Benfica are the bookies firm favourites to secure all three points at the Stadium of Light as they welcome Qarabag in their Champions League opener
Benfica host Qarabag FK at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday evening as the Champions League group stage gets underway, with both teams eager to make a strong start to their campaigns.
The Eagles come into the match as clear favourites, buoyed by impressive domestic form and a storied European history, while Qarabag are determined to seize a rare chance to prove themselves on the continent’s biggest stage.
Benfica enter this Champions League opener in excellent shape, currently sitting fourth in Liga Portugal with 10 points from four matches. Under Bruno Lage, they have recorded three wins and a draw, netting seven goals and conceding only twice—a testament to their balanced attack and solid defense.
As one of Portugal’s most decorated clubs, Benfica have never been relegated from the top flight and remain the country’s most popular team. Their pedigree is undeniable, having won back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962, though recent seasons have highlighted the challenge of bridging the gap to Europe’s elite. Last year, their European journey ended in the round of 16 with a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Barcelona, a reminder of the step up required at this level.
Qarabag, meanwhile, are making just their second appearance in the Champions League group stage, their first coming in the 2017-18 season against Chelsea, Roma, and Atletico Madrid. They remain Azerbaijan’s only representative to reach this stage—a point of national pride, but also a daunting challenge against Europe’s top clubs.
Qurban Qurbanov’s side arrive in Lisbon after a mixed domestic start, with one win, one draw, and one loss leaving them sixth in the Azerbaijan Premier League. They have managed just three goals while conceding two, suggesting a team still searching for consistency. However, their Champions League playoff victory over Ferencvarosi TC was a major achievement, progressing 5-4 on aggregate despite a 3-2 defeat in the second leg.