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Plzen vs Benfica Prediction: Key Stats and Betting Tips

Plzen welcome Benfica to Doosan Arena in Plzen on 26 November 2026 for a UEFA Europa League League Stage clash that pitches one of the competition’s minnows against an early powerhouse. With the League Stage format rewarding every point, the Czech side know that any positive result at home could be pivotal for their hopes of staying competitive in the section.

Benfica arrive as one of the form teams in the Europa League, boasting a prolific attack and strong recent record in the competition. Plzen, ranked near the bottom of the League Round standings, will lean heavily on home advantage and their ability to score goals at Doosan Arena to trouble a side that has been ruthless in front of goal so far.

From a betting and prediction standpoint, this fixture offers a classic contrast: Plzen’s volatility and high-scoring home performances against Benfica’s consistent, high-volume attacking output. That makes markets around goals, handicaps and Benfica’s forwards particularly attractive for punters analysing this Europa League tie.

Plzen vs Benfica Key Stats

  • Plzen are ranked 36th in the Europa League League Round standings with 0 points and no matches yet recorded in the standings block, reflecting their underdog status in this phase.
  • There are no previous head-to-head meetings between Plzen and Benfica listed for this competition.
  • Across 6 Europa League fixtures this season, Benfica have scored 19 goals (3.2 per game) and conceded just 6 (1.0 per game), underlining their status as one of the most potent and balanced sides in the tournament.

Plzen vs Benfica — Tale of the Tape

  • Position: 36 vs 4
  • Points: 0 vs 0
  • Goals For: 0 vs 0
  • Goals Against: 0 vs 0
  • Clean Sheets: Plzen 0 (tournament statistics), Benfica 1 (tournament statistics)

On paper, the standings paint a clear picture of the hierarchy between these two clubs in the Europa League League Round. Benfica sit 4th, reflecting their strong early body of work, while Plzen are down in 36th and looking up at the competition’s elite. Neither side has recorded goals for or against in the standings block yet, but the wider tournament statistics show a very different reality in terms of performance levels.

Benfica’s Europa League campaign so far has been defined by attacking dominance: 4 wins from 6, 19 goals scored and only 6 conceded. Plzen, by contrast, have played just 2 Europa League fixtures in the wider stats sample, winning 1 and losing 1, with 5 goals scored and 4 conceded. That suggests Plzen can be dangerous in single matches, especially at home, but lack the depth and consistency of their Portuguese visitors.

Plzen vs Benfica Key Matchups

Plzen attack vs V. Pavlidis

Plzen’s squad list shows a spread of attacking options – including forwards such as P. Adu, B. Faal, C. Kabongo, S. Lawal, M. Toure and experienced striker M. Vydra – but no single standout scorer in the Europa League top charts. Their team statistics, however, indicate that in 2 Europa League fixtures they have scored 5 goals, all of them at home, averaging 5.0 goals per game on their own turf and 2.5 overall. That points to a side capable of creating and finishing chances when playing in Plzen.

Up against that is Benfica’s talismanic forward V. Pavlidis. He has been one of the stars of the Europa League so far: 5 goals and 1 assist in just 3 appearances, while also topping both the top scorers and top assists lists for the competition. He has also picked up 1 yellow card, underlining his combative presence in the final third. If Plzen’s attack can keep this match open and high-scoring, Pavlidis is precisely the kind of striker who can punish any defensive looseness at the other end.

Rafa vs Plzen defensive line

Rafa offers a different type of threat from Benfica’s front line. The 33-year-old has 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 Europa League appearances this season, contributing both as a scorer and creator. His presence among the top scorers, top assists and disciplinary lists (albeit with no cards so far) shows how central he is to Benfica’s attacking patterns.

Plzen’s defence, built around options such as D. Vavro, Merchas Doski, S. Dweh and A. Gabriel, has conceded 4 goals in 2 Europa League fixtures in the wider stats set, at an average of 2.0 per match. They have yet to keep a clean sheet and have allowed goals in every 15-minute segment from 0–60 and 76–90 minutes in that small sample. Containing Rafa’s movement between the lines and his link-up with Pavlidis will be a major test for a back line that has not yet demonstrated defensive solidity at this level.

Head-to-Head: Last Meetings

Plzen and Benfica have no recent competitive meetings recorded in European competition, so this League Stage fixture will be a fresh tactical and stylistic clash between Czech and Portuguese opposition.

    Plzen vs Benfica Prediction

    All the available indicators point towards Benfica arriving in Plzen as strong favourites. The prediction model gives Benfica a 45% chance of victory and the draw also at 45%, leaving just 10% for a Plzen win. That “win or draw” tag for Benfica reflects both their attacking firepower and their ability to control matches, even away from home.

    Plzen’s own Europa League stats suggest they can score – 5 goals in 2 fixtures and a 5-1 home win in their biggest result – but they also concede regularly, with 4 goals shipped in the same span and no clean sheets. Benfica, by contrast, combine a prolific attack (3.2 goals per game across 6 fixtures) with a relatively tight defence (1.0 conceded per game) and have yet to fail to score in the competition.

    Given the goals thresholds provided (+1.5) and the strong likelihood of both attacking units creating chances, a multi-goal encounter is probable. However, Benfica’s superior form (LWWDWW in Europa League play) and deeper pool of in-form forwards should tilt the balance their way, even if Plzen manage to find the net at home.

    Predicted Score: Plzen 1-2 Benfica

    Plzen Recent Form

    Plzen’s group-stage and recent Europa League form is mixed. In the standings, their form string is very short, but the wider tournament statistics show 1 win and 1 loss from 2 fixtures, with 5 goals scored and 4 conceded. They have been excellent at home in attack, winning 5-1 in their biggest result, but suffered a 3-0 defeat away. That pattern points to a side that can be explosive going forward in front of their own fans but remains vulnerable defensively.

    Benfica Recent Form

    Benfica’s recent Europa League form is impressive, with a sequence of LWWDWW from 6 fixtures. They have won 4 of those matches, drawn 1 and lost just once, scoring 19 goals and conceding 6. Their attack has been relentless, averaging 4.7 goals per game at home and 1.7 away, while they have kept 1 clean sheet and never failed to score. That consistency, combined with an 87 rating in recent overall form and a perfect 100 in attack in the comparison metrics, underlines why they are widely expected to dominate this matchup.

    Plzen Possible Starting Lineup

    With no confirmed match lineups available, a projected Plzen selection must be drawn from their current squad options rather than a fixed XI. Likely key figures include:

    Goalkeepers: D. Ťapaj; M. Tvrdoň; F. Wiegele.

    Defenders: D. Vavro, Merchas Doski, S. Dweh, A. Gabriel, Karel Spáčil, Petr Kubín, T. Pališčák, R. Buchner, F. Prebsl.

    Midfielders: L. Červ, P. Hrošovský, A. Memić, Jiří Maxim Panoš, S. Pirgić, A. Sojka, C. Souaré, D. Višinský.

    Forwards/Attackers: T. Ladra, P. Adu, B. Faal, C. Kabongo, S. Lawal, A. Novak, M. Toure, M. Vydra.

    Plzen have alternated between 4-4-1-1 and 3-5-1-1 formations in their two Europa League outings, which suggests tactical flexibility. Against a high-powered Benfica attack, they may opt for the more conservative three-centre-back setup, using wing-backs for width and leaving one or two of their quicker forwards – such as P. Adu or B. Faal – to exploit space on the counter. The lack of clean sheets and the high number of late yellow cards (especially from 76–90 minutes) underline the need for better defensive discipline if they are to stay in the game.

    Benfica Possible Starting Lineup

    Benfica’s squad is deep and well-balanced, with several Europa League standouts:

    Goalkeepers: A. Trubin, Samuel Soares, Diogo Ferreira.

    Defenders: C. Lenglet, Tomás Araújo, A. Bah, A. Circati, S. Dahl, S. El Karouani, Gabriel Indio, J. Neto, Rui Silva.

    Midfielders: F. Aursnes, L. Barreiro, E. Barrenechea, C. Echeverri, Manu, Gonçalo Carvalho Moreira, João Palhinha, H. Sudakov, J. Kamiński, G. Prestianni, Rafa, A. Schjelderup.

    Forwards/Attackers: V. Pavlidis, D. Lukebakio, J. Durán, Bruma, A. Cabral, Felipe Lima.

    In Europa League play, Benfica have mostly lined up in a 4-2-3-1, with occasional use of 4-1-3-2. That allows them to get Pavlidis as the focal point up front, supported by creators like Rafa, A. Schjelderup and wide threats such as D. Lukebakio or J. Kamiński. With 4 penalties scored from 4 and no failures to score in 6 fixtures, they have multiple avenues to goal. Expect a front four built around Pavlidis and Rafa, with C. Lenglet marshalling the back line and A. Bah providing thrust from full-back.

    Plzen Team News

    No significant absences reported.

    Benfica Team News

    No significant absences reported.

    Injuries & Suspensions

    Plzen:

    • None reported.

    Benfica:

    • None reported.

    Betting Tips: Plzen vs Benfica

    Below are three data-backed betting angles for this Europa League clash.

    • Result Tip: Back Benfica in the Double Chance (Benfica or Draw). With Benfica given a 45% chance of winning and the draw also at 45%, the away side are heavily favoured to avoid defeat (a combined 90% probability against only 10% for a Plzen win). Their LWWDWW Europa League form, plus 4 wins from 6 matches, makes Benfica or Draw a logical safety-first result angle.
    • Goals Tip: Over 1.5 Total Goals. The prediction advice explicitly highlights “+1.5 goals”, and both teams’ Europa League stats support a goals-based approach: Plzen’s matches have averaged 4.5 total goals (5 scored, 4 conceded in 2 games), while Benfica’s have averaged 4.2 (19 scored, 6 conceded in 6). With both sides yet to record a 0-0, over 1.5 goals looks a high-probability selection.
    • Value Tip: V. Pavlidis to Score Anytime (if available). Pavlidis has 5 goals and 1 assist in 3 Europa League appearances and also features prominently in the yellow card and red card listings without any dismissals, meaning he is consistently on the pitch and involved. Against a Plzen defence that has conceded 4 goals in 2 matches and has not kept a clean sheet, backing Benfica’s in-form striker to find the net offers strong value in the goalscorer markets.

    Odds are accurate at the time of writing and subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.

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