Paok Saloniki vs Benfica Lisbon Soccer Betting Tips
How does the new Benfica handle pressure?
⚽️ Game: Paok Saloniki vs Benfica Lisbon
⚽️ Competition: Champions League qualification
⚽️ Date: 15.09.2020
⚽️ Betting Tips: Under 2.5 Goals
⚽️ Odds: 1.9
⚽️ Stake: 6/10 units
By this season at the latest, Portuguese club football will also enjoy a greater media focus in this country than possibly in recent years. This is primarily due to the two Germans Julian Weigl and Luca Waldschmidt, who play together for Benfica Lisbon in southern Europe and want to cause a sensation there with a specifically reinforced squad both nationally and internationally.
So that the dream of participating in the Champions League does not burst prematurely, a difficult and equally important qualifying game awaits the capitals on Tuesday evening. In the Toumbas Stadium, PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon face each other. According to the odds of the best bookmakers, the role of favorite goes to the guests.
The endeavor against the Greeks, who under normal circumstances could rely on a cauldron, but now have to get along without fans, will not be a sure-fire success, especially since a decision in this qualification for the top class 20/21 is not after the return leg, but already falls after a simple 90 minutes.
Not least because of this, we dare to predict between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon that neither team will take excessive risks early on in the match and, especially at the beginning, the focus is on trying not to fall behind. Consequently, we tend to bet on the goal market. Under 2.5 goals seem plausible at first glance.
Betting Tips: X (1st half)
Odds: 2.20
PAOK Saloniki – Statistics & Current Form
For the seventh time, PAOK Saloniki will have the chance to qualify for the most important European club competition this summer. So far, the reigning runner-up has never reached the group stage of the best 32 teams. The black and whites failed the closest two years ago when Benfica Lisbon of all places got the upper hand after a 1-1 in the first leg in Greece in the second leg with 4-1 in the playoffs and snatched away the vacant ticket.
On Tuesday evening, the team of Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira, who worked for almost ten years in various positions for Benfica rival Sporting, will now have the opportunity to reciprocate. Due to the fact that 20/21 the progression in the qualification will be determined in a simple match, in 90 minutes, PAOK can definitely raise hopes.
PAOK has been minimalistic in the recent past
Unlike the guest from the south of the continent, the team from Thessaloniki started the new season last Friday. At home against Larissa, the three-time title holder (most recently in 2019) struggled to a flattering 1-0 success, which underlined that despite a very long preparation, not all wheels are still meshing.
Because the last test match against Panathinaikos Athens also ended with the closest of all football results (1-0) and generally never more than two goals in ten of the last twelve competitive games with black and white participation, it is a good choice in our opinion between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon to give a tip on the Under 2.5. The extremely high importance of the eagerly awaited meeting may also be mentioned as an additional argument.
Probable formation of PAOK Saloniki:
➲ Paschalakis – Giannoulis, Michailidis, Ingason, Varela, Biseswar – El Kaddouri, Schwab – Jaba, Zivkovic, Pelkas
Last matches from PAOK Saloniki:
Super league
⚽️ 09/11 2020 PAOK Thessaloniki FC 1 – 0 AE Larissa
Champions League qualification
⚽️ 08/25 2020 PAOK Thessaloniki FC 3 – 1 Beşiktaş
Super League Playoff Grp.
⚽️ 07/19 2020 PAOK Thessaloniki FC 0 – 0 Aris Thessaloniki FC
⚽️ 07/15 2020 AEK Athens 0 – 0 PAOK Thessaloniki FC
⚽️ 07/12 2020 Olympiacos Piraeus 0 – 1 PAOK Thessaloniki FC
Benfica Lisbon – Statistics & Current Form
Benfica launched a major attack on the national and international elite in the summer. After the Àguias had to settle for second place behind FC Porto in the past season, significant improvements were made on the transfer market. In addition to the German international Luca Waldschmidt mentioned above, Everton, Pedrinho, Nunez and Jan Vertonghen also found their way to the Portuguese capital.
Strictly speaking, the roster of the red and whites now meets the very highest European standards. Because something has also changed in the coaching position and a real legend in national football has been signed with Jorge Jesus, the implementation of a new game idea and the integration of the many newcomers could take a little more time.
Benfica has always been in the CL group stage since 2010
Time that the eagles don’t actually have, especially since the first do-or-die match is on the program on Tuesday in the third qualifying round. Missing the Champions League would be an absolute disaster for the ambitious “Os Encarnados”, especially given the fact that the club has been a permanent guest in the group stage of the premier class since 2010.
Mentally, the question has to be asked how the new team will deal with the high expectations and the pressure? The preparation went well with victories against Bournemouth, Braga and Stade Rennes; The Portuguese did not get more than two goals per game against the aforementioned opponents. In return, the defense with the strong central defense Dias / Vertonghen was extremely stable. Between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon, the prediction that the guest could not concede is therefore not too far-fetched.
Probable formation of Benfica Lisbon:
➲ Vlachodimos – N. Tavares, Vertonghen, Dias, T. Tavares – Weigl, Florentino, Everton, Gabriel, Pizzi – Vinicius (Waldschmidt)
Last matches from Benfica Lisbon:
Club friendship games
⚽️ 09/05 2020 Benfica 2 – 0 Rennes
⚽️ 09/02 2020 Benfica 2 – 1 Braga
⚽️ 08/30 2020 Benfica 2 – 1 Bournemouth
⚽️ 08/26 2020 Benfica 5 – 1 Farense
⚽️ 08/25 2020 Benfica 4 – 0 Belenenses SAD
PAOK Saloniki vs Benfica Lisbon Direct Comparison
For the seventh time, the two clubs face each other in a competitive match. The Àguias lead the direct comparison with four wins. PAOK only won one game. The paths crossed for the last time, as already mentioned, in the CL qualification 2018/2019. In Greece, the teams separated 1: 1 at the time; in Lisbon, Benfica finally prevailed 4-1. The other four duels took place within the framework of the Europa League (UEFA Cup); The respective guest got the upper hand three times.
PAOK Saloniki vs Benfica Lisbon – Betting Odds Comparison – Champions League Qualification
Betting Tips: PAOK Saloniki
Odds: 4.75
Betting Tips: Draw
Odds: 3.75
Betting Tips: Benfica Lisbon
Odds: 1.72
PAOK Saloniki vs Benfica Lisbon Soccer Betting Tips
Due to the even tighter schedule this season than usual, the qualifying games for the Champions League will be played without a home and away leg. On Tuesday evening, it will be known after 90 minutes whether PAOK Saloniki or Benfica Lisbon will reach the next round. The betting odds indicate relatively clearly that the Portuguese will make progress, especially since they have strengthened their personnel very well and of high quality in the summer.
However, since the Eagles only start in the league next weekend and test matches should not be used as the only reference, as is well known, important impressions are still missing. But the fact is that the team of the new coach Jorge Jesus will feel the greater pressure. It is also doubtful whether everything will work immediately after the long break in play.
Key facts – PAOK Saloniki vs Benfica Lisbon tips
⚡️ Less than three goals have been scored in ten of the last twelve PAOK games
⚡️ Benfica upgraded a lot in the summer
⚡️ In 2018/2019 the Portuguese prevailed after the first and second leg …
⚡️ … the duel in Greece ended 1: 1
We are therefore moving away from the odds on the three-way market between PAOK Saloniki and Benfica Lisbon and are instead concentrating on the number of goals. There are a lot of arguments in favor of an under-match. On the one hand, the Greeks recently stood out for their very disciplined and unspectacular football. On the other hand, there is simply too much at stake in a do-or-die match to take risks early on.
Before the duel PAOK Saloniki against Benfica Lisbon, we like the tip on a maximum of two hits during the game best. Alternatively, the 2.20 for a tie (probably 0-0) can be included in the betting slip at halftime.
