Ajax vs Benfica Prediction and Analysis: A potential heartbreak on away soil.
The Ajax vs Benfica Champions League match will take place at 00:45 on November 26th. Nghe An newspapers, radio, and television will analyze form, provide football commentary, and predict the score.
Latest Ajax vs Benfica team news
Despite returning from injury with a few minutes on the pitch recently, left-back Owen Wijndal is unlikely to feature on Tuesday, while right-back Anton Gaaei's participation remains uncertain after being forced off the pitch on Saturday.
Steven Berghuis and Branco van den Boomen are still recovering from groin and back injuries and are not yet ready to return.
Wout Weghorst has failed to score in four consecutive matches, so it's no surprise if the 33-year-old striker is replaced by Kasper Dolberg, who scored Ajax's consolation goal against Excelsior.
The appearances of Leandro Barreiro, Andreas Schjelderup, Samuel Dahl and Richard Rios – who scored – breathed new life into Benfica in the second half of their last match, so most, if not all, of them could be given a starting spot on Tuesday.
Mourinho is almost certain to revert to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation after the 3-4-3 system against Atletico proved ineffective. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin is likely to return to the starting lineup, while Georgiy Sudakov will also be brought back into the team after being rested.
Vangelis Pavlidis, who hasn't scored in the Champions League since the 2-3 defeat against Qarabag, can be more confident after scoring in two consecutive games for Benfica. He has also scored in three of his last four appearances at the Cruyff Arena while playing for AZ Alkmaar and Willem II.
Dodi Lukebakio, who broke his ankle while on international duty, has undergone successful surgery and will be out for about three months.
Meanwhile, right-back Alexander Bah, winger Bruma, and defensive midfielder Manu Silva will continue their long-term recovery process.
Latest predicted lineups for Ajax vs Benfica
Ajax:
Trubin; Dahl, Otamendi, A Silva, Dedic; Rios, Barreiro; Ausenes, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
Benfica:
Pasveer; Gaaei, Sutalo, Baas, Alders; Regeer, Taylor; Edvardsen, Gloukh, Godts; Dolberg
Latest Ajax vs Benfica football match prediction
A disastrous second half saw Ajax endure another painful Champions League night as the team collapsed within 19 minutes, the moment Victor Osimhen scored his hat-trick in their away match against Galatasaray in Amsterdam.
After humiliating defeats against Marseille (0-4), Chelsea (1-5) and a 0-2 loss to Inter Milan in the opening match, Lancers could hardly have imagined a worse start to their 19th season in the group stage of Europe's top competition.
Conceding 14 goals made the Amsterdam team the worst defense among all 36 teams, while scoring only one goal – the fewest in the league. Therefore, it's no surprise that Ajax continues to sit at the bottom of the league table.
Lancers, who were eliminated in the Europa League round of 16 last season after losing both legs to Eintracht Frankfurt, have lost seven consecutive matches in European competition – the worst run in the club's history.
Meanwhile, Ajax have lost eight of their last nine Champions League group stage/league phase matches (winning only one). De Joden currently doesn't show the image of a team capable of ending their European nightmare run, amidst ongoing internal turmoil.
Still without an official head coach since Johnny Heitinga was sacked, interim coach Grim has led the team through three consecutive defeats, including a 1-2 loss to SBV Excelsior at the Cruyff Arena on Saturday.
Currently outside the top four of the Eredivisie, the aforementioned defeat also means De Joden have lost three of their last four home games in all competitions (1 draw), while the victory away at Twente remains Ajax's only win in nine official matches (2 draws, 6 losses).
Life on the visitors' side wasn't too chaotic, as they ended a two-match winless streak with a 2-0 victory over Atletico Clube de Portugal in Taca de Portugal last weekend, although Jose Mourinho showed clear disappointment and had to make four substitutions at halftime to turn things around.
Having now reached the round of 16 of the tournament, Benfica – the team that won the Supertaca earlier in the season – is maintaining steady progress in domestic competition, having also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup.
However, the disappointing 2-2 draw against Casa Pia in the last round leaves the "Eagles" six points behind the Primeira Liga leaders, and being second to last in the Champions League phase standings is their worst position in any competition this season.
It's quite strange for a coach who has won the Champions League twice like Mourinho that he has lost all three of his UCL matches while managing Benfica without scoring a single goal: a 0-1 defeat to Chelsea, a 0-3 defeat to Newcastle, and most recently, a loss to Leverkusen at Estadio da Luz.
Benfica have now lost six consecutive matches in Europe's top club competition, although the Eagles may find some hope in their 1-0 victory over Ajax in their last meeting in Amsterdam, though that was only one of two wins in their previous nine encounters (three draws, four losses).
Latest Ajax vs Benfica score prediction
Based on the above football analysis, we and leading football websites worldwide have provided our predictions for the match.Ajax vs Benficaas follows:
- Sportsmole:Ajax 1-2 Benfica
- WhoScore:Ajax 0-2 Benfica
- We predict:Ajax 1-2 Benfica
When and where can I watch Ajax vs Benfica live?
To watch the Ajax vs Benfica match live in the Champions League, taking place at 00:45 on November 26th, viewers can tune in to the following channels:K+ Sport,K+PMor online sports channels. We hope you enjoy watching football.