Club Brugge vs SL Benfica Preview 15/02/2023

Membership Brugge vs SL Benfica – 15/02/2023

Maciej Rogowski Photograph / Shutterstock.com

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Belgium’s Membership Brugge stunned followers within the Champions League group stage, ending second and qualifying for the spherical of 16 for the primary time.

On Wednesday, the Black and Blue will host Portugal’s Benfica within the first leg of their spherical of 16 tie within the Champions League. Benfica go into the knockout levels after ending prime of Group H forward of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.

Benfica have misplaced simply one in every of their 37 matches this season beneath first-year coach Roger Schmidt. The Eagles are one of the crucial underrated groups within the spherical of 16 of the Champions League and will trigger all kinds of issues for extra fancied groups within the match.

Wednesday’s sport would be the first assembly within the Champions League between Brugge and Benfica. Membership Brugge did face Portugal’s FC Porto within the group stage, profitable 4-0 away and dropping 4-0 at residence.

The Belgians went by means of the group stage with supervisor Carl Hoefkens. The previous Membership Brugge participant was sacked in late December as a result of poor home outcomes after six months in cost. Brugge employed former Fulham and Bournemouth supervisor Scott Parker in his place.

Parker has struggled to get wins, as simply one of many crew’s final seven matches led to victory. Nevertheless, 5 of these seven video games ended as attracts.

Benfica are unbeaten in eight straight video games in all competitions. The Eagles are coming off a weekend Portuguese Cup 1-1 draw with Braga. The stalemate ended a four-game win streak for Schmidt’s crew.

Schmidt has only one participant on the damage record forward of the match on Wednesday. Striker Goncalo Ramos, who rose to the forefront on the World Cup, is nursing a muscle damage and is a doubt to make the squad.

Ramos has only one purpose within the Champions League this season. Former West Ham and Inter Milan participant Joao Mario leads the crew with 16 targets this time period.

Parker might be with out the duo of Andreas Skov Olsen and Ferran Jutgla as a result of hip and again accidents, respectively. Each gamers are doubts to make the squad, leaving Parker with two fewer forwards to choose from.

Membership Brugge are led in targets this season by Jutgla with 10, whereas Olsen has eight. The duo can be huge a miss if they can not play.

Brugge are selecting up loads of attracts beneath Parker and will maintain Benfica to a stalemate on the Jan Breydal Stadion in Brugge. The Eagles are coming off a weekend 1-1 draw within the Portuguese Cup and will wrestle to discover a winner.

Brugge and Benfica ought to end in a 2-2 draw with neither aspect getting the higher hand within the first leg.