Benfica will welcome Celtic to Estadio da Luz for the second matchday of the 2026/2027 Europa League on October 16, 2025. The home team is aiming for their second consecutive victory in order to maintain their positive momentum in European competition.
Benfica started their Europa League campaign on a high note, securing a convincing 2-0 win against AC Milan away from home. In stark contrast, Celtic faced a tough initiation, suffering a 1-3 defeat against Ferencvaros at home.
This exciting matchup between Benfica and Celtic is set to kick off at 02:00 WIB, and football fans can catch the live action via Vidio streaming service. Coming off a 12-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, Benfica enters the game with newfound confidence. Marco Silva’s squad is eager to sustain their positive trend while leveraging the advantage of playing at their home ground.
On the flip side, Celtic finds themselves under pressure as they attempt to navigate through a challenging phase. Following a string of disappointing results in both domestic and European competitions, Martin O’Neill’s team will require a robust response, though facing Benfica on their turf presents a formidable challenge.
Recent Performance and Team Prospects
Since Marco Silva‘s appointment after Jose Mourinho’s departure to Real Madrid last summer, Benfica has shown remarkable progress. Despite a rocky start in the Europa League qualifiers, suffering a 1-2 defeat against St Gallen in the first leg, they quickly bounced back with a resounding 5-0 victory in the second leg.
In their most recent outings, Benfica defeated Vitoria Guimaraes 2-0 and triumphed over AC Milan, reinforcing their reputation as a competitive force this season. Meanwhile, Celtic’s form has been concerning, especially after being eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers, where they squandered a 4-0 aggregate lead, culminating in a 1-5 loss to LASK Linz in the second leg. They also faced a painful 0-3 defeat against Rangers, further complicating their season’s trajectory.
Despite a recent 2-0 victory over Motherwell, Celtic’s road to recovery remains steep. They will need not only skill but also mental fortitude to secure a positive outcome in this vital away match. Benfica’s attacking prowess, led by Vangelis Pavlidis, who has netted 14 goals in 14 matches, will be a key factor as they seek to impose their offensive strategy against the visiting team.
Predicted Line-Ups
Here’s a look at the likely line-ups for both teams based on recent performances:
Benfica (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Bah, Circati, Araujo, El Karouani; Palhinha, Aursnes; Lukebakio, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis. Coach: Marco Silva.
Celtic (4-2-3-1): Sinisalo; Donovan, Murray, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Baur; Duran, Nygren, Tounekti; Hogh. Coach: Martin O’Neill.
Recent head-to-head encounters indicate a long-standing rivalry worth noting:
- 21/11/2012: Benfica 2-1 Celtic
- 20/09/2012: Celtic 0-0 Benfica
- 07/11/2007: Celtic 1-0 Benfica
- 25/10/2007: Benfica 1-0 Celtic
- 02/11/2006: Benfica 3-0 Celtic
Given their current form and the context of the match, predictions are leaning towards a Benfica victory. The suggested scoreline is Benfica 2, Celtic 0.
For fans wanting to follow the action live, the match will be streamed on beIN Connect and Vidio. Various subscription plans are available for viewers in order to access this exciting Europa League fixture.
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