Benfica hosts Celtic at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon on October 15, 2026, for the second round of the UEFA Europa League league phase, as reported by Apuestas Deportivas. The Portuguese side enters the fixture following a 2-0 domestic victory against Vitória de Guimarães and an opening 2-0 win over Milan in San Siro. Meanwhile, Celtic arrives in the Portuguese capital after a 2-0 win away to Motherwell, sitting atop the Scottish Premiership with 21 points despite an opening 3-1 continental defeat to Ferencváros.
Lisbon Match Details and Kickoff Schedule
The fixture takes place on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 20:45 local time in Lisbon, Portugal, which corresponds to 21:00 in Spain. The Estádio da Luz serves as the venue for this European encounter.
Bookmakers have established Benfica as clear favorites heading into the fixture. A home victory for the Portuguese club is priced at a 1.35 odds coefficient, while a draw stands at 6.35 and an away win for Celtic is listed at 13.00, according to betting markets analyzed by Apuestas Deportivas.
Benfica Domestic Form and European Momentum
Marco Silva’s squad responded to a defeat against Porto by defeating Vitória de Guimarães 2-0 at home on Sunday. Samuel Dahl opened the scoring in the 24th minute following an assist from Vangelis Pavlidis, before Heorhiy Sudakov sealed the result in the second half. The victory restored Benfica to second place in Liga Portugal with 19 points, five behind Porto.
The Lisbon club has scored 24 goals in the domestic league and maintained that attacking output in continental play. Dodi Lukébakio and Jakub Kamiński scored in the 2-0 victory against Milan in San Siro during the opening matchday of the Europa League. Benfica remains undefeated at home in domestic fixtures this season, winning three and drawing one while scoring at least twice in every home league match.
Injury concerns affect squad depth for the hosts. Enzo Barrenechea and Jaden Umeh remain sidelined with injuries, while Jakub Kamiński is listed as doubtful for the fixture.
Celtic Recovery and Scottish Premiership Standings
Celtic reclaimed first place in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Motherwell, ending a three-match losing run across all competitions. Camilo Durán opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and Benjamin Nygren added a second goal after halftime. The result places Martin O’Neill’s team on 21 points, two ahead of Rangers.
The bounce-back win followed consecutive losses to Rangers in the Scottish League Cup and league play, alongside a 3-1 home defeat to Ferencváros in their Europa League opener, where Nygren scored the sole goal for the Scottish side. Celtic has won all four of its away fixtures in the domestic league, scoring ten goals and conceding two.
Squad availability presents challenges for the visitors. Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand, and Yang Hyun-jun are ruled out through injury, while defender Cameron Carter-Vickers faces a fitness test ahead of kickoff.
Historical Record Between Benfica and Celtic
Official records show eight prior meetings between Benfica and Celtic in European competition. The Portuguese side has secured four victories, compared to three wins for the Scottish club, alongside one draw.
The most recent competitive fixture occurred on November 20, 2012, during the UEFA Champions League group stage. Benfica claimed a 2-1 victory in Lisbon behind goals from Ola John and Ezequiel Garay, while Georgios Samaras scored for the visitors.
Projected Starting Lineups in Lisbon
Benfica starting formation (4-2-3-1): Lined up with Samuel Soares in goal; Alexander Bah, Tomás Araújo, Alessandro Circati, and Samuel Dahl in defense; João Palhinha alongside Fredrik Aursnes in midfield; with Dodi Lukébakio, Heorhiy Sudakov, and Gianluca Prestianni supporting lone forward Vangelis Pavlidis.
Celtic starting setup (4-2-3-1): Formed with Viljami Sinisalo as goalkeeper; Colby Donovan, Dane Murray, Liam Scales, and Kieran Tierney forming the back four; Callum McGregor and Mika Baur anchoring the midfield; while Camilo Durán, Benjamin Nygren, and Sebastian Tounekti operate behind striker Kasper Høgh.
Statistical Trends and Betting Markets
Over their last five official fixtures, Benfica has recorded four wins and one defeat, averaging 2.4 goals scored and 0.8 conceded per match. Celtic registers two wins and three losses over the same span, averaging 0.8 goals scored and 1.4 conceded.
Betting markets cited by Apuestas Deportivas highlight a handicap option of Benfica -1.5 at odds of 1.60. Additional markets include over 2.5 total goals at 1.44 and a correct score prediction of 3-0 in favor of Benfica at 7.50.
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