Benfica welcome Celtic to the Estadio da Luz on matchday two of the Europa League with contrasting moods apparent in both camps.
The hosts have made a super start under new boss Marco Silva, losing just one of their last 15 games, while Celtic are under the microscope after three defeats in four games across all competitions.
Benfica were 2-0 winners over AC Milan at the San Siro on Europa League matchday one, while the Bhoys were overturned 3-1 in Glasgow by Ferencvaros.
Benfica v Celtic Tips Summary
Best Bet - Benfica to win & both teams to score @ 7/5
Alternative Bet - Vangelis Pavlidis to score first @ 13/5
Bet Builder - Benfica to win, Rafa Silva to score, Benfica to score in both halves & Callum McGregor or Liam Scales to be booked @ 15/4
Benfica v Celtic Prediction
Best Bet: Benfica to win & both teams to score @ 7/5
Martin O'Neill entered the international break last month promising to consider his future as Celtic boss after three defeats in seven days, two of them against Old Firm rivals Rangers.
The club legend remains in situ and his side did retain top spot in the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win at Motherwell on Sunday, but it was far from convincing and travelling to Lisbon represents a much more exacting challenge.
The Scottish side have lost all of their four previous visits to Benfica as well as each of their last four trips to Portugal, while the Hoops have managed just two clean sheets in 29 Europa League games.
Benfica have impressed at home, with six wins and a draw in the last seven games, though they have managed just two clean sheets in that sequence.
Celtic can get on the scoresheet, but another defeat is looming for O'Neill's side.
Alternative Bet: Vangelis Pavlidis to score first @ 13/5
Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis is into his third season with Benfica and scored 41 league goals across his first two campaigns in Portugal.
He has bagged eight times in eight Liga outings so far, with 14 goals in all competitions already this season including six in the Europa League qualifiers.
Pavlidis is rumoured to be on the radar of several Premier League clubs and his intelligent movement and clinical finishing promise to cause problems for a Bhoys defence missing the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston.
Benfica v Celtic Bet Builder Tip
Benfica to win
Rafa Silva to score
Benfica to score in both halves
Callum McGregor or Liam Scales to be booked
Pays 15/4
A home win is priced as short as 1/4 here, showing the disparity in quality and recent European performances from these sides.
Benfica should prove too strong and adding the hosts to score in both halves is good value, as they have scored in each half in seven of their last eight games.
Celtic conceded in both halves against Ferencvaros on matchday one, just as they had against Rangers in their League Cup elimination four days earlier.
Winger Rafa Silva started the season with five goals and one assist in eight appearances. He has managed seven shots on target in four games recently and can net here again.
A booking for either Liam Scales or Celtic skipper Callum McGregor completes the bet builder. Scales was booked 12 times in the Scottish Premiership last season and was cautioned for Republic of Ireland against Israel during the international break.
At 33, there are signs of wear and tear for McGregor in Celtic's engine room and a lack of protection often leaves him exposed.
Both players lack nothing in commitment and that could lead them to the referee's attention in a contest where the Hoops may be chasing the ball a lot.
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Key Match Stats
Benfica have six wins and one draw in their last seven home games, with just one loss in 15 games home and away
Celtic have lost three of their last four games in all competitions, including home and away reverses against Rangers
The home side has won seven of the eight meetings between these two teams
Benfica are unbeaten in 11 Europa League group/league phase games (W8, D3), scoring at least twice in all instances
Celtic have managed just two clean sheets in their last 29 Europa League games
Marco Silva's hosts have scored a goal in each half in seven of their last eight games
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
