Rangers vs Benfica Europa League Match Analysis
Rangers are gearing up to host Benfica at the iconic Ibrox Stadium this Thursday night, with the stakes high as both teams vie for a coveted spot in the Europa League quarter-finals.
The backdrop is a gripping 2-2 draw from the first leg in Lisbon, setting the stage for a high-tension rematch.
Match Preview
The tie is evenly balanced after both teams scored two goals each in the first leg, leaving the outcome uncertain as they compete for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Benfica faced a tough challenge in the first leg to maintain their unbeaten home record in the Europa League, which spans across 27 matches.
Rangers took an early lead with Tom Lawrence’s header, but Benfica equalized through Angel Di Maria’s penalty.
Dujon Sterling then put Rangers ahead, only for Connor Goldson to score an own goal, resulting in a draw.
Following their draw in Lisbon, Rangers suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat at home to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.
However, they bounced back with a 2-0 victory over nine-man Hibernian in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, with goals from John Lundstram and Fabio Silva.
Benfica showed resilience in their fightback against Rangers in the first leg, considering their recent domestic losses against Sporting Lisbon and Porto.
They returned to winning ways by defeating Estoril 3-1 at home, closing the gap to leaders Sporting to just one point.
Reaching the quarter-finals for the third consecutive time in Europe would be a significant achievement for Benfica.
They have a strong record in the last 16 of the Europa League, winning all five previous appearances on aggregate.
Additionally, they have lost only four of their last 22 away matches in European competitions.
These two teams have previously met three times, with all matches ending in draws.
Recent Form
Rangers: WWWLDW
Benfica: DWLLDW
Prediction: Rangers 2-2 Benfica
Based on their performance in the first leg, both teams are evenly matched, and it is likely to be the same in Scotland.
All three of their previous Europa League meetings ended in draws.
- Prediction: Draw
Both teams have strong attacking options and have shown their ability to score goals in previous encounters.
The three previous matches between these teams produced a total of fourteen goals, with all matches ending in draws.
- Betting Tip: BTTS Yes
Possible Lineups
Rangers: (4-2-3-1)
Butland;
Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Yilmaz;
Lundstram, Diomande;
Matondo, Lawrence, Silva;
Roofe
Benfica: (4-2-3-1)
Trubin;
Bah, A. Silva, Otamendi, Aursnes;
Neves, Luis;
Neres, R. Silva; Di Maria;
Leonardo
