Fenerbahce vs Benfica Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | Playoffs
by Alex Lawes ·
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Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce came through a thrilling third qualifying round tie against Feyenoord as they now welcome Portuguese giants Benfica to Istanbul this midweek.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Key Stats
- Benfica won all the previous three UEFA two-legged ties between these teams; 2-1 agg in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, 3-2 agg in the semi-finals of the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League and 7-1 agg in the first round of the European Cup in 1975/76. Those are the only previous encounters (they have never met in a group stage or league phase).
- Fenerbahçe have lost only one of their previous six UEFA competition matches at home against Portuguese teams (W4 D1). They are unbeaten at home against Benfica (W2 D1).
- Fenerbahçe are aiming to reach the UEFA Champions League proper for the first time since the 2008/09 season. They have six previous participations in the group stage.
- Fenerbahçe have lost their last two UEFA Champions League play-off round ties. Most recently, a 0-5 aggregate defeat against Arsenal in 2013/14 (0-3 h, 0-2 a).
- Fenerbahçe have lost only three of their last 23 UEFA competition matches at home (W16 D4).
- Benfica have won all their six UEFA competition two-legged ties against Turkish teams.
- Benfica are unbeaten in their last seven UEFA competition matches against Turkish teams (W3 D4).
- This is Benfica’s 45th European Cup/UEFA Champions League participation – second most overall (behind Real Madrid - 56).
- Benfica have participated in the UEFA Champions League group stage/league phase in 14 of the last 15 seasons.
- Benfica have won four UEFA Champions League play-off round ties in a row. Most recently in 2022/23 when they recorded a 5-0 aggregate victory against Dynamo Kyiv (2-0 a, 3-0 h).
Fenerbahce vs Benfica prediction
In the first-leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie, Fenerbahce suffered a 2-1 defeat at De Kuip to Feyenoord in Rotterdam. They managed to overturn that with a thrilling 5-2 win in Istanbul last week, before kicking off their 2024/25 Turkish Super Lig campaign with a goalless draw against Goztepe at the weekend.
They now face a Benfica side that have a very strong side and will be expecting to reclaim the Portuguese title this season. The Lisbon giants eased past Ligue 1 side Nice by four goals to nil on aggregate in the previous round before beginning their domestic campaign with a 1-0 win away at Estrela y Amadora at Estadio Jose Gomes.
Fenerbahce will likely have to be a bit tighter for this first-leg and, despite Mourinho’s good managerial record against Benfica, the Portuguese giants are just a better side than Fener.
Fenerbahce vs Benfica tip: Double chance – Benfica to win or draw
