Benfica vs Rangers Prediction & Betting Tips (7 March)

Benfica can consider themselves happy to participate in these 1/8 finals of the Europa League. Because his double opposition with Toulouse during the play-offs was not a cakewalk. On the contrary, the Portuguese first had to wait until the very end of regulation time to win the first leg 2-1. And on the way back, they were put in great difficulty in the game and they only owed their qualification to the clumsiness of the Toulouse attackers who could have put the two teams back on an equal footing. Regardless, Angel Di Maria's partners continue their journey in Europe despite their 3rd place in their Champions League group behind Real Sociedad and Inter but ahead of Salzburg. In their own championship, the Lisbon team lost the lead in the standings to Sporting after the 5-0 rout at Porto last weekend.

A defeat which plunged the club into crisis after the elimination experienced in the Cup a few days earlier against Sporting 2-1. The Rangers, for their part, brilliantly avoided the terrible ordeal of the play-offs by taking 1st place in their group during the fall by ahead of good teams like Sparta Prague, Bétis and Aris Limassol. The Glasgow players were therefore able to focus all their attention on the championship where they are at the top of the standings with 2 small steps ahead of historic rival Celtic. In great form, Philippe Clement's men had won their last 11 meetings in all competitions and they swept everything in their path in 2024 before losing to Motherwell 1-2 last weekend. In the championship, they easily dominated Heart of Midlothian 5-0 before dismissing Kilmarnock 1-2 in particular.

For this meeting, the Portuguese club will still have to do without the Spanish left side on loan from PSG, Juan Bernat (injured), who is more of a replacement, and without the winter recruit Prestianni who was not included on the list of players authorized to play the competition. Otherwise, all the strengths of this team are operational for this poster, starting with world champion Angel Di Maria (ex-PSG, 7 goals, 6 assists this season in the league) who scored twice during the first leg against TFC. The talented Rafa Silva (10 goals, 10 assists in the league), Neres (ex-Ajax), the scorer Musa (5 pawns, 2 pancakes), the former resident of Fiorentina Cabral (also 4 goals) and his Brazilian compatriot Marcos Leonardo (4 goals in only 6 appearances in the league) will also be present. On the Rangers side, a few elements are missing.

These are the interesting attackers Cantwell, Matondo and Danilo (4 goals), the more dispensable Roofe, the midfielder Dowell (2 goals in 7 games) and, above all, the very good Sima (10 goals in the league, 3 in C3) . On the other hand, former AS Monaco coach Philippe Clément should be able to count on some fairly formidable men like the Nigerian Dessers (12 goals in the league) or the young Portuguese hopeful Fabio Silva. Obviously, the very prolific right-back Tavernier (14 goals, 8 assists in the Scottish PL) should also be able to start.