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Benfica Faces Europa League Exit
30 Jul
Summary
- Benfica must overcome a 2-1 deficit in their Europa League qualifier.
- Marco Silva's side faces potential Conference League drop if they fail.
- Benfica has a strong scoring record at home.
Benfica is in a precarious position in their Europa League second qualifying round tie, trailing St. Gallen 2-1 from the first leg played last week. Marco Silva, in his early weeks as Benfica boss, faces the pressure of potentially dropping into the Conference League if his team cannot reverse the result at the Estadio da Luz. Last season's scoring form at home, where they averaged at least two goals in many matches, offers hope.
St. Gallen, the Swiss Super League runners-up, arrives in Lisbon with a narrow advantage and a 100% start to their domestic season, having won their league opener 2-1. However, Benfica boasts a squad with multiple attacking options, including Vangelis Pavlidis, who was their top scorer last season. New signing Jhon Duran and returning World Cup stars like Andreas Schjelderup are also available. St. Gallen, conversely, faces significant injury concerns, with several players sidelined.
Despite the challenges and St. Gallen's recent momentum, Benfica is favored to win this second-leg encounter. The prediction suggests a 3-1 victory for Benfica, which would see them win 4-3 on aggregate and progress to a tie against Hearts.
