Against All Odds: More goals at Estádio da Luz

7Mar 2013

Europa Liga

Benfica host Bordeaux in the last 16 of the Europa League and Paul Robinson believes we could be in for a bit of a goal fest.

Benfica are two points clear of Porto in their domestic league in their bid to reclaim the crown that they last won in 2010. That is of course the priority for the club, however they are certainly taking the Europa League seriously as well, and are the current third favourites to win it.

Jorge Jesus' side negotiated a tricky passage past Bayer Leverkusen in the last round by impressively beating the high flying Germans both home and away. After winning 1-0 at the BayArena, the Eagles finished the job with a 2-1 victory in Portugal. That match at Estádio da Luz wasn't their first to go over 2.5 goals as seven of their last eight in all competitions in front of their own fans have done, with four going over 3.5, three over 4.5, and the 6-0 victory over Desportivo Aves back in Janauary actually going over 5.5 goals.

Bordeaux may be slightly underperforming in their domestic league - currently 10th - but they have been doing very well in Europe this season as they've lost just one of their 10 games. They qualified for the last 16 thanks to a 2-1 aggregate win over Dynamo Kiev and despite the Ukraine being a tricky place to go, they still managed to score in the away leg.

That's something that has been true of their away games in the Europa this year as after firing a blank at St James' Park back in October, Francis Gillot's men have netted at Marítimo, Club Brugge and the aforementioned Kiev. The Girondins will know that if they want to make it through to the quarter-finals then they will likely have to score an away goal tonight and they do have plenty of hope as Benfica have conceded a goal in each of their last seven home games in the Europa League.

This may be the first leg of two but I can see it being a pretty open game from the off. Benfica have plenty of firepower - namely Oscar Cardozo - but they are also susceptible to conceding the odd goal. Under 2.5 is trading at around the 1.93 mark and I have to make it my lay of the day.

This match can be seen live on ESPN at 20:05