CSKA Moscow take on Benfica in the Champions League next week, with the home side looking to give themselves a chance of progressing to the next stage of the competition with three points. Their Portuguese opponents have failed to earn a single point in Europe so far this season, however they are still likely to be a threat in the Russian capital.
Champions League – VEB Arena, Moscow – Wednesday 22nd November – 17:00 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 12/5 at William Hill |
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CSKA Moscow
Benfica LisboaMatch Preview
Having already lost to CSKA Moscow earlier on in their Champions League campaign, Benfica will be looking to earn revenge when they travel to Russia next week. The home side currently sit level on points with swiss side Basel in Group A, with Viktor Goncharenko’s men hoping to make it through to the knockout phase of Europe’s premier club competition with a win over their Portuguese opponents. Despite the gap between the duo in the standings, there is little separating the two clubs ahead of kick-of. For those still unsure of who to bet on, let’s take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
CSKA Moscow Team News & Form
CSKA Moscow come into this match off the back of a narrow 2-1 victory over Basel in Switzerland, having been beaten in the reverse fixture in Russia beforehand. The Russian side have made an indifferent start to the season domestically also, with Goncharenko’s side currently sitting in 4th in the Russian Premier League table. Having been beaten 4-1 by Manchester United earlier on in the season, CSKA have a -3 goal difference in Group A, having scored five times and conceded eight in their four fixtures to date. The likes of Vitinho, Alan Dzagoev and Aleksandr Golovin are expected to line up for CSKA in Russia, while Swedish international Pontus Wernbloom will be on a high after being a part of the national team that saw off Italy in order to qualify for the World Cup.
Benfica Team News & Form
Benfica come into this fixture off the back of two consecutive defeats against Manchester United, meaning that the Portuguese side have lost all four of their Champions League encounters so far this season. Benfica are already five points behind rivals Porto in the Portuguese top-flight standings, despite having only lost once domestically to date. The likes of Jonas, Alex Grimaldo and Pizzi are among the most talented players for the visitors, while young goalkeeper Mile Svilar will be looking to put his recent mistakes behind him.
Head to Head
The two teams have met three times in the past, with Benfica still searching for their first win over the Russian giants. CSKA defeated Benfica thanks to a 2-1 scoreline in Portugal earlier this season.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Given their position in Group A, it comes as little surprise that it is CSKA who are the favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. The Russian side can be backed at odds of 11/4 with Unibet, while the same bookmaker has the away side at a price of 21/20.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on there being over 2.5 goals during the 90 minutes, which can be found at best odds of 1/1 with Ladbrokes.