Rangers vs Benfica prediction and betting tips on March 14, 2024
One of the return matches in the Europa League Round of 16 will be played in Glasgow, where the local Rangers will host the Portuguese giants, Benfica, at the "Ibrox Stadium." In the home leg, the "Eagles" found themselves in the position of having to come from behind twice but managed to avoid defeat, playing to a 2-2 draw. Will Benfica be able to make up for lost ground in the away fixture? Here's the match prediction from Dailysports experts.
Rangers
The "Gers" finished at the top of their group, suffering a defeat only against Greek side Aris on the road in six matches. Rangers left behind opponents such as Sparta Prague and Sevilla. The "Light Blues" played an away match in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals against Hibernian over the weekend, securing a 2-0 victory. Before heading to Lisbon, the "Teddy Bears" suffered a home defeat in the league against Motherwell – 1-2, halting their ten-match winning streak across all competitions. After 29 rounds, Rangers lead Celtic in the title race by just two points.
Benfica
The "Glorious" managed to finish third in the Champions League group thanks only to an away victory against Austrian side Salzburg, despite initially being seen as contenders for the Champions League playoffs. In the previous stage, Benfica defeated French side Toulouse over two legs – 2-1 at home and 0-0 away. Heading into the match in Glasgow, the "Eagles" come off a home victory against Estoril in the league with a score of 3-1. This victory ended Benfica's winless streak, which had reached three matches. Aside from the draw against Rangers, the "Glorious" suffered a 0-5 defeat away to Porto and a 1-2 loss to Sporting in the Cup. After 25 rounds, Benfica sits second in the league, trailing Sporting by just one point.
Interesting facts about the match and personal encounters
- The teams have played three matches in European competitions, and each one has ended in a draw with a high scoreline.
- In Glasgow, the match in November 2020 ended in a 2-2 draw.
- Benfica had 25 shots on goal compared to 9 by the visitors, and also won 14 corners against Rangers' 4. However, the shots on target were equal – 5:5.
Rangers vs Benfica Prediction
We believe that the trend will continue, and the teams will once again provide an entertaining display. Our bet for this match is "Both Teams to Score" with odds of 1.60.
