Benfica Faces Bayer Leverkusen in Crucial Champions League Clash

Lisbon, Portugal — Benfica will host Bayer Leverkusen on November 4 in a vital UEFA Champions League match, each team looking to secure its first win of the season. Both clubs remain in the lower tier of the standings, and a three-point victory could significantly impact their campaigns.

Historically, Benfica holds a slight edge in prior meetings, winning two out of four encounters. However, their recent performance in the Champions League has been lackluster. The last time they met, in a Europa League context, Benfica claimed victory, but the stakes are much higher in this tournament.

Jose Mourinho, who took over as Benfica’s manager, has yet to produce the desired European results despite leading the team to domestic success thus far. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen, under coach Kasper Hjulmand, is fifth in the Bundesliga, but faces a challenging lineup against the Portuguese club.

Leverkusen will be without five key players, including Robert Andrich, who is suspended, and injured players Lucas Vazquez, Nathan Tella, and Malik Tillman. Benfica’s squad also faces some injury concerns, with only Bruma and Amar Dedic unable to participate, leaving Mourinho with options to consider amidst an underwhelming start to the season.

The match will be streamed live on CBSSN, and fans may look for free trials on various platforms to watch the action unfold. With drama swelling in the air, both teams are desperate for success as they battle to stay relevant in the Champions League.