Read our prediction for PAOK (Gre) vs Benfica (Por) below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between PAOK (Gre) vs Benfica (Por) and you can increase your winnings!
PAOK (Gre) vs Benfica (Por) Prediction & Betting tips
By this season at the latest, Portuguese club football will also enjoy a greater media focus in this country than possibly in recent years. This is primarily due to the two Germans Julian Weigl and Luca Waldschmidt, who play together for Benfica Lisbon in southern Europe and want to cause a sensation there with a specifically reinforced squad both nationally and internationally.
So that the dream of participating in the Champions League does not burst prematurely, a difficult and equally important qualifying game awaits the capitals on Tuesday evening. In the Toumbas Stadium, PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon face each other. According to the odds of the best bookmakers, the role of favorite goes to the guests.
The endeavor against the Greeks, who under normal circumstances could rely on a cauldron, but now have to get along without fans, will not be a sure-fire success, especially since a decision in this qualification for the top class 20/21 is not after the return leg, but already falls after a simple 90 minutes.
Not least because of this, we dare to predict between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon that neither team will take excessive risks early on in the match and, especially at the beginning, the focus is on trying not to fall behind. Consequently, we tend to bet on the goal market.
PAOK Saloniki:
For the seventh time, PAOK Saloniki will have the chance to qualify for the most important European club competition this summer. So far, the reigning runner-up has never reached the group stage of the best 32 teams. The black and whites failed the closest two years ago when Benfica Lisbon of all places got the upper hand after a 1-1 in the first leg in Greece in the second leg with 4-1 in the playoffs and snatched away the vacant ticket.
On Tuesday evening, the team of Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira, who worked for almost ten years in various positions for Benfica rival Sporting, will now have the opportunity to reciprocate. Due to the fact that 20/21 the progression in the qualification will be determined in a simple match, i.e. in 90 minutes, PAOK can definitely raise hopes.
Unlike the guest from the south of the continent, the team from Thessaloniki started the new season last Friday. At home against Larissa, the three-time title holder (most recently in 2019) struggled to a flattering 1-0 victory, which underlined that despite a very long preparation, not all wheels are still meshing.
Because the last test match against Panathinaikos Athens ended with the closest of all football results (1-0) and generally never more than two hits in ten of the last twelve competitive games with black and white participation, it is a good choice in our opinion between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon to give a tip on the Under 2.5. The extremely high importance of the eagerly awaited meeting may also be mentioned as an additional argument.
Benfica Lisbon:
Benfica launched a major attack on the national and international elite in the summer. After the Àguias had to settle for second place behind FC Porto in the past season, significant improvements were made on the transfer market. In addition to the German international Luca Waldschmidt mentioned above, Everton, Pedrinho, Nunez and Jan Vertonghen also found their way to the Portuguese capital.
Strictly speaking, the roster of the red and whites now meets the very highest European standards. Because something has also changed in the coaching position and a real legend in national football has been signed with Jorge Jesus, the implementation of a new game idea and the integration of the many newcomers could take a little more time.
Time that the eagles don’t actually have, especially since the first do-or-die match is on the program on Tuesday in the third qualifying round. Missing the Champions League would be an absolute disaster for the ambitious “Os Encarnados”, especially given that the club has been a permanent guest in the group stage of the premier class since 2010.
Mentally, the question has to be asked, how the new team will deal with the high expectations and the pressure? The preparation went well with victories against Bournemouth, Braga and Stade Rennes; The Portuguese did not get more than two hits per game against the aforementioned opponents. In return, the defense with the strong central defense Dias / Vertonghen was extremely stable. Between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon, the prognosis that the guest could not concede is therefore not too far-fetched.
PAOK (Gre) vs Benfica (Por) head to head matches
29.08.18 CL PAOK Benfica 1 : 4
21.08.18 CL Benfica PAOK 1 : 1
27.02.14 EL Benfica PAOK 3 : 0
20.02.14 EL PAOK Benfica 0 : 1
04.11.99 EL Benfica PAOK 2 : 2 (1 : 2)