Benfica's return to Germany to take on Bayer Leverkusen was a highly anticipated match considering the last encounter between the two sides. An incredible match ended in a 0-1 victory for Jorge Jesus' side, but the German side had their chances to put the ball past Artur.
Leverkusen now needs to score a goal in Lisbon just to even things, but keeping Benfica off the score-sheet will not be easy.
After their victory over Leverkusen, Benfica followed that up with a very late goal to see off an Academica side that defended with everything they had. A last ditch effort saw Nico Gaitan get held in the box, resulting in a spot kick for Benfica which Lima converted well into stoppage time.
With that 1-0 result, Benfica earned their second consecutive clean-sheet, and they stayed even on points with Porto.
It was speculated that Jorge Jesus could opt to rest some players Thursday, with one eye on their match this weekend against Pacos de Ferreira, but the Portuguese manager said that although the Portuguese League is the main priority, he would like to succeed in the Europa League.
"A coach's goal is to reach a European Final, and that is why our match against Leverkusen is important," Jesus told the press on Wednesday.
Sami Hyypia will be hoping his side can create some of the chances they had in the first leg on Thursday in Lisbon.
"Even though it may not be the ideal situation for us, we know what we have to do. I expect a more offensive Benfica than what we saw in Leverkusen," said Hyypia.
Bayer's Kiessling will want to have more of an impact in the second leg.
"We are all motivated. This is the type of match that we all enjoy playing. I am convinced that we can win this match, we want to get through this round," said Kiessling.
Previous Matches
02-14-13 Bayer Leverkusen 0-1 Benfica
03-01-94 Benfica 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
03-15-94 Bayer Leverkusen 4-4 Benfica
Prediction
Jorge Jesus said a week ago that his main priority was the Portuguese League as the Aguias have not won the title since 2010. Giving Porto a third consecutive title would not be good for Benfica, nor would it be good for Jesus who is looking to sign a new contract with Benfica.
With that said, Benfica has an important match on Sunday against Pacos de Ferreira who has been very impressive this season. They are currently third and Jesus will not take them lightly, despite the match being at the Estadio da Luz.
The Portuguese manager could opt to rest a few players on Thursday, but that could be bad news for Benfica if they make too many changes. Leverkusen caused them problems in the first leg and having to score in Lisbon, Hyypia's side will most likely pile on the pressure.
Fortunately for Benfica, they tend do well at home, so Leverkusen will need to make sure they plan their offensive runs properly. Giving Benfica too much space early on could lead to an early goal for the hosts, making it more of an up hill battle for the German's.
Hyypia's men will play compact at the back and the midfield, allowing Benfica to keep the ball. Hitting the Portuguese side on the counter will be Leverkusen's priority, but they too can keep the ball at times.
An early goal for Benfica will really settle the players, especially after a real nervy 90+ minutes against Academica in their last match. If Leverkusen can keep them off the board and create a few chances, the home fans will start to get worried, and that feeling could carry over to the players.
Jesus will more than likely not rest players, and if he does, it will most likely be only one or two at the most. Leverkusen will put out their strongest side and they will cause problems for Benfica, so an average side for Benfica may not be good enough.
Both teams could score Thursday, but in the end, Benfica should get the better of Hyypia's side at the end of the 90 minutes. Also, Oscar Cardozo who scored the only goal in the first match did not play during the weekend due to a suspension, so he will be ready to go on Thursday.
Benfica 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
