Preview: Starting off with a victory in the opening match is very important
A defeat in their opening Portuguese League match against Maritimo had fans calling for Jorge Jesus' head.
Since then, the Águias managed to escape another embarrassing result at home against Gil Vicente, with two late goals. A draw away to Lisbon rivals Sporting CP, and their latest triumph over Paços de Ferreira now has their fans feeling more confident heading into their match against Anderlecht on Tuesday.
What will not have them happy is the large number of injuries they are dealing with so early in the season.
Argentine internationals Nicolas Gaitan (hamstring) and Eduardo Salvio (knee injury) have been sidelined, but Salvio's injury will keep him out for a few months. In their weekend match against Paços de Ferreira, Jorge Jesus was forced to make a substitution when Ruben Amorim picked up an injury, which will keep him out of Tuesday's match.
Serbian international Miralem Sulejmani could also miss out on this match, after being on the receiving end of a tackle against Croatia, which also kept him out of Benfica's match at the weekend.
Brazilian left-back Guilherme Siqueira will be fit to play, after being subbed off at the weekend with what appeared to be a groin injury.
"I had a very difficult pre-season," Siqueira told reporters Monday. "I practiced with my former team, but I did not play any matches. As every day passes, my fitness is getting better. I came out against Paços de Ferreira due to being tired, and not because I was injured, but tomorrow, I will be 100%."
Going up against last season's Europa League Finalists will be no easy task, but the Belgian side is confident that they can cause problems for Benfica.
"We managed to get a very positive result at the weekend, which will give us a lot of confidence for Tuesday's match," Anderlecht manager John dan den Brom said when asked about his clubs victory over KV Mechelen.
"Everything was perfect, but we didn't play against Benfica," he added.
Anderlecht had been regulars in the competition, but their recent past has left a lot to be desired.
With last season being their first participation in the competition since the 2006/07 campaign, their poor showing with only four goals in the group stage will have left their fans frustrated.
On Tuesday, they will get a chance to make up for last season in a stadium where the UEFA Champions League Final will be held.
Without Dieumerci Mbokani and Lucas Biglia, who left the club over the summer, van den Brom's squad will have to find a new hero within the squad, if they are at least going to have a better showing than last season.
The visitors will at least feel confident of their striking force, which will be up against a Benfica back-four that has continuously struggled to keep a cleansheet.
"We are very fast and we play very well together," said Serbian striker Mitrovic, who will be up against a number of his fellow countrymen.
"My Serbian teammates are very strong. We have obviously talked about this match and I know that Benfica had a good season last year, although they didn't win any titles. We need to give it our all to get a positive result."
Where to watch the match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Benfica vs Anderlecht live on Tuesday, September 17, 2013:
In the UK at 19:45 BST on: Sky Sports Red Button
In the USA at 14:45 ET on: Fox Soccer 2Go, DirecTV
Viewers in Africa can follow the action on Al Jazeera Sport +2. If you are in Portugal, tune into Benfica TV or TVI for live broadcast of this match. Outside of these viewing areas? Be sure to check the Benfica vs Anderlecht match page for TV listings in your area.
