Overview
- Benfica are strong favourites for the Europa League match scheduled for Thursday, October 15, with bookmakers and tipsters giving the hosts clear backing.
- The Portuguese side have won nine of their last 10 matches across all competitions and opened the Europa League phase with a 2-0 win at AC Milan, a run that underpins market confidence.
- Celtic arrive with several defensive absences, with Cameron Carter-Vickers expected to miss the trip and Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand also sidelined, forcing manager Martin O’Neill to alter his defensive selection.
- Benfica will be without Jakub Kamiński and Enzo Barrenechea because of injury concerns, but Vangelis Pavlidis remains fit and leads a potent attacking line.
- The game kicks off at 8pm BST at the Estádio da Luz and will be shown live on TNT Sports 3 in the UK and Ireland, with previews noting Lisbon’s historic significance for Celtic but emphasising the current sporting mismatch.