Benfica welcome Heart of Midlothian in the UEFA Europa League Qualification Round 3, with a place in the next round on the line. CheckLive's read has Benfica as favourites at 58%, but that is a medium-strength signal rather than a strong one; the tie is well within Hearts' reach. A draw is very much a possible result, so this is not a one-sided contest.
Benfica's recent form has been mixed: they beat FC St. Gallen 5-0 and C.F. Os Belenenses 5-1, lost 1-2 to FC St. Gallen and 1-2 to Flamengo, and beat Villarreal 2-0. Hearts lost 1-2 to Aberdeen and 0-2 and 0-4 to SK Sturm Graz, but won 1-0 against Raith Rovers and 2-1 against Rayo Vallecano. Both sides have scored well in wins, but also conceded in defeats.
There is no previous head-to-head between the clubs, so no direct reference point from past meetings. The key is whether Benfica can find the early rhythm that produced their 5-0 and 5-1 wins, while Hearts will look to keep it tight after conceding four and two in their two defeats to Sturm Graz. With the win probability at 58%, this has the feel of a genuinely open tie.
