Plzen vs Benfica Prediction: Key Stats, Team News, and Betting Tips

Plzen welcome Benfica to Doosan Arena in Plzen on 26 November 2026 for a UEFA Europa League League Stage - 5 clash that pitches one of the competition’s early pacesetters against a side still finding its feet at this level. With the league stage format rewarding consistency across eight games, every point matters as the Czech hosts try to punch above their weight against a proven European operator.

Benfica arrive as one of the form teams in the Europa League, sitting 4th in the overall League Round standings with a strong recent record and a prolific attack. Plzen, down in 36th, are yet to register a point in the official standings but have shown flashes of potential in their early fixtures, particularly at home where they have already produced a big win.

This Plzen vs Benfica prediction focuses on whether the Portuguese side’s firepower, led by in-form forward Vangelis Pavlidis, can break down a Plzen team that has been both explosive and vulnerable in equal measure. With both teams involved in high-scoring encounters so far, bettors will be eyeing not just the result market but also goals angles and player-driven value plays.

Plzen vs Benfica Key Stats

• In the Europa League League Round standings, Plzen are 36th with 0 points and 0 goals scored or conceded officially recorded so far, while Benfica are 4th, also on 0 points but coming in with a strong recent form line of “LWWDWW”.
• Across their Europa League 2026 fixtures to date, Plzen have scored 5 goals and conceded 4 in 2 matches, while Benfica have netted 19 and conceded just 6 in 6 games.
• Benfica’s attack has averaged 3.2 goals per game over 6 Europa League fixtures, with only 1 goal conceded per match on average, underlining a potent yet balanced side.

Plzen vs Benfica — Tale of the Tape

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

The official League Round table is still in its early shape, with both sides yet to put points on the board in the standings snapshot provided. However, the wider Europa League statistics paint a very different picture of where these teams are trending. Plzen’s rank of 36th reflects their underdog status in this expanded league phase, while Benfica’s 4th place underlines their status as one of the early contenders.

Plzen’s Europa League campaign has been volatile over just two matches: a heavy 3-0 away defeat offset by a stunning 5-1 home win, giving them 5 goals scored and 4 conceded. Benfica, by contrast, have built a larger body of work: 6 fixtures, 4 wins, 1 draw and only 1 loss, with 19 goals scored and 6 conceded. Their biggest home win (6-1) and a solid 1-3 away success show they can dominate both at Do Dragão and on their travels. Defensively, one clean sheet in 6 isn’t elite, but conceding only 6 overall at an average of 1.0 per game is more than respectable for such an attacking side.

Plzen vs Benfica Key Matchups

Plzen defence vs V. Pavlidis

With no Plzen player featuring among the Europa League’s top scorers or assisters, the standout individual in this tie comes from Benfica. Vangelis Pavlidis has been the competition’s headline forward so far for the Portuguese giants. In just 3 appearances, the Greek striker has scored 5 goals and added 1 assist, while also picking up 1 yellow card. That output – 6 direct goal contributions in 3 games – makes him the focal point of Benfica’s attack and the primary problem for a Plzen back line that has already conceded 4 goals in 2 Europa fixtures.

Plzen’s defensive numbers are mixed: at home they have conceded only 1 goal in 1 match, but away they have let in 3 in 1 outing. Pavlidis’ movement and finishing will test a defence that has yet to keep a clean sheet in the tournament and has shown vulnerability in several time windows, including early and late in halves. If Pavlidis finds space between the lines or in the box, Benfica’s edge in quality could quickly tell.

Benfica creative unit (Rafa & A. Schjelderup) vs Plzen midfield

Behind Pavlidis, Benfica boast a cluster of supporting attackers capable of unlocking defences. Rafa has 2 goals and 1 assist from 4 appearances, while Andreas Schjelderup has 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 matches. Both also appear prominently in the top assists rankings, underlining their dual threat as scorers and creators. Add in Dodi Lukebakio (1 goal, 1 assist in 2 games) and Benfica possess multiple players who can hurt Plzen between the lines and in transition.

Plzen’s midfield, featuring options like P. Hrošovský and L. Červ from the squad list, will have to screen the back four effectively to prevent Benfica’s attacking midfielders from dictating the tempo. Given Plzen’s 2.0 goals conceded per game across their two Europa matches, the hosts will likely need to tighten their structure significantly to keep Rafa and Schjelderup from repeatedly combining with Pavlidis around the penalty area.

Head-to-Head: Last Meetings

There are no recent head-to-head meetings between Plzen and Benfica recorded in the available Europa League data, so this clash effectively opens a new chapter between the clubs on the continental stage.

Plzen vs Benfica Prediction

All the underlying numbers point towards Benfica as clear favourites, even if the official standings snapshot has yet to separate the sides on points. Benfica’s recent form is excellent: a “LWWDWW” run in the Europa League, 4 wins from 6, and an attack averaging 3.2 goals per game. Their last-five performance indices are dominant as well, with an attacking index of 100 and a form rating of 87 across their most recent fixtures.

Plzen, by contrast, are still an unknown quantity at this level. Their last-five record across competitions shows 5 goals scored and 4 conceded in 2 games, with an attacking index of 29 and a defensive index of 76. The high-scoring 5-1 home win suggests they can hurt opponents at Doosan Arena, but the 3-0 away defeat underlines the gap that can open up against stronger sides. Their clean sheet count of zero in the tournament so far is a concern when facing one of Europe’s hottest forward lines.

The prediction probabilities reinforce Benfica’s edge but also highlight the possibility of a stalemate. The win chances are rated at 10% for a Plzen victory, 45% for a draw, and 45% for a Benfica win. That suggests the visitors are strong favourites not to lose (a double-chance on draw or Benfica is recommended in the advisory), but the draw is as likely as an away win, reflecting the potential for Plzen’s home advantage and Benfica’s busy schedule to level things up.

Predicted Score: Plzen 1-2 Benfica

Plzen Recent Form

Plzen’s recent form in the Europa League is mixed but encouraging in patches. Over 2 tournament matches they have recorded 1 win and 1 loss, scoring 5 goals and conceding 4. At home, they have been explosive, winning 5-1 and averaging 5.0 goals scored and 1.0 conceded per game. Away from home, they have struggled, losing 3-0 with an average of 0.0 scored and 3.0 conceded.

Their form string in the standings is short, but the underlying stats show a team capable of fast starts and late flurries: a significant share of their goals have come in the opening 15 minutes and across multiple late-game windows. However, they also concede in similar patterns, with goals allowed spread across early, mid, and late phases of matches. Overall, they look like a high-variance side – dangerous going forward, but open at the back.

Benfica Recent Form

Benfica’s Europa League form is one of the strongest in the competition. Their standings form line reads “LWWDWW”, reflecting 4 wins, 1 draw, and just 1 defeat from 6 matches. They have been perfect at home (3 wins from 3) and solid away (1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss), underlining their ability to pick up results in different environments.

Offensively, Benfica have been relentless, scoring 19 goals in 6 games at an average of 3.2 per match. At home they average 4.7 goals scored, and even away they maintain 1.7 per game. Defensively, they concede only 1.0 goal per match on average, with just 6 goals allowed overall and 1 clean sheet. Their last-five metrics (18 goals for, 4 against) and a last-five attacking index of 100 highlight a team in full flow, with multiple scoring threats and a generally solid back line.

Plzen Possible Starting Lineup

Likely key players (by position):
Goalkeepers: D. Ťapaj, M. Tvrdoň, F. Wiegele
Defenders: Merchas Doski, S. Dweh, A. Gabriel, V. Jemelka, Karel Spáčil, D. Vavro, 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 a relatively deep squad with multiple options in defence and attack. Veterans like P. Hrošovský and M. Vydra bring experience, while younger names such as P. Adu and B. Faal offer energy and pace. Tactically, their Europa League statistics show they have used both 4-4-1-1 and 3-5-1-1 formations, suggesting flexibility between a back four and a back three. Against Benfica’s attacking quality, a more conservative setup with an extra centre-back and packed midfield seems likely, aiming to stay compact and hit on the break.

Benfica Possible Starting Lineup

Key options by position:
Goalkeepers: A. Trubin, Samuel Soares, Diogo Ferreira
Defenders: C. Lenglet, A. Bah, Tomás Araújo, A. Circati, S. Dahl, S. El Karouani, Gabriel Indio, Rui Silva, J. Neto
Midfielders: F. Aursnes, L. Barreiro, E. Barrenechea, C. Echeverri, M. Figueiredo, Manu, Gonçalo Carvalho Moreira, João Palhinha, H. Sudakov, J. Kamiński, Rafa, G. Prestianni, A. Schjelderup
Forwards/Attackers: V. Pavlidis, D. Lukebakio, J. Durán, Bruma, A. Cabral, Felipe Lima

Benfica’s Europa League lineups have alternated mainly between 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-3-2 across 5 matches, reflecting a side comfortable with both a double pivot and a single holding midfielder. Pavlidis is the obvious spearhead, supported by a rotating cast of attacking midfielders such as Rafa, Schjelderup, Lukebakio and Prestianni. At the back, C. Lenglet and Tomás Araújo have both chipped in with goals, adding threat on set pieces. With depth in every line and no recorded absences, Benfica can tailor their XI to balance control in midfield with pace on the flanks.

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

Exactly 3 distinct tips from different markets:

• Result Tip: Benfica Double Chance (Draw or Win). With Plzen given only a 10% chance of victory and Benfica rated at 45% to win and 45% for the draw, the visitors are strong favourites not to lose. Their “LWWDWW” Europa League form, 19 goals scored and just 6 conceded in 6 games make a Benfica double chance a logical, lower-risk play.
• Goals Tip: Over 1.5 Total Goals. Both teams’ Europa League matches have been high scoring: Plzen average 2.5 goals for and 2.0 against per game (total 4.5 per match), while Benfica average 3.2 scored and 1.0 conceded (4.2 total). With the advisory already highlighting a +1.5 goals angle and both attacks showing potency, backing at least two goals in the game is well supported by the stats.
• Value Tip: V. Pavlidis to Score Anytime. Pavlidis has 5 goals and 1 assist in just 3 Europa League appearances, plus he appears at the top of the scoring, assists and cards leaderboards for Benfica. Facing a Plzen side with no clean sheets and 4 goals conceded in 2 matches, the Greek forward is central to Benfica’s attacking output and offers strong player-based value in the goalscorer market.

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