UEFA Europa League, League Stage 2BenficaBEN 15/10/2026 20:00 CelticCEL Venue Estdio da Luz Referee Nikola DabanovicWhere to Watch Benfica v Celtic: TV and online streamsBenfica versus Celtic kicks off at8pm BST (8pm local time) on Thursday, October 15at the Estdio da Luz. The match is live onTNT Sports 3in the UK and Ireland. Preview for Benfica v CelticLisbon holds a special place in Celtic hearts. Its where the Lisbon Lions became the first British side to lift the European Cup in 1967. This trip, though, is about survival rather than nostalgia, as Martin ONeills side travel to the Estdio da Luz on Thursday night desperately needing points.Celtics European campaign has been nothing short of a nightmare so far. They should be in the Champions League, but they somehow surrendered a four-goal first-leg lead to lose 5-4 on aggregate to LASK in the play-off round. Their Europa League campaign then got off to the worst possible start, with Ferencvros winning 3-1 at Celtic Park on matchday one despite Celtic having 63% of the ball. Mika Baur levelled just before half-time, only for the Hungarian champions to go straight back in front, and former Celt Daniel Arzani wrapped it up soon after the break.That was the start of a miserable run. Celtic lost to Rangers twice in a week, 3-0 in the League Cup and 1-0 at Celtic Park in the league, and the pressure on ONeill grew. Sundays 2-0 win at Motherwell, which was ONeills 250th victory as Celtic manager, finally gave them some breathing space.I think that was really important for us. We had a couple of moments, a few scary moments and we saw it through, ONeill said afterwards. Psychologically I thought that was good for us not to concede.Benfica are a different proposition altogether. Marco Silvas side are only in the Europa League because they missed out on the Champions League, just the second time since 2009 that has happened, and they look like a team who intend to make the most of it. They opened the league phase with a statement win at AC Milan and have been prolific at home, putting six past Hearts and five past St Gallen in qualifying.Their only real setback this season was a 3-1 defeat away at Porto in O Clssico in September. Benfica have won nine of their last 10 competitive games and scored at least twice in nine of them.Europa League Table UEFA Europa League 2026 World #TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAGDPtsLast 1 1 Juventus11005053 W 2 Crystal Palace11004043 W 3 Sparta Praha11004133 W 4 Beikta11004133 W 5 Union St. Gilloise11003033 W 6 Ferencvarosi TC11003123 W 7 Benfica11002023 W 8 Bayer Leverkusen11002023 W 9 OFI11002023 W 10 Bournemouth11002113 W 11 Lyon11002113 W 12 Torreense11002113 W 13 Olympiakos Piraeus11002113 W 14 Red Bull Salzburg11001013 W 15 Sunderland11001013 W 16 Omonia Nicosia11001013 W 17 Sturm Graz10100001 D 18 Rennes10100001 D 19 Dinamo Zagreb10100001 D 20 Hapoel Beer Sheva10100001 D 21 Jagiellonia100112-10 L 22 Real Sociedad100112-10 L 23 Anderlecht100112-10 L 24 Lillestrom100112-10 L 25 Celta Vigo100101-10 L 26 AZ Alkmaar100101-10 L 27 Levski Sofia100101-10 L 28 Celtic100113-20 L 29 1899 Hoffenheim100102-20 L 30 AC Milan100102-20 L 31 Celje100102-20 L 32 Marseille100114-30 L 33 Ararat-Armenia100114-30 L 34 Plzen100103-30 L 35 Lech Poznan100104-40 L 36 NEC Nijmegen100105-50 L Position 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 : Promotion Europa League (Play Offs: 1/8-finals) Position 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 : Promotion Europa League (Play Offs: 1/16-finals) Team News for Benfica v CelticBenfica are without Jakub Kamiski, who scored at San Siro on matchday one but picked up an adductor injury on international duty with Poland. Midfielder Enzo Barrenechea is also sidelined.The good news for Silva is that Vangelis Pavlidis is fit and in phenomenal form. The Greek striker has 14 goals in 14 games this season and will lead the line again, with Dodi Lukbakio, Gianluca Prestianni and Andreas Schjelderup expected to support him.For Celtic, the big concern is Cameron Carter-Vickers. The vice-captain missed the Motherwell win with a strain, and the clubs medical team have warned ONeill that Thursday may come too soon. If he misses out, Dane Murray is expected to continue alongside Liam Scales after impressing at Fir Park, with Auston Trusty the other option.Alistair Johnston and Yang Hyun-jun are unavailable, and Callum Osmand is a doubt with an ankle injury.Expected line-ups for Benfica v CelticBenfica: Trubin; Bah, Arajo, Circati, Dahl; Palhinha, Aursnes; Lukbakio, Prestianni, Schjelderup; PavlidisCeltic: Sinisalo; Donovan, Murray, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Baur; Durn, Nygren, Tounekti; HghStats for Benfica v CelticBenfica have won nine of their last 10 competitive matches, scoring at least twice in nine of them.Benfica are unbeaten in their last 11 Europa League league-phase or group-stage games (W8 D3).Vangelis Pavlidis has scored 14 goals in 14 games in all competitions this season.Celtic have lost three of their last four games in all competitions.Celtic have kept just two clean sheets in their last 29 Europa League main-draw matches.Prediction for Benfica v CelticCeltic often defy the odds in Europe but this looks a very difficult task against a Benfica side that look stronger all over the pitch. Match PredictionBenfica 3 0 Celtic Topics Celtic F.C. S.L. Benfica If you enjoy reading this article, you can help support our independent football journalism by adding 101 Great Goals as a preferred source You Should Also Read Martin ONeill clears up Celtic future after time of reflection Mitch Fretton 6th October, 2026 Celtic 0-1 Rangers: Report, result, goals from Scottish Premiership Ben Miller 20th September, 2026 Europa League round-up: Celtic lose again Tom Rostance 17th September, 2026 Europa League: Sunderland make winning return to European competition Tom Rostance 16th September, 2026 Rangers 3-0 Celtic: Neil scores twice as McInnes men thrash Old Firm rivals Jon Fisher 13th September, 2026 ONeill takes blame for Celtics humiliating Champions League exit Mitch Fretton 26th August, 2026
