Bayern Munich will hope to keep their dominant start to their Champions League journey going when they travel to Portugal to meet Benfica.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side have bagged eight goals and are yet to concede in their two European games, and they come into this one in terrifying form after putting five past Bayer Leverkusen in the first half of this weekend’s victory.
Benfica are no pushovers, however. They won their first eight league games of the season and thumped Barcelona 3-0 before the international break, beating the Catalan side by the same score as Bayern managed.
It promises to be a fascinating encounter, and here’s all you need to know about it.
When is kick off? Wednesday 20 October, 20:00 (BST)
Where is the match being played? Estadio da Luz
TV channel/live stream? BT Sport ESPN (UK), TUDN Xtra (US)
Highlights? BT Sport YouTube channel
Referee? Ovidiu Hategan
VAR? Pol van Boekel
Benfica lost two wing-backs in their last outing against Trofense, with Gil Dias and Valentino Lazaro both picking up injuries which will likely force them to miss out here.
There are also concerns about the fitness of Haris Seferovic, although the striker is highly unlikely to start over Darwin Nunez or Roman Yaremchuk anyway.
Alphonso Davies will face a late fitness test after a thigh injury ended his fun against Leverkusen, which could see Lucas Hernandez shifted out to left-back.
On the other side of the pitch, Benjamin Pavard is eligible after serving his suspension and should start at right-back.
Benfica: Vlachodimos; Verissimo, Otamendi, Vertonghen; Gilberto, Weigl, Rafa, Mario, Grimaldo; Yaremchuk, Nunez.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Pavard, Sule, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kimmich, Goretzka; Gnabry, Muller, Sane; Lewandowski.
Bayern are unbeaten in their ten meetings with Benfica, the last of which came at this stage of the Champions League back in 2018.
The German side, led by Niko Kovac at the time, ran out 5-1 winners thanks to doubles from Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben (whose first goal was mental) and an extra bonus goal from Franck Ribery.
Bayern’s last trip to Benfica ended in a 2-0 victory, but the Portuguese side did avoid defeat with a 2-2 draw when they met in early 2016.
Benfica are a really good side, but Bayern just look to be on an entirely different planet this season.
To put five past Bayer in such devastating fashion was a reminder to the rest of Europe that Nagelsmann’s side can humiliate literally any side, and they’ll be hoping to do exactly that against Benfica.
Jorge Jesus has built an impressive side at Benfica and there’s a good chance they’ll grab a goal, but stopping the Bayern machine is a test which few sides are capable of conquering.
Prediction: Benfica 1-3 Bayern Munich