fenerbahce welcome Benfica to Sukru Saracoglu Stadium for the first leg of their tie.

The Yellow Canaries are aiming to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2008-09, while the Portuguese giants are looking to secure a fifth consecutive appearance in the competition.

Match preview

Fenerbahce entered the Champions League qualifiers in the third round and were forced to dig deep, edging past Dutch side Feyenoord 6-4 on aggregate, suffering a 2-1 defeat on the road, before responding emphatically at home with a 5-2 victory to book their place in this stage.

However, the challenge now grows tougher, as they face a Benfica side that reached the round of 16 last season and are established regulars at this level.

Fenerbahce’s weekend league opener offered little encouragement, as they labored to a goalless draw away at Goztepe, registering just one shot on target in a match where both sides had men sent off.

Adding to their concerns is their recent record against Benfica, having lost three of the last four meetings, including a 3-2 friendly defeat just last month.

Overall, the Eagles have dominated this fixture with four wins from seven encounters, including two victories in Champions League clashes, while Fenerbahce have just one win to their name.

Benfica, meanwhile, have begun their season in perfect fashion, winning all four matches across competitions without conceding a single goal.

They lifted the Portuguese Super Cup with a 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon, before dispatching French side Nice 4-0 on aggregate in the Champions League third round.

Bruno Lage’s men also made a winning start to their league campaign, edging Estrela 1-0 on the road as they look to wrestle the title back from Sporting Lisbon this season.

However, they will be cautious heading into Tuesday’s tie, as they have never won away at Fenerbahce, losing 1-0 twice and drawing once in three previous visits.

Fenerbahce Champions League form:

Fenerbahce form (all competitions):

Benfica Champions League form:

Benfica form (all competitions):

Team News

Fenerbahce remain without defender Rodrigo Becao, who continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury and is expected back next month.

Jose Mourinho is likely to persist with his three-man defence, with Jhon Duran and Youssef En-Nesyri leading the line in attack.

Benfica are dealing with several absences, as Bruma, Manu Silva, Alexander Bah and Tomas Araujo are sidelined through injury.

Last season’s top scorer Vangelis Pavlidis, who netted 30 goals across all competitions, has already struck twice this term, and he is expected to spearhead the attack alongside summer signing Franjo Ivanovic, who will be looking to make his mark on the European stage.

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Egribayat; Muldur, Skirniar, Oosterwolde; Semedo, Amrabat, Fred, Brown; Szymanski; Duran, En-Nesyri

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Trubin; Dah, Silva, Otamendi, Dedic; Schjelderup, Barrenechea, Rios, Aursnes; Pavlidis, Ivanovic

We say: Fenerbahce 1-1 Benfica

The experience and European pedigree of Jose Mourinho is a big factor for Fenerbahce heading into this clash, however, their struggles against a well-drilled team was evident once again over the weekend, and when Benfica’s solid defensive shape is considered, they could cause all sorts of problems for the Turkish side, as they also possess a potent attack.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.