NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica Predicted Lineups: Team News for UEFA Europa League

NEC Nijmegen welcome Benfica to Goffertstadion for a League Stage - 7 clash in the 2026 UEFA Europa League, with both sides looking to position themselves strongly in the early league round table. NEC are listed 24th in the overall league round ranking with 0 points and no games played yet, while Benfica sit much higher in 4th, also on 0 points but coming in with strong underlying form from recent Europa League fixtures.

With the league stage just getting underway, this match matters for very different reasons for each club. For NEC Nijmegen, it is about proving they can compete at this level and turning home advantage into points. For Benfica, whose recent European record includes 19 goals scored across 6 league fixtures and a league form string of LWWDWW, it is about asserting their status as one of the competition’s early favourites. This is exactly the type of fixture where predicted lineups and squad depth could decide the outcome long before the official starting lineup is announced.

The prediction model rates this as a very balanced contest on paper, with 33% home win, 33% draw, and 33% away win probabilities. That statistical parity reflects the lack of direct head-to-head history and NEC’s clean slate in the competition, but Benfica’s attacking numbers and league form hint at a potential edge once the expected lineups are confirmed.

NEC Nijmegen Team News & Expected Lineups Today

No injuries or suspensions are reported for NEC Nijmegen, so the coaching staff should have a full squad available. With no Europa League form string yet and zero games played in the standings, NEC are something of an unknown quantity at this level, but that also gives them freedom to spring a surprise with their tactical approach and selection.

Given the profile of the squad, NEC are likely to set up in a compact, disciplined shape, looking to protect their defensive line and then break quickly through experienced attackers such as D. Tadić and W. Willumsson. The expected approach will be pragmatic: keep the game tight early, lean on technical quality in the final third, and use the home crowd at Goffertstadion to raise intensity.

NEC Nijmegen Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: G. Crettaz
DF: B. Nuytinck; P. Sandler; P. Schuurs; T. Storm
MF: D. Geiger; D. Nejašmić; Jamiro Monteiro; T. Chery
FW: D. Tadić; W. Willumsson

This predicted lineup leans heavily on NEC’s most experienced spine. At the back, B. Nuytinck, P. Sandler and P. Schuurs provide size, aerial strength and organisation, with T. Storm offering energy and mobility in the defensive line. In midfield, the blend of D. Geiger, D. Nejašmić and Jamiro Monteiro gives NEC ball-winning capacity and the ability to circulate possession, while T. Chery adds creativity and set-piece quality from a more advanced role.

Up front, D. Tadić and W. Willumsson are natural focal points. Tadić’s experience in European competition and his ability to drift between the lines should be central to NEC’s attacking plan, while Willumsson offers direct running and finishing threat. With no Europa League top scorers or top assists data yet for NEC, this XI is built around leadership, technical security and the capacity to manage long spells without the ball against a high-powered Benfica attack.

Benfica Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Benfica also report no significant absences, giving them the luxury of choosing from a deep and in-form squad. Their league form string of LWWDWW, alongside 19 goals scored and just 6 conceded across 6 Europa League fixtures, underlines a side that is both prolific and relatively stable defensively. For bettors and fans tracking lineups today, the main intrigue is how the coach balances attacking firepower with control away from home.

Given the recent pattern of formations used in this competition, Benfica have alternated between an attacking-minded shape and a slightly more balanced system, with their lineups today likely to reflect respect for NEC’s home advantage while still showcasing their offensive stars. Expect an aggressive but structured setup that looks to dominate territory, press high, and get the ball quickly into their leading forwards.

Benfica Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: A. Trubin
DF: A. Bah; C. Lenglet; Tomás Araújo; S. El Karouani
MF: F. Aursnes; E. Barrenechea; H. Sudakov; J. Kamiński; Rafa
FW: V. Pavlidis

This predicted lineup is built around Benfica’s dominant attacking core in the Europa League so far. Up front, V. Pavlidis has been one of the standout players in the competition: 5 goals and 1 assist from 3 appearances make him both their leading scorer and joint-top contributor in assists. His presence as the central striker gives Benfica a reliable finisher and a reference point to play into, whether from wide crosses or vertical passes through the middle.

Behind him, Rafa, J. Kamiński and H. Sudakov provide creativity and penetration. Rafa has 2 goals and 1 assist from 4 appearances, while Kamiński and Sudakov have each contributed an assist in this Europa League campaign. Their movement between the lines and ability to combine in tight spaces is crucial to unlocking a compact NEC block. In deeper midfield, F. Aursnes and E. Barrenechea offer balance and control, recycling possession and protecting the back line.

Defensively, A. Bah and S. El Karouani are expected to provide width from full-back, with Bah already on the assist sheet in Europe and featuring prominently in Benfica’s card statistics. At centre-back, C. Lenglet and Tomás Araújo have both chipped in with goals (1 each) from the back, underlining Benfica’s set-piece threat. With A. Trubin in goal and a well-established defensive unit, this XI gives Benfica a strong platform to push high and sustain pressure.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

With no injuries or suspensions listed for either side, the match is set up as a pure tactical and technical contest rather than one distorted by key absences. Both NEC Nijmegen and Benfica can select their strongest possible groups, which increases the reliability of pre-match analysis and predicted lineups.

NEC Nijmegen Absences:

• No significant absences reported.

Benfica Absences:

• No significant absences reported.

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

The predicted NEC Nijmegen XI suggests a cautious, containment-first approach. With a veteran back line and a midfield stacked with experienced operators like D. Geiger, D. Nejašmić and Jamiro Monteiro, NEC are likely to form a compact defensive block, narrowing central spaces where Benfica’s creators thrive. The key for NEC will be how effectively their midfield can screen passes into V. Pavlidis and track the late runs of Rafa and H. Sudakov from deeper positions.

Benfica, by contrast, arrive with one of the most dangerous attacking units in the competition. Their Europa League profile shows 19 goals in 6 matches, with scoring spread across forwards and defenders alike. The predicted front line of Rafa, J. Kamiński, H. Sudakov and V. Pavlidis, supported by overlapping full-backs A. Bah and S. El Karouani, should stretch NEC both horizontally and vertically. Pavlidis’ movement between the centre-backs, plus Rafa’s ability to drift into half-spaces, will test the positioning of B. Nuytinck and P. Schuurs in particular.

Wide areas look especially important. Benfica’s attacking midfielders and full-backs have produced multiple assists, and players like D. Lukebakio, A. Schjelderup, J. Durán and G. Prestianni are high-impact options from the bench, all with goals and assists already in the Europa League. NEC’s predicted full-backs and wide midfielders will have to manage repeated one-v-one situations and late overloads. In transition, however, NEC can hurt Benfica if D. Tadić and W. Willumsson receive quick, accurate service once possession is won, especially if Benfica’s full-backs are caught high up the pitch.

Match Prediction and Verdict

From a data-driven perspective, Benfica come into this fixture with a clear advantage in recent European form: a league form string of LWWDWW, 3.2 goals scored on average per match, and no games without scoring. NEC Nijmegen, ranked 24th in the league round standings with 0 matches played, remain an unknown quantity but will rely heavily on home advantage and the experience of their senior players.

The prediction model assigns 33% to a home win, 33% to a draw, and 33% to an away win, reflecting the early-stage uncertainty of the league round rather than a genuine parity in squad strength. When you factor in Benfica’s prolific attack, multiple players among the top scorers and top assists lists, and their ability to win comfortably both home and away, the Portuguese side look better equipped to edge a tight contest, even if NEC manage to keep things competitive for long spells.

Predicted Outcome: NEC Nijmegen 1–2 Benfica

How to Watch NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local sports pay-TV channel or major streaming platform (check regional listings)
• UK: Premium sports broadcaster or official UEFA Europa League streaming partner
• USA / North America: National soccer-focused network or subscription streaming service
• South America: Regional cable sports network or digital streaming platform
• MENA: Pan-regional sports broadcaster with UEFA rights or affiliated streaming app