Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
The return of Jorge Jesus to the helm at Benfica has sparked a run of six consecutive victories, which could well extend after their home encounter with Feyenoord Rotterdam. Even after Feyenoord's narrow win over Girona (3:2), the Dutch side do not pose a significant threat to Benfica, who feature two former Feyenoord Rotterdam players.
Benfica
Following the international break, Benfica comfortably dispatched Pevidém (2:0) in the Portuguese Cup. In that match, they deployed an experimental lineup, with Jan-Niklas Beste, a summer signing from Heidenheim, scoring twice. Against Red Star Belgrade (2:1) and Atlético Madrid (4:0), the team played with authority, amassing a total of 4.78 xG in the Champions League. Turkish midfielders Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Orkun Kökçü have both placed in the tournament's top ten scorers, with two goals each.
Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord Rotterdam will be without their leading forward Santiago Jiménez and creative winger Calvin Stengs for the trip to Benfica. They faltered at home against Bayer Leverkusen (0:4) in the first round (1.66 xGA). Despite being unbeaten in their last five matches, the team have been unable to tighten up defensively, conceding five goals in this stretch, and their clash with the Portuguese club will be their first major test since losing to Bayer Leverkusen.
Benfica vs Feyenoord Rotterdam Prediction
In July, Benfica dismantled Feyenoord Rotterdam in a friendly, with both clubs fielding near full-strength squads (5:0). The home crowd is expected to rally Benfica to their third consecutive Champions League win.
