Benfica vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Benfica [LLL], who are in 35th place on the league phase table, will be looking to halt their Champions League slide when they host Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 4. The Portuguese giants have struggled for form in continental competition, while the German visitors are aiming to recover from a bruising home defeat last time out. The Lisbon club’s 3–0 loss at Newcastle on Matchday 3 was their fifth consecutive Champions League defeat, a sequence that has severely dented their hopes of progression. They face the German outfit, having won two of their six games against Leverkusen while losing only one. The teams' most recent meetings came in the 2014/15 group stage, where Leverkusen won 3-1 in Germany before a goalless draw in Lisbon. Meanwhile, Benfica have found recent home fixtures equally difficult — winning just one of their last eight group stage or league phase matches at the Estádio da Luz (D2 L5). Manager Jose Mourinho will be eager for his side to rediscover their cutting edge and defensive stability in front of their supporters. Benfica’s home crowd will demand a response from their side when they host Leverkusen at the Estádio da Luz on Wednesday. Vangelis Pavlidis is expected at the attacking end of Benfica’s 4—4—1—1 formation.

Leverkusen [DDL] are coming off the back of an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich at the weekend. The German outfit suffered a night to forget on Matchday 3. Their 7–2 defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain was the heaviest European loss in their history and the first time they had conceded seven goals at home in any UEFA competition. It was a rare collapse for a team that has generally been strong in recent European campaigns. Despite that setback, the German side have lost only three of their last 19 group stage or league phase matches in European competition (W11 D5). They remain winless in their last five Champions League outings (D2 L3). Yet their matches rarely lack entertainment — none of Leverkusen’s last 26 European games have ended goalless, underlining both their attacking intent and occasional defensive openness. Benfica’s proud home record is at stake, while Leverkusen are determined to prove that their Matchday 3 setback was merely an aberration. Goals are almost guaranteed—and with both sides fighting to keep qualification hopes alive, this could be one of the most crucial fixtures of the group stage.