Benfica vs Qarabag prediction, H2H and probable lineups — September 16, 2025
On September 16, 2025, the first round of the UEFA Champions League group stage will feature a clash between Benfica and Qarabag. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time. Let's take a closer look at the betting options for the winner of this encounter.
Benfica
Benfica heads into this fixture in excellent form. Despite a frustrating loss of points in their last league outing—conceding in the dying seconds due to a defensive mistake—the Portuguese club's start to the season has been nothing short of impressive. Across all competitions this year, Benfica has played nine matches without a single defeat, with rock-solid defending as their main trump card—opponents have managed to score just two goals during this stretch.
Their road to the Champions League went through a confident qualification campaign, where they dispatched serious opponents like Nice and Fenerbahce. In last season's competition, Benfica also performed admirably, finishing 16th in their group and making it to the round of 16, where they were eliminated by Barcelona.
The team's home form deserves special mention—Benfica has yet to lose at their stadium this season, and their unbeaten streak at home now stands at four consecutive matches. As for their head-to-head with Qarabag, this will mark the first official meeting in history between the two clubs.
Qarabag
For Qarabag, reaching the Champions League group stage is a major achievement. The team already has experience playing at this level: back in 2017, the Azerbaijani side made their debut in the main draw under the old format. This season, Qarabag again battled their way through a tough qualification, defeating Ireland's Shelbourne, North Macedonia's Shkëndija, and in the decisive round, overcoming Hungary's Ferencváros. They lost just one of six matches, winning the other five.
Their domestic league campaign hasn't been as successful. After three rounds, Qarabag has just one win, one draw, and one defeat, collecting four points. All matches have been low-scoring affairs, each finishing with under 2.5 total goals.
Probable lineups
- Benfica: Trubin, Araujo, Silva, Otamendi, Dahl, Aursnes, Barrenechea, Rios, Schjelderup, Pavlidis, Ivanovic.
- Qarabag: Kochalski, Jafarkuliev, Medina, Mustafazade, Mateus Silva, Jankovic, Pedro Bicalho, Zoubir, Kady, Leandro Andrade, Akhundzade.
Interesting facts and head-to-head
- Benfica have won 8 of their last 10 matches.
- Benfica have won 4 of their last 5 home games.
- Qarabag have won 5 of their last 6 away matches.
- Qarabag have failed to win 3 of their last 4 matches.
- This will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.
Benfica vs Qarabag match prediction
Benfica enters the match in brilliant form, unbeaten in their recent outings and showing dominance at home. Qarabag, meanwhile, hasn't played at this international level for some time and has had a mixed start in the Azerbaijani league. The team lacks stability and is clearly the underdog for this fixture. After a frustrating league draw, Benfica will be highly motivated and focused on securing a confident start to their Champions League campaign. My bet for this match is a Benfica win with a -1.5 handicap at odds of 1.57.
