Benfica and Zenit St. Petersburg face at Stadium Lisbon Sport and Benfica (da Luz), in a match for this phase of the UEFA Champions League (Group Stage). The record of direct confrontations of the last 3 years is favorable to the home team, which in the last 3 matches won 2 and lost 1. Attention to the home factor, since Benfica usually conquers different results at home and abroad.
Benfica:
After 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses, the home team is currently in 4th position, with 4 points won. In the last match, they drew (2-2) away against RB Leipzig, after in the previous match, they lost (3-1) away with Olympique Lyonnais. This is a team that curiously has been stronger as a visitor than in their home games, since in the last 30 matches it records 11 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses as a visitor; against 11 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses in his stadium. The team arrives at this match after a win out with Boavista by (1-4). In the last 10 games played at home for all competitions, Benfica won 7, drew 1 and lost 2. His defense has not been very solid, since he suffered at least one goal in each of the last 5 games, but his attack has scored regularly, as he scored at least one goal in each of the last 5 games for this competition. In their home matches there is a tendency for goals, since 21 of their last 30 matches have ended with Over 2.5 goals. In 11 games, he got the comeback in 2 of the 4 games in which he suffered the first goal.
Benfica is motivated for this match, after a great home victory against Boavista, 1-4, returning to the wins after the draw against Covilhã: the team’s goals were scored by Carlos Vinícius (2), Cervi and Gabriel. It should be noted that Benfica players have no chance of advancing in the Champions League and also need third-party results to reach third position in Group G. In this match against Zenit, coach Bruno Lage must benefit the maintenance of the possession of the ball and the organized attacks, however, in some moments of the game they will only have to risk in the counterattack. Pizzi is the best scorer in this competition, with 2 goals scored. Out of this game is Rafa Silva, a player who recovers from injury.
Zenit St. Petersburg:
The visiting team is currently in the 2nd position, with 7 points won, after 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses. In the penultimate match, he lost at home against RB Leipzig by (0-2). In the last match, he won at home against Olympique Lyonnais by (2‑0). This is a team little affected by the home factor, that is, it presents similar results at home and away, since in the last 30 matches it records 10 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses as a visitor, with 25 goals scored and 10 suffered; against 10 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses in his stadium, with 35 goals scored and 12 suffered. In the last match he played for the Premier League, he won Dinamo Moscow at home by (3-0). In his last away game, for the Premier League, he won by (1-2) against Rubin Kazan. In its last 10 away games, Zenit St. Petersburg records 6 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. His defense has not been very solid, since he suffered goals in 4 of the last 5 matches, but his attack has scored regularly, since he scored goals in 4 of the last 5 matches for this competition. In 15 games, he suffered the first goal 4 times and only got 1 comeback. There is 1 period that stands out in the last 14 away matches for all competitions: they suffered 5 of their 8 goals between minutes (46′ ‑ 60 ‘).
Zenit St. Petersburg is motivated for this match, after the 3-0 victory against Dynamo Moscow, in a match for the Russian Championship: the goals were scored by Ivanovic, Dzyuba and Azmoun. To advance in the Champions League, the Russians must beat Benfica or expect Lyon to lose against RB Leipzig. Coach Sergey Semak should keep the team 4-4-2, benefiting the defensive organization and counterattacks, looking for spaces in the opponent’s back. Dzyuba and Azmoun are the top scorers of Zenit in this competition, with 2 goals each. Outside this game are Malcolm, Lunev and Zuykov, all with physical problems.
