Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Benfica
Match Time & Date:
24/10/2023
03:00 PM
Prediction: 1-1
Real Sociedad
Estadio da Luz will host Tuesday’s Champions League game between Benfica and Real Sociedad. The Eagles made a slow start in Group D, with the team losing to both Salzburg and Inter and, no doubt, they are desperate to pick up all three points from the Real Sociedad game. Defender Antonio Silva is back from suspension, while both Angel Di Maria and Alexander Bah are out of contention through injuries. It has to be noted that several first-team regulars were rested in the Taca de Portugal win over SC Lusitania at the weekend.
The Basques, on the other hand, aim to retain top position in the standings, but beating Benfica in Lisbon is easier said than accomplished. Taking everything into account, we predict that the two sides are going to share the spoils at Estadio da Luz. As for the away team, all eyes will be on Brais Mendez, who sealed the victory against Mallorca at the weekend, while all Andre Silva, Merquelanz, Odriozola, and Kieran Tierney should miss out with injuries.
Highlighted Player (Mikel Oyarzabal):
Intelligence is not an attribute you will find in Mikel Oyarzabal’s stats with Real Sociedad but this tricky winger is a highly knowledgeable winger who will use both brain and feet while playing. For a player born in Eibar, who made his first steps in his hometown club, it was always going to be a choice between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad for Oyarzabal.
La Real saw their chance and grabbed this gem of a player at a young age, helping him develop into a proper professional throughout their youth ranks. Mikel Oyarzabal has spent the entirety of his senior career with the Basque behemoths where he’d use his ability to fill in a number of positions up top much to his own benefit.
Oyarzabal’s positioning and movement are work of a tactical genius, whereas it is his nous to find details to exploit that best define him as a player. Having come through the youth categories of the Spanish national team, Oyarzabal also has a senior cap next to his name. It was in 2016 that he also represented the Basque region, scoring on his debut to cap a 3-1 win over Tunisia.
Highlighted Team (Benfica):
Member of the ‘Big Three’ clubs in Portugal alongside FC Porto and CP Sporting, Sport Lisboa e Benfica are the football club that has never been relegated from the Primeira Liga. The club is nicknamed Aguias because of the Eagle symbol atop the club’s crest. Benfica play their home games at the Estadio da Luz which replaced the original one in 2003 and which boasts the capacity of more than 64,000. Arguably the most successful club in Portugal, Benfica have won a record of 35 Primeira Liga titles and also a record 25 Taca de Liga and 7 Taca da Liga trophies.
Two-time European Cup winners, Benfica are the club known for their diligent work with youth players, many of which went on to make great careers abroad. The most prominent players to wear a Benfica shirt are legendary Eusebio, Manuel Bento, Jorge Tavares and most recently Javier Saviola, Nuno Gomes, David Luiz and Angel Di Maria.
Bayern Munich
Augsburg 
Leicester
Chelsea
Arsenal
Nottingham Forest
Aston Villa
Crystal Palace 
Milan 
Juventus 
Man City
Tottenham
