Benfica will host Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final first leg fixture at Estadio da Luz on Tuesday.
Follow Us
Benfica will host Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final first leg fixture at Estadio da Luz on Tuesday. The Reds overcame Serie A champions Inter Milan 2-1 on aggregate to make it this far while Benfica claimed a 3-2 win over Ajax over two legs. Benfica striker Darwin Nunez was the star performer for his side against Ajax to take them into the last-8 stage of Europe’s elite club football competition. The 22-year-old Uruguayan scored the lone goal of the match in the last-16 second leg after the first leg had finished 2-2.
Read more: Benfica won’t be easy for Liverpool; Atletico set for another Manchester battle
The next leg on our European journey. A trip to @SLBenfica ✈️ #SLBLIV pic.twitter.com/Aaaeot5UzG
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 4, 2022
Nunez headed home with just 13 minutes remaining to stun the Dutch side who were clearly the better side in the match. The Portuguese side managed to register just a single shot on target in the entire match and that was enough to take them through. It was a defensive masterclass from Nelson Verissimo’s side to get the better of Ajax.
Nunez was on target once again in Friday’s Premiera Liga clash against Sporting Braga but his penalty proved inconsequential as Benfica suffered a 3-2 loss on the night. Seeing a nine-game unbeaten run coming to an end, is never good preparation for a high-voltage meeting with English giants Liverpool.
Meanwhile the Reds haven’t been in their free-flowing best off late but managed to secure a 2-0 win against Watford in the Premier League fixture on Saturday. Diogo Jota’s header and Fabinho’s penalty helped them take all three points.
Defeat to Inter in the last-16 second leg was the only game that Liverpool have not won in their last 17 across all competitions, each of their last seven away games has ended in victory. Jurgen Klopp’s side hasn’t conceded a goal in their last four games.
Benfica will be without the Brazilian duo of Lucas Verissimo and Rodrigo Pinho while Haris Seferovic could be back on the bench. Central defender Nicolas Otamendi is one of the seven Benfica players who would miss the second leg if they are booked here.
On the other hand, Liverpool’s star-striker Mohamed Salah could be given a rest after he endured a tough time against Hassane Kamara on Thursday. Therefore Luis Diaz, Jota and Sadio Mane could form the front-three.
Benfica possible starting line-up: Vlachodimos, Gilberto, Otamendi, Vertonghen, Girmaldo, Silva, Mario, Weigl, Everton, Nunez, Yaremchuk
Liverpool possible starting line-up: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, thiago, Jota, Diaz, Mane
The Champions League quarter-final fixture between Benfica and Liverpool will take place in Lisbon and it will kick-off at 12:30 am IST, Wednesday, April 6.
The match will be live streamed on the SonyLIV app and website, and the JioTV mobile app. Meanwhile football fans in India can also enjoy the action on TV networks, as the competition is telecasted on the Sony Ten network
