Benfica vs Maccabi Haifa

Benfica and Maccabi Haifa are set to trade tackles at the Estádio da Luz in their opening Champions League Group H showdown.

Benfica will take the field in high spirits after winning all nine matches this season, including four Champions League qualifiers via an aggregate score of 12-2. New boss Roger Schmidt hopes to help the ‘Eagles’ start a new Champions League season with a victory for the first time since 2015/16, as the Portuguese heavyweights come into proceedings winless in five consecutive opening-day matches in the competition (D2, L3). Hapoel’s upcoming visit could come in handy, with Benfica winning both previous home European clashes against opponents from Israel by an aggregate scoreline of 8-0. Despite traditionally poor Champions League starts, they have progressed from last season’s group stages and could do it twice in a row for only the second time in the club’s history.

In the meantime, Maccabi Haifa overcame perennial Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda in the Champions League playoff decider to book their first group stage appearance since 2009/10 and third overall. But Haifa’s memories of their only previous meetings with Portuguese adversaries are not bright, as they lost to Sporting CP 4-0 on aggregate in the 1995-96 Cup Winners’ Cup first round. Moreover, the ‘Greens’ blew hot and cold across their three Champions League away qualifiers this season (W1, D1, L1), though it’s worth noting they scored 2+ goals in two of those fixtures. On the bright side, Barak Bakhar’s men come into this encounter with a 100% domestic record (W3), including a late 2-1 away win over Hapoel Be’er Sheva at the weekend.