Aarhus vs Benfica – News and Probable Lineups

With a two-goal advantage, Benfica is in a strong position as they head to Aarhus for the second leg of their playoff match at Randers Stadium, looking to secure their progression to the Europa League main stage.

In the first leg last Thursday at Estadio da Luz, Marco Silva’s team achieved a 3-1 victory, placing AGF in a challenging position to reverse the deficit at their usual home ground.

Match overview

Benfica has showcased their ruthlessness in recent weeks, having triumphed over St. Gallen and Hearts with an impressive combined score of 11-1 in the earlier rounds. Their recent win against Aarhus gives them a significant cushion going into this fixture.

Head coach Silva must be pleased with his team’s rapid start in the previous match, with Rafa Silva scoring in less than two minutes, followed by Leandro Barreiro doubling the lead in the 31st minute.

Vangelis Pavlidis restored Benfica’s two-goal cushion from the penalty spot just before half-time after Sebastian Jorgensen had reduced the deficit for the Danish side, maintaining the score after the break.

This result has extended the Eagles’ current unbeaten streak to seven matches (W5, D2) since their 2-1 loss against St. Gallen in the early qualifying round of the Europa League, which marked Silva’s first competitive match in charge after taking over from Jose Mourinho this summer.

Before their win against Aarhus last week, Benfica had overwhelmed Casa Pia with a 7-0 scoreline in matchday two of the Primeira Liga. Their scheduled trip to Moreirense for round three was postponed due to fixture congestion from their European obligations.

This situation allows the Eagles to approach Thursday’s second leg fresh as they aim for a 17th consecutive season in a European competition’s main stage, following their exit from last season’s Champions League knockout playoffs at the hands of Real Madrid.

Aarhus is currently in jeopardy of falling further in the European competition hierarchy, having slipped into the Europa League playoffs following a 5-2 aggregate loss to Sabah in the Champions League third qualifying round.

Nevertheless, even attaining a spot in the Conference League would be a significant accomplishment for a team that has not appeared on a continental main stage since their second-round run in the 1997-98 UEFA Cup.

Despite their struggles, Jakob Poulsen’s team might still believe in the possibility of a stunning comeback on Thursday, even though they have not achieved a victory in their last four matches across all competitions (D1, L3), including a 2-2 draw with Odense over the weekend.

Currently, AGF sits 10th in the Danish Superliga, extending a challenging start to their title defence after last season’s triumph, which ended a 40-year wait for the domestic championship.

Aarhus also has historical challenges to face, as their first-leg defeat last week marked the fourth loss in their last five encounters with Benfica, who previously eliminated them in the European Champions Cup during the 1960-61 (quarter-finals) and 1987-88 (round of 16) campaigns.

Team News

Benfica welcomed back captain Fredrik Aursnes, who made a brief appearance in his first match of the season and is likely to get more playing time here, even if he’s not part of the starting XI.

Pavlidis’s goal last week marked his tenth in his last five matches for the Eagles, and he will aim to add to that total in this match as he leads the attack.

Silva is also performing well, having scored in four of his six starts for Benfica so far this season, and could once again operate from the right wing.

On the other hand, James Bogere has netted three times in the last two fixtures Aarhus hosted and will strive to maintain that pattern on Thursday as he leads the line.

Also, Jorgensen has either netted or assisted in each of his last two matches, including his goal in last week’s first leg in Lisbon, and will look to create issues for the visitors from the flank.

Regarding injuries, Aarhus is dealing with multiple absences, including Frederik Tingager (foot), Nicolai Poulsen (Achilles tendon), and Kevin Yakob (knee).

Aarhus probable starting XI:

Hedenstad; Rosler, Camara, Kahl; Andersen, Knudsen, Arnstad, Emmery; Jorgensen, Bech; Books

Benfica probable starting XI:

Soares; Bah, Araujo, Lenglet, Dahl; Barreiro, Barrenechea; Silva, Sudakov, Prestianni; Pavlidis

Aarhus will likely press Benfica as they attempt to recover from their first-leg setback, but the disparity in quality is expected to be significant.

We anticipate the visitors will secure a hard-earned victory, though the hosts may still pose a threat offensively.