Benfica v Ajax predictions: Dutch visitors can turn on the style in Lisbon

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Benfica v Ajax in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Ajax
3pts 4-5 general

Team news

Benfica
The hosts will be without key defender Lucas Verissimo and forward Rodrigo Pinho, while striker Haris Seferovic is also a doubt.

Ajax
Brian Brobbey, Sean Klaiber and Maarten Stekelenburg are sidelined and Jurrien Timber is an injury doubt.

Match preview

Erik ten Hag is thought to be high on Manchester United's managerial shortlist but the Dutchman has made it clear that his immediate focus is on getting the best out of his seriously talented Ajax side.

And ranking high on his list of current priorities will be progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Portuguese heavyweights Benfica.

Ajax have once again been the dominant force in the Eredivisie this season, winning 18 of their 23 matches and scoring an eye-watering 70 goals in the process. Perhaps more impressively, though, is the fact they have shipped only five times in the league this term, showing that for all their attacking might, they also possess a watertight rearguard.

The quality of their domestic opposition isn't of the same calibre of Europe's top leagues - the Eredivisie ranks seventh in Uefa's country coefficients - but they showed they can cope with the step up in quality on Champions League nights earlier this season, beating Sporting, Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas to top spot in Group C.

They won all six of their group encounters with former West Ham forward Sebastien Haller leading the way. The Ivorian struck ten times in Group C and Benfica will have to keep a close eye on Haller at the Estadio da Luz.

Benfica are also accustomed to excelling domestically but they currently find themselves 12 points adrift of Primeira Liga leaders Porto and were held to a 2-2 draw by Boavista on Friday.

Indeed, the Eagles have won only two of their last six matches in all competitions which doesn't bode well for the visit of an Ajax side who are on a ten-game winning run.

And the hosts' cause is made even harder by the absence of key defender Lucas Verissimo due to injury.

Verissimio being on the sidelines means Benfica are likely to start veteran centre-backs Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi at the back, leaving them seriously exposed to the pace of a rip-roaring Ajax attack.

Ajax were 5-1 victors over Sporting on their last visit to Lisbon in September and the Amsterdammers are strongly fancied to enjoy another triumphant night in the Portuguese capital.

Key stat

Ajax won all of their six Champions League group games.

Inside info

Benfica

Penalty taker Darwin Nunez
Free-kick wizard Alejandro Grimaldo
Set-piece aerial threat Darwin Nunez
Card magnet Julian Weigl

Ajax

Penalty taker Sebastien Haller
Free-kick wizardDusan Tadic
Set-piece aerial threatSebastien Haller
Card magnetEdson Alvarez

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