NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica Prediction: Key Stats and Betting Tips

NEC Nijmegen welcome Portuguese giants Benfica to Goffertstadion in Nijmegen on 21 January 2027 in UEFA Europa League League Stage - 7 action. It is a glamour home night for NEC against one of the competition’s early pacesetters, with the Dutch side looking to make a statement in front of their own fans.

From a standings perspective, both clubs are listed on 0 points so far in the League Round table, but their profiles are very different. NEC are down in 24th place, still awaiting their first Europa League minutes of the campaign, while Benfica sit 4th and arrive with strong recent Europa form and an in-form attack that has already produced big scorelines.

For NEC Nijmegen, this is about proving they can compete at this level and using home advantage to disrupt a more established European name. For Benfica, it is about consolidating a top position in the League Round and showcasing why they are among the favourites to go deep in the Europa League, powered by prolific forward V. Pavlidis and a well-balanced squad.

NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica Key Stats

• NEC Nijmegen are currently 24th in the Europa League League Round table with 0 points and no games yet played.
• Benfica’s Europa League league form reads “LWWDWW”, reflecting four wins and one draw from their last six fixtures.
• Across 6 Europa League matches this season, Benfica have scored 19 goals (3.2 per game) and conceded just 6 (1.0 per game), keeping 1 clean sheet.

NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica — Tale of the Tape

• Position: 24 vs 4
• Points: 0 vs 0
• Goals For: 0 vs 0 (standings to date)
• Goals Against: 0 vs 0 (standings to date)
• Clean Sheets: NEC Nijmegen 0 (tournament statistics), Benfica 1 (tournament statistics)

The League Round table is still in its early stages, with both sides officially on 0 points and no goal difference recorded in the standings. However, underlying tournament statistics tell a more complete story. NEC Nijmegen are entering the Europa League phase fresh, without prior group-stage fixtures, so this will effectively be their introduction to this season’s continental campaign.

Benfica, by contrast, already have six Europa League matches behind them in this campaign, winning four, drawing one and losing just once. Their attack has been outstanding, averaging 3.2 goals per match and hitting six in a single home game at one point. Defensively, they allow around one goal per game, which is solid given their attacking emphasis. On recent evidence, Benfica look like a top-seed calibre side in this League Round, while NEC are the underdog trying to bridge a clear experience and rhythm gap.

NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica Key Matchups

D. Tadić vs V. Pavlidis

For NEC Nijmegen, veteran attacker D. Tadić is the standout name in the squad list and will likely shoulder much of the creative and goalscoring burden. At 37, his experience and technical quality can be vital in managing tempo and exploiting any Benfica defensive lapses, especially on set pieces and in transition.

Opposite him, V. Pavlidis has been one of the Europa League’s most lethal forwards so far. For Benfica, he has scored 5 goals and added 1 assist in just 3 appearances, numbers that place him at the top of both the competition’s scoring and assist charts for his club. He also appears among the leaders for yellow cards with 1 booking, underlining his aggressive, front-foot style. Containing Pavlidis will be NEC’s primary defensive task; any lapse in concentration around the box could be punished ruthlessly.

W. Willumsson vs Rafa

NEC’s attack also features W. Willumsson, a 27-year-old forward who offers mobility and direct running. His role will likely involve stretching Benfica’s back line and creating space for the likes of Tadić and other attackers such as K. Sierhuis and E. Mor. With NEC expected to spend long spells without the ball, Willumsson’s ability to hold up play and lead counters could be decisive.

For Benfica, Rafa remains a key attacking outlet. Listed as a forward/midfielder, he has 2 goals and 1 assist from 4 Europa League appearances this season. His movement between the lines and ability to link with Pavlidis and wide forwards like D. Lukebakio or G. Prestianni make him central to Benfica’s attacking patterns. If Rafa finds pockets of space between NEC’s midfield and defence, the visitors’ superior firepower could quickly tilt the match in their favour.

Head-to-Head: Last Meetings

There are no recent recorded head-to-head meetings between NEC Nijmegen and Benfica in the available data, so this fixture effectively opens a new chapter between the clubs in European competition.

NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica Prediction

With no Europa League form yet logged for NEC Nijmegen and a Benfica side that has already delivered high-scoring wins, the tactical pattern feels relatively clear. NEC are likely to adopt a compact, reactive approach at Goffertstadion, aiming to slow the tempo and frustrate Benfica’s fluid attacking unit. Their squad includes experienced campaigners like D. Tadić, B. Nuytinck and P. Schuurs, which should help them avoid being overwhelmed early on.

Benfica, however, arrive with one of the competition’s most potent forward lines. They have scored 19 goals in 6 Europa League matches, including a 6-1 home win and a 3-1 away victory, and have not failed to score in any of those games. Their last-five Europa form (4 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat) and attacking metrics suggest they will create multiple chances even away from home.

The prediction model gives this game a perfectly balanced outlook — 33% chance of a home win, 33% for the draw and 33% for an away win — largely reflecting the lack of hard data on NEC at this level rather than genuine parity. On qualitative form and squad depth, Benfica should still be regarded as favourites, but NEC’s home advantage and the unknown factor around their European level make a straightforward away rout less certain.

Predicted Score: NEC Nijmegen 1-2 Benfica

NEC Nijmegen Recent Form

NEC Nijmegen do not yet have recorded Europa League form for this League Round. Their tournament statistics show 0 matches played, 0 goals scored and 0 conceded, with no clean sheets and no penalties taken. That makes them something of an unknown quantity on this stage, though the presence of experienced names like D. Tadić, Jamiro Monteiro and B. Nuytinck suggests they have the backbone to compete.

Benfica Recent Form

Benfica come into this match in excellent Europa League shape. Their league form string reads LWWDWW, reflecting just one defeat in six matches, with four victories and one draw. Over those 6 games, they have scored 19 goals and conceded only 6, averaging 3.2 scored and 1.0 conceded per match.

They have been particularly explosive at home (14 goals in 3 fixtures, an average of 4.7 per game), but even away from Lisbon they have produced 5 goals in 3 matches (1.7 per game). Crucially, Benfica have not failed to score in any Europa League outing so far, and they have converted all 4 penalties awarded to them.

NEC Nijmegen Possible Starting Lineup

GK: G. Crettaz; Defenders: B. Nuytinck, P. Schuurs, A. Kaplan, S. El Karouani (if used wider); Midfielders: T. Chery, Jamiro Monteiro, D. Nejašmić, D. Geiger; Forwards: D. Tadić, W. Willumsson, K. Sierhuis, E. Mor.

NEC’s squad blend suggests a side built around a solid defensive core and experienced creative figures. At the back, veterans like B. Nuytinck and P. Schuurs can provide leadership and aerial strength, while full-backs such as Gabriel Brás or S. El Karouani (listed with Benfica but formerly of NEC) profiles in general show the type of wide defensive options NEC may use. In midfield, the technical quality of T. Chery and Jamiro Monteiro can help NEC keep the ball and relieve pressure. Up front, D. Tadić and W. Willumsson are likely to be central, with K. Sierhuis and E. Mor offering additional threat on the break. Expect NEC to set up in a shape that prioritises compactness, perhaps a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with Tadić operating between the lines.

Benfica Possible Starting Lineup

GK: A. Trubin; Defenders: A. Bah, C. Lenglet, Tomás Araújo, S. Dahl; Midfielders: E. Barrenechea, L. Barreiro, H. Sudakov, J. Kamiński; Forwards: V. Pavlidis, Rafa, D. Lukebakio, G. Prestianni.

Benfica’s lineups data shows a preference for 4-2-3-1 (3 matches) and 4-1-3-2 (2 matches), both systems that maximise their attacking options. At the back, C. Lenglet and Tomás Araújo have both contributed goals in the Europa League, underlining their set-piece threat. A. Bah is an adventurous right-back with 1 assist and 1 yellow card in 3 appearances, while S. Dahl provides energy on the opposite flank.

In midfield, players like E. Barrenechea, L. Barreiro, H. Sudakov and J. Kamiński all appear in the top assists lists with at least 1 assist or solid minutes, giving Benfica a deep pool of ball-progressors. Further forward, the combination of Rafa (2 goals, 1 assist), D. Lukebakio (1 goal, 1 assist) and G. Prestianni (1 goal) behind or alongside V. Pavlidis (5 goals, 1 assist) makes Benfica one of the most varied and dangerous attacks in the competition.

NEC Nijmegen Team News

No significant absences reported.

Benfica Team News

No significant absences reported.

Injuries & Suspensions

NEC Nijmegen:

• None reported.

Benfica:

• None reported.

Betting Tips: NEC Nijmegen vs Benfica

Below are three data-driven betting angles based on current form and tournament statistics. No specific bookmaker odds are available for this fixture at the time of writing.

• Result Tip: Benfica to win. Benfica’s Europa League record of 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, combined with 19 goals scored in 6 matches, contrasts sharply with NEC’s lack of tournament minutes. Even though the prediction model splits probabilities evenly at 33% each for home, draw and away, qualitative form strongly favours the Portuguese side. Without published odds, Benfica remain the logical pick in the 1X2 market.
• Goals Tip: Over 2.5 total goals. Benfica’s matches have been high scoring: they average 3.2 goals scored and 1.0 conceded per game, and 4 of their 6 Europa League fixtures have gone over common goal thresholds in terms of their own scoring alone. NEC’s status as underdogs at home could create an open game once the first goal arrives. With no official over/under prices listed, the statistical profile still leans towards a goal-heavy encounter.
• Value Tip: V. Pavlidis to score anytime. Pavlidis has 5 goals and 1 assist in just 3 Europa League appearances, leading Benfica in both goals and assists while also featuring among the most-booked players with 1 yellow card. His central role in a side that averages 3.2 goals per match makes him the standout individual scoring threat. In markets offering player goals, Pavlidis anytime looks like the clearest value angle, even though exact odds are not currently available.

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