Club Brugge welcome Benfica to the Jan Breydel Stadium for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

While Scott Parker’s side have failed to win each of their last seven home games across all competitions, Roger Schmidt’s men are seeking to avoid back-to-back away matches without a win for the first time since December.

A return to UEFA Champions League (UCL) action for this last-16 clash seems timely for Club Brugge, who have faltered of late on the domestic stage, winning just one of their nine games (D6, L2) following the World Cup break. That doesn’t make for pleasant reading ahead of the visit of Benfica, though the fact this is Club Brugge’s UCL knockout debut should buoy them in preparation for a first ever H2H meeting.

Club Brugge qualified in second (W3, D2, L1) behind Benfica’s Portuguese rivals Porto in Group B after keeping an impressive five clean sheets across their group games. No club secured more shut-outs than that in the group stage phase, and Club Brugge may again be relying on that defensive solidity as they seek to improve upon a run of four defeats from their last five games in European competition against Portuguese opposition.

In fact, you’d have to go back to August 2021 (W5, D3 since) for Benfica’s last UCL defeat on the road, and with just one defeat from their last 14 games in European competition against Belgian opposition (W9, D4), few would bet against that run extending here. They are without Enzo Fernández after his big money move to Chelsea, so it remains to be seen how Benfica cope both in his absence, and amidst a raft of changes to their UCL squad.

Players to watch: Hans Vanaken has scored Club Brugge’s last two competitive goals and each of his last six strikes have arrived before the break, while Benfica’s João Mário has seen three of his four UCL goals this term arrive from the penalty spot.

Hot stat: Four of Benfica’s last five UCL games saw both teams score in the first half.

However, Benfica’s seven-game unbeaten run in all tournaments was brought to an end by Braga in the Taca de Portugal quarter-finals last Thursday. After playing out a 1-1 draw with nine men in 120 minutes, the Eagles lost 5-4 on penalties with Fredrik Aursnes missing the only spot kick.

Benfica will be confident of returning to winning ways against Brugge and getting a foothold in their first-leg tie on Wednesday, as they have won nine and drawn four of their previous 14 meetings with Belgian opposition, while they are also unbeaten in their last seven Champions League games.

Club Brugge Champions League form:

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Club Brugge form (all competitions):

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Benfica Champions League form:

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Benfica form (all competitions):

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Club Brugge have relished their underdog status throughout this season’s Champions League and another resilient display is required if they wish to come out on top against a Benfica outfit who also enjoyed an impressive group-stage campaign.

A closely-fought first-leg contest is to be expected in Belgium, but we believe that the Portuguese visitors will do just enough to claim a slender victory.