Europa League
2026-10-15 - Benfica vs Celtic
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Europa League Match Day 1
Thursday 15th October 2026 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Benfica
There has been little wrong with the start made to life under Marco Silva, but Benfica's loss at Porto before the international break means they are playing catch up in the Portuguese Primeira Liga standings. The Champions look the team to beat again, but Benfica fans will be expecting to push Porto all the way, as well as returning to the Champions League.
It will have felt a little embarrassing for Benfica fans to see their grand old Club having to win a number of Europa League Qualifiers to earn the spot in the new look Group Stage. Marco Silva will likely consider those Qualifiers as giving him an opportunity to assess all of his players and Benfica made their way through and have since beating AC Milan on Match Day 1 of the League Phase.
Benfica have won 9 of the last 10 games played in all competitions with the exception being the 2-0 defeat in Porto last month. They have played 7 games in all competitions at the Stadium of Light under Marco Silva and Benfica have won 6 of those, including beating Vitoria Guimaraes this past weekend.
Celtic
After failing to hold onto a 3-0 lead from the First Leg against LASK in the final Champions League Qualifier, the pressure has been building on manager Martin O'Neill at Celtic Park. They are top of the Scottish Premiership, although Celtic fans are still smarting from the crushing 3-0 defeat at Rangers in the League Cup which was followed by a home defeat in the Old Firm derby just before the international break.
Fans have not been very happy with the kind of investment that had been made in the summer transfer window and felt that was key to Celtic missing out on returning to the Champions League Group Stage. A poor run last month included Celtic losing 1-3 at home to Ferencvaros on Match Day 1 of the Europa League Group Stage.
Celtic went into the last international break having lost 3 in a row in all competitions, but the side returned to action this past weekend with a 0-2 win at Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. Since the embarrassing capitulation at LASK in the Champions League Play Off Round Second Leg, Celtic have won 3 of the next 4 away games in all competitions.
The squad that was available against Motherwell is set to travel to Lisbon.
Head to Head
Two former European Champions have met eight times previously in competitive action.
Benfica and Celtic last met in the 2012/13 Champions League Group Stage and it was the Portuguese club who took four points from the two matches with the majority earned after a 2-1 win at home.
Benfica have hosted Celtic 4 times and won all of those matches.
Prediction
You have to expect Marco Silva to have some knowledge about Celtic having managed in England for several years- there is still enough headlines given to Scottish Premiership Football, especially the two Glasgow giants, for Silva to know a little about what to expect.
This should mean his Benfica team are well prepared and this looks a difficult game for the Scottish Champions.
Celtic's heavy loss at LASK will have dented the confidence, but it is the 1-3 home defeat to Ferencvaros that will have really stung. Teams from Scotland have struggled in the European fixtures played this season and Celtic had been on a poor run of form prior to the win at Fir Park.
Now they have to face a Benfica team that have won 9 of the last 10 games played in all competitions and who have already won at the San Siro in the Europa League.
Benfica have been very good at home where they have scored plenty of goals and they are expected to have too much firepower for The Bhoys on Thursday evening.
The Pick :
Benfica 3-0 Celtic
