Football betting tips: Europa League
2.5pts Benfica to win and both teams to score at 17/10 (General)
0.5pt Clement Lenglet to score anytime at 17/2 (Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Bet)
0.5pt Lenglet 1+ assists at 14/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
0.5pt Liam Scales to score anytime at 30/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
0.5pt Scales 1+ shots on target outside the box at 40/1 (bet365)
BENFICA's 55-match unbeaten league run was finally brought to end in the final match before the international break as champions and leaders Porto took full advantage of an early red card to win 3-1 and maintain their own 100% start to the Primeira Liga season.
The fact it took those circumstances for them to finally lose demonstrates just what Celtic are up against on Thursday.
Marco Silva replaced Jose Mourinho in the summer and Benfica have got better.
At home they are W6 D1 with a +17 goal difference, including a 6-1 win over Hearts in Europa League qualifying, and they started their league phase campaign with a 2-0 win at Ruben Amorim's AC Milan, the antepost favourites to lift the trophy.
Celtic eased some of the growing pressure on Martin O'Neill by winning 2-0 at Motherwell on Sunday, and were further boosted by the return of Jota from the bench - the forward's first appearance since April.
It ended a run of three successive damaging results, with a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros sandwiched by a pair of Old Firm defeats.
Their remarkable collapse in the second leg of their final Champions League qualifier against LASK, when they surrendered a 4-0 aggregate lead to lose 5-1 on the night and 5-4 overall is evidence of just how easily Celtic can be picked apart by teams of any quality.
Given the biggest change Silva has brought in is a more expansive style of play, Benfica average 3.0 goals per game and 3.29 at home, it could very well end up being men against Bhoys. Unfortunately the bookies know it, with Benfica and goals cut in painfully short.
What hasn't been is BENFICA TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE which is 17/10. Visitors have got on the scoresheet in five of seven matches at Estadio da Luz this term.
Usually the ANYTIME GOALSCORER market would be worth dipping into to back some of the hosts' most threatening players, but they rotated at San Siro so predicting the XI is tricky.
CLEMENT LENGLET should start as he was suspended at the weekend. The experienced centre-back has scored twice and assisted once in 13 appearances this season.
À lei da bomba 💣
— Liga Portugal (@ligaportugal) August 31, 2026
O primeiro golo de Lenglet na #LigaPortugalBetclic 🦅
📺 BTV #SLB pic.twitter.com/fKYQlexM2W
That includes a stunning 30-yard strike, but he is consistently getting on the end of good chances at set-pieces, which makes him worth backing at 17/2 in a match his team is likely to rack up the corner count in.
Interestingly, the Frenchman has become equally prolific when it comes to ASSISTS so backing him for 1+ at 14/1 is advised.
Since becoming a regular starter at Sevilla in 2017/18 he has scored 17 and assisted 10 goals, though in recent seasons the balance has shifted towards being a provider with eight assists and six goals since 21/22.
There is one pro-Celtic bet included in the staking plan with the 30/1 about LIAM SCALES TO SCORE ANYTIME too big.
Capable of playing at centre-back, left-back and wing-back, his versatility speaks to his ability to be an attacking threat when given the chance.
The Republic of Ireland international has found the net once already this term and had plenty of attempts from all over the pitch, landing a SHOT ON TARGET FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX twice, including during the weekend win over Motherwell.
He is 40/1 to do so on Thursday which is worth a small bet.
Our best chance of him scoring remains at set-pieces, where Benfica do appear to have tightened things up lately having struggled in the opening weeks of the season, conceding three goals - two scored by defenders.
Odds correct at 14:00 BST (14/10/26)
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