Benfica vs OFI: Predicted Lineups and Team News for UEFA Europa League

Benfica welcome OFI to Lisbon in the final matchday of the UEFA Europa League league stage, with both sides looking to consolidate impressive early campaigns. Although the official lineups are not yet released, this is a prime fixture for analysing predicted lineups and how each expected starting lineup could shape the contest.

In the competition’s league standings, Benfica are listed 4th in the overall league round table with 0 points from 0 games, but their broader Europa League record is excellent: recent league form reads LWWDWW, with 19 goals scored and just 6 conceded across 6 matches. OFI sit 25th in the league round table, also on 0 points from 0 games, yet they arrive with a perfect Europa League league record so far (WW), scoring 5 and conceding none.

With both teams already showing strong form in this Europa League campaign, this clash in Lisbon looks like a genuine test of Benfica’s attacking power against OFI’s defensive resilience. This preview focuses on predicted lineups, team news and tactical trends rather than any official team sheets.

Benfica Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Benfica enter this tie with momentum and depth. Their Europa League league form of LWWDWW underlines a side that scores freely – averaging 3.2 goals per game – while keeping things relatively tight at the back. With no injuries or suspensions reported in the available data, the expectation is that Benfica can field something close to their strongest group, rotating only where necessary for freshness.

Given their recent attacking numbers and the presence of several high-performing forwards and creative midfielders, Benfica are expected to line up in an attacking-minded shape, looking to dominate territory and possession. The manager is likely to lean on key contributors such as V. Pavlidis and Rafa, building an expected structure that can overload wide areas and sustain pressure high up the pitch.

Benfica Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: A. Trubin
DF: A. Bah, C. Lenglet, Tomás Araújo, S. El Karouani
MF: H. Sudakov, L. Barreiro, E. Barrenechea, Rafa
FW: V. Pavlidis, D. Lukebakio

This predicted lineup balances Benfica’s strongest attacking weapons with a solid defensive spine. In goal, A. Trubin is the logical choice from the goalkeeping group, offering stability behind a back line anchored by C. Lenglet and Tomás Araújo. Both centre-backs feature in the Europa League scoring and appearance data, with Lenglet and Araújo each contributing a goal, underlining their threat on set pieces. A. Bah, who has provided an assist and appears prominently in the disciplinary and assist charts, is expected to operate aggressively on the right, while S. El Karouani is a natural fit on the left from the defender pool.

In midfield, H. Sudakov, L. Barreiro and E. Barrenechea are all established figures in Benfica’s Europa League campaign. Sudakov, Barreiro and Barrenechea have all featured regularly, with Sudakov and Barreiro each credited with an assist. Together they give Benfica a blend of ball-winning, progression and link play between the lines. Ahead of them, Rafa is one of the standout attacking pieces: 2 goals and 1 assist in the competition make him a key creative hub in the predicted starting lineup, likely drifting between the lines to connect midfield and attack.

Up front, V. Pavlidis is the clear focal point. He leads the Europa League scoring charts for Benfica with 5 goals and 1 assist, appearing at the top of the scoring, assists and card rankings – a high-usage, high-impact forward who will be central to every attacking pattern. Alongside him, D. Lukebakio brings pace and direct running; he has already produced 1 goal and 1 assist in limited appearances. With Rafa, Pavlidis and Lukebakio all in the same predicted XI, Benfica’s front line today looks capable of overwhelming OFI’s back three with movement and finishing quality.

OFI Team News & Expected Lineups Today

OFI travel to Lisbon in excellent Europa League form, having won both of their league matches so far with a combined score of 5-0. Their league form string of WW reflects a side that has been efficient in attack and flawless defensively, keeping two clean sheets and averaging 2.5 goals per game. With no injuries or suspensions listed, OFI also appear to have a full squad available for selection.

The Greek side have so far favoured a shape built around three at the back, as indicated by their previous use of a 3-4-3 structure in this competition. That suggests an expected approach based on compact central defending, energetic wing-backs and a front line capable of counter-attacking quickly. For anyone tracking lineups today, OFI’s predicted lineup is likely to lean on experienced defenders and versatile midfielders to cope with Benfica’s pressure.

OFI Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: N. Christogeorgos
DF: N. Marinakis, D. Nikolaou, A. Poungouras
MF: L. Dickmann, G. Kanellópoulos, A. Bouchalakis, T. Androutsos
FW: Aitor Cantalapiedra, T. Fountas, K. Kodro

In goal, N. Christogeorgos is a leading candidate from a deep goalkeeping group, with experience and age profile making him a natural choice. The predicted back three of N. Marinakis, D. Nikolaou and A. Poungouras draws from OFI’s core defenders, offering a mix of leadership and physicality. This trio should provide the platform for OFI’s excellent defensive record so far in the competition, where they have yet to concede.

Across midfield, L. Dickmann and T. Androutsos are expected to operate as energetic wide players, supporting both phases of play. Centrally, G. Kanellópoulos and A. Bouchalakis bring control and passing range, helping OFI to escape pressure and feed their attackers. The front three of Aitor Cantalapiedra, T. Fountas and K. Kodro gives OFI multiple goal threats: Cantalapiedra’s technical quality, Fountas’ movement and Kodro’s penalty-box presence are well suited to a counter-attacking game plan. Even though detailed individual Europa League stats for OFI’s players are not provided here, their team record – 5 goals scored, 0 conceded – indicates that this attacking group has been efficient and well supported by the structure behind them.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

With no injuries or suspensions listed for either side, squad availability is not expected to distort the tactical balance of this match. Both Benfica and OFI can approach this fixture with close to full strength options, increasing the likelihood that their strongest performers feature in the starting XI.

Benfica Absences:

• No significant absences reported.

OFI Absences:

• No significant absences reported.

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

This contest sets Benfica’s high-volume attack against OFI’s near-perfect defensive record in the Europa League so far. Benfica’s broader league statistics show 19 goals scored across 6 matches, with an average of 3.2 goals per game and scoring consistently across all phases of the match, particularly between minutes 31-45 and 76-90. Their predicted front unit of Rafa, V. Pavlidis and D. Lukebakio, supported by creative midfielders like H. Sudakov and L. Barreiro, is built to sustain pressure in the final third. Pavlidis’ 5-goal haul and dual presence at the top of both scoring and assist charts underline his central role in breaking down even well-organised defences.

OFI, by contrast, bring a perfect defensive record in the Europa League league stage: two wins, five goals scored, none conceded, and clean sheets both home and away. Their previous use of a three-man defence and a 3-4-3 structure suggests a compact central block with wing-backs dropping deep when out of possession. The key tactical battle will likely be in wide areas, where Benfica’s full-backs and wide forwards try to isolate OFI’s wing-backs and outside centre-backs. If OFI’s midfield pairing of G. Kanellópoulos and A. Bouchalakis can disrupt service into Pavlidis and Rafa, they have the counter-attacking pace and experience up front to exploit any over-commitment from the hosts. However, Benfica’s comparison indices in attack are significantly stronger, and their ability to score in multiple time windows may eventually stretch OFI’s resistance over 90 minutes.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Stats suggest a competitive fixture despite Benfica being named as the predicted winner. The outcome probabilities indicate a very balanced picture: around a 35% chance of a Benfica win, 35% for the draw and 30% for an OFI victory. That narrow spread reflects OFI’s perfect Europa League league record and defensive strength, even as Benfica carry the greater attacking firepower and home advantage in Lisbon.

Given Benfica’s attacking depth, the presence of in-form forwards like V. Pavlidis and Rafa, and their strong recent scoring record, they remain slight favourites to edge a tight game. At the same time, OFI’s two clean sheets and efficient 5-goal return suggest they are capable of keeping this close and threatening on transitions. With the goals fields in the prediction model not providing a concrete scoreline, a conservative verdict is warranted: Benfica to win narrowly, with OFI competitive throughout and a draw not far from the probabilities.

Predicted Outcome: Benfica 2–1 OFI

How to Watch Benfica vs OFI Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local sports broadcaster / streaming platform
• UK: Major pay-TV sports network or official UEFA streaming partner
• USA / North America: National soccer-focused cable channel or premium streaming service
• South America: Regional sports network with UEFA rights or affiliated streaming app
• MENA: Pan-regional satellite sports network or official digital platform