Crvena Zvezda vs Benfica predictions: Home advantage to aid Serbs
- Crvena Zvezda failed to win any of their group-stage home games last season
- Benfica won just one of six group matches last term
- Recommended bet: Draw
Former European champions Crvena Zvezda and Benfica aim to make a better fist of the new-look Champions League league phase than they did last year's campaign.
Both clubs qualified for the group stage, but the Serbs finished bottom of their group with one point, while Benfica at least mustered a solitary win to trail home a distant third in their section.
Team news
Crvena Zvezda will line up in a 4-2-3-1 set-up with Bruno Duarte the lone striker. Forward Vladimir Lucic is a long-term absentee for the Serbian league leaders.
Striker Tiago Gouveia is a doubt for the visitors, who are also set to deploy a 4-2-3-1 system with new frontman Evangelos Pavlidis up front.
The stats
Crvena Zvezda have not lost at the Stadion Rajko Mitic since last December. They have won six and drawn the other of their seven Super League fixtures this season and have scored at least two goals in 11 of their last 13 in all competitions.
The Serbs have scored in the second half of each of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
Their 2-0 win over Bodo/Glimt to qualify for this stage snapped a nine-game winless run in the Champions League.
Benfica are unbeaten in four matches - winning three - since their opening-day 2-0 loss at Famalicao.
The Portuguese side have lost five and won just one of their last eight Champions League ties.
Prediction
Crvena Zvezda feel like they have a free hit after almost blowing their bid to qualify for the new-look group stage, so do not write them off.
The Serbs were 2-0 down at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of their play-off round tie with 15 minutes remaining, before a late strike from Ognen Mimovic gave them hope and a 2-0 win at home in the second leg sealed the deal.
Those same fans who roared them to glory against Bodo will be every bit as involved against Benfica, a slicker outfit than the Norwegians, but not exactly flying so far with 10 points from five matches in the Primeira Liga.
The Eagles have the pedigree but, like Crvena Zvezda, bombed in the group stage last season, at least managing to finish a remote third and go on to the last eight of the Europa League.
They are not the force of old, however, and the home side ought to be confident that at home, where they are unbeaten in nine months, they can avoid defeat.
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