CSKA Moscow vs Benfica Predictions, 22 Nov 2017

The Match Is Over. Score: 2-0

CSKA Moscow v Benfica Predictions for Wednesday's 5.00pm kick-off Champions League group fixture facing Russian hosts CSKA Moscow and Portuguese side Benfica at Arena CSKA. CSKA Moscow (CSKA) face a big test of their knock-out credentials when they take on bottom-placed Benfica in a Champions League (CL) Group A encounter on Wednesday.

Match status: 2017-18 Champions League Group Stages
Kick-off: Wednesday 22 Nov 2017, 05:00pm GMT
Venue: "Arena CSKA" in Moscow, Russia

CSKA Moscow v Benfica Team News

The hosts (6 pts, W2 D0 L2), who are third in the table, will be out of the reckoning if they lose to Benfica (0 pts, L4) and Basel defeat Manchester United due to an inferior head-to-head with the Swiss side.

CSKA had won only 3 out of 11 games in all competitions (D4 L4) before Saturday’s 4-2 win at SKA-Energiya Khabarovsk in the Russian Premier League. To add to their inconsistencies, CSKA have already lost both their CL home games this season.

The hosts do not boast a good past CL record, having come bottom of their group in the last 4 campaigns. CSKA did, however, win their first 5 European fixtures this season, including a 2-1 victory at Benfica on matchday 1 and 4 CL qualifying matches.

Two of those CL qualifying wins were at home against AEK Athens and BSC Young Boys and are CSKA’s only victories at home in their last 9 home European matches (D3 L4).

Benfica will be confirmed 4th in the group if they fail to win and on current form, their prospects aren’t great. The visitors have lost their last 5 CL matches which is their worst-ever run.

The visitors have only won 3 of their 15 away European fixtures (D4 L8) and have failed to score in their last 3 CL matches. Their only goal this season came against CSKA on matchday 1.

Teams' Possible Starting Lineups:

CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev - Berezutski, Berezutski, Vasin - Schennikov, Natkho, Dzagoev, Fernandes - Golovin, Wernbloom - Vitinho (3-4-1-2 formation)

Benfica: Svilar - Grimaldo, Dias, Luisao, Almeida - Cervi - Zivkovic, Pizzi, Salvio - Jonas, Seferovic (4-1-3-2 formation)

Missing Players of CSKA Moscow and Benfica:

CSKA Moscow: Doubtful: Aleksei Berezutski, Mario Fernandes.

Benfica: No missing players.

Head-to-Head Record: CSKA Moscow v Benfica

2017-18 Champions League Group Stages
Benfica 1-2 CSKA Moscow

2004-05 UEFA Cup Last-32
Benfica 1-1 CSKA Moscow

2004-05 UEFA Cup Last-32
CSKA Moscow 2-0 Benfica

Conclusion and Match Preview:

Both these sides tread a fine line when it comes to discipline, with Benfica picking up 10 yellow cards (joint third-highest) and 2 red cards (highest) in the CL group phase while CSKA are just behind their visitors on 9 yellow cards.

CSKA are unbeaten (W2 D1) in 3 fixtures against Benfica, with their 2 previous encounters prior to this season’s CL meeting coming in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup round of 32. The home leg of that game was actually played in Krasnodar. In Moscow, however, they have lost all 3 games against Portuguese visitors, failing to score in those matches.