Champions League Benfica vs Paok Prediction
Benfica seeks access for the ninth consecutive time in the group stage of the Champions League where he will however rebuild after the six losses on six games suffered in the past season. The Paok is looking for its first historical qualification for the group stage: so far in the four previous participations it has always stopped at the preliminaries. In the previous rounds the Greek team took out two teams that started with the favor of the forecast, ie Basel and Spartak Moscow. Surprising still will be much more complicated: Benfica has a strong team and has more experience in the European field.
Benfica, Champions League goal
Compared to the past years, Benfica has maintained its valuable pieces this time, selling only João Carvalho, sold to Nottingham Forest. Of course, there are no more high-level profiles as in the recent past (Ederson, Victor Lindelöf, Nélson Semedo, Renato Sanches, Gonçalo Guedes and Nico Gaitán) but at least the most promising ones have been confirmed. Franco Cervi, Alejandro Grimaldo, Pizzi, Rúben Dias and Eduardo Salvio are the strongest players who will try to be decisive in the double challenge with the Paok. Among the new arrivals are Nicolás Castillo (former also of Frosinone, currently injured as the teammate Jonas), Germán Conti (Colón), Odysseas Vlachodimos (Panathinaikos) and Facundo Ferreyra (Shakhtar Donetsk).
The Paok Thessaloniki, forward against all odds
The Paok Thessaloniki after having beaten the Basel with a total result of 5-1 round trip, has confirmed to live an extraordinary formative moment at the offensive level also exceeding Spartak Moscow, winning with the result of 3-2 to ‘ gone at the end of a resounding comeback and then 0-0 draw in Moscow. The first leg against Spartak was really exciting: the team coached by Massimo Carrera took the lead two goals with Popov and Promes and seemed to have already secured the qualification. The Paok did not give up and managed to reassemble scoring three goals, even touching a quarter. But in the end he won the match thanks to Paschalakis who saved a penalty, notwithstanding that the same goalkeeper had not been immune from guilt on the 0-2 goal.
In the two games played away in these Champions League preliminaries, the Paok has always managed to keep the door inviolate, a sign that manages to organize well the defensive phase.
Best Bet of the Day Benfica vs Paok
Benfica ahead of three out of three defeats in last year’s Champions League group, at home had a more than respectable performance in Europe. The victory obtained against Fenerbahce has restored confidence, and against the Turks, Benfica also played well on the return touching the victory. The Portuguese league also started well with two wins out of two. The Paok does not seem able to resist the superiority of Benfica who should win this first leg.
The probable formations
BENFIC (4-3-3): Vlachodimos; Almeida, Jardel, Dias, Grimaldo; Semedo, Fejsa, Zivkovic; Pizzi, Cervi, Facundo Ferreira.
PAOK THESSALONIKI (4-2-3-1): Paschalakis; Crespo, Khacheridi, Varela, Leo Matos; Maurício, José Cañas; Léo Jabá, Pelkas, Limnios; Prijovic.
Bet Tips: 2-1
