Benfica - Club: the Club Facts

Today the important return match of the Champions League against SL Benfica is scheduled. Find out all the facts about the match and our opponent here!

THE MATCH

Club Brugge has already played 343 European matches in its history. Blauw-Zwart will play its 96th Champions League match on Wednesday. It is the 87th European match of a Belgian club against a Portuguese club.

The Portuguese won the outward match 0-2 at Jan Breydel. Club played a good first half, which was almost rewarded with a lead through Denis Odoi, but his goal was flagged for offside. After halftime, João Mário brought his team into the lead. Afterwards, David Neres kicked the 0-2 against the nets.

Club is playing a Portuguese opponent for the 16th time in Europe. In 7 previous away games on Portuguese soil, Club achieved 2 wins and 5 defeats.

This is Benfica's 23rd match against a Belgian club. Ten times before the club hosted a Belgian team, eight times it won from them and twice it became a draw.

THE OPPONENT

Benfica plays its home matches at the Estádio da Luz (Stadium of Light) in Lisbon. The stadium seats 64,642 spectators and was opened in 2003. Several match were played in the Euro 2004. It also hosted the 2014 and 2020 UCL finals.

Since the outward match against Club, Benfica was able to win 3 times at home. It beat Boavista (3-1) at home and went on to win 0-2 at Vizela. Also last weekend, Roger Smidt's team put a new team over its knee. This time FC Famalicão was the victim. Gonçalo Ramos was at the cannon twice. As a result, the Eagles remain sovereign in the lead in the Primeira Liga. The club has an 8-point lead over first pursuer FC Porto.

João Mário could already score 4 UCL matches in a row. The last player who could score at least 5 times in a row in the highest European competition was Benfica legend Eusébio (7 times between 1963 and 1964).

In the last 3 away matches in the Champions League, Club Brugge was able to keep the zero each time. In contrast, Benfica was able to score 12 UCL matches in a row.

MATS RITS

Mats Rits could play his 30th European match for Club Brugge.

REFEREE

Turk Halil Umut Meler has been appointed ref for this game. He will be assisted by his compatriots Mustafa Emre Eyisoy and Cevdet Komurcuoglu (linesmen) and Abdulkadir Bitigen (fourth official).

Spaniard Juan Martínez Munuera is the video referee, assisted by Mete Kalkavan (Tur). This is Club's 9th European match to be whistled by a Turkish ref. Umut Meler has not led a European game of Blue-Black before.