Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar Prediction: Key Stats and Betting Tips
Benfica welcome AZ Alkmaar to Lisbon on 28 January 2027 in UEFA Europa League League Stage - 8, with the Portuguese side looking to turn their explosive early attacking numbers into a statement win against a Dutch club still waiting to play its first minutes in this European campaign. With both teams starting on 0 points in the League Round, this fixture is an early chance to shape the narrative of their Europa League journey.
Played in Lisbon, Benfica arrive with serious Europa League momentum behind them: a strong recent record, a prolific forward line and several players already high in the competition’s top scorers and assists charts. AZ Alkmaar, by contrast, are an unknown quantity at this stage – no games, no goals for or against, and no clear benchmark yet for how they will cope away to one of the competition’s form teams.
For bettors and neutral fans alike, this Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar prediction centres on whether AZ’s fresh slate can resist Benfica’s high-scoring machine, and whether the Dutch side can exploit any defensive gaps against a home team that has so far relied heavily on its attacking firepower.
Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar Key Stats
- Benfica are 4th in the Europa League League Round table with 0 points but come in on a strong recent form run of WWDWW in the standings record.
- There are no recent head-to-head meetings recorded between Benfica and AZ Alkmaar in this competition data set.
- Across 6 Europa League fixtures this season, Benfica have scored 19 goals (average 3.2 per game) and conceded just 6, with 4 home wins from 3 home matches.
Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar — Tale of the Tape
- Position: 4 vs 3
- Points: 0 vs 0
- Goals For: 0 vs 0
- Goals Against: 0 vs 0
- Clean Sheets: Benfica 1 (tournament statistics) vs AZ Alkmaar 0 (tournament statistics)
Although both sides are level on 0 points and have yet to play in the League Round itself, Benfica’s broader Europa League statistics are already impressive. From 6 fixtures, they have 4 wins, 1 draw and just 1 defeat, with a goal difference of +13 (19 scored, 6 conceded). Their home record is especially dominant: 3 home games, 3 wins, 14 goals scored and only 2 conceded.
AZ Alkmaar sit nominally 3rd in the League Round table but with no games played, their ranking is purely formal at this stage. They have yet to score or concede, and no pattern of results to read. That makes this trip to Lisbon a difficult starting point: they face one of the most free-scoring teams in the competition, away from home, without any existing Europa League rhythm this season.
Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar Key Matchups
V. Pavlidis vs AZ Alkmaar defence unit
Benfica’s standout attacking threat so far is Vangelis Pavlidis. The forward has 5 goals and 1 assist in just 3 Europa League appearances, plus 1 yellow card but no reds. He also tops both the competition’s top scorers and assists lists for Benfica, underlining his central role in their attack. Pavlidis’ output – averaging more than a goal per appearance – will severely test an AZ Alkmaar back line that has yet to be exposed in this Europa League season and has no clean-sheet track record at this level in the current campaign (0 clean sheets recorded).
Rafa & creative Benfica midfield vs AZ Alkmaar midfield
Behind Pavlidis, Rafa provides an important secondary threat. The 33-year-old forward has 2 goals and 1 assist from 4 appearances, offering both end product and link play. Around him, players like A. Schjelderup (1 goal, 1 assist in 3 games) and D. Lukebakio (1 goal, 1 assist in 2 games) give Benfica multiple creative and scoring options between the lines. AZ Alkmaar’s midfield group – including experienced names like J. Clasie and creative profiles such as C. Stengs – is listed in the squad but has no Europa League statistical footprint yet this season. Containing Benfica’s rotating cast of creators, who already share assists across several players, will be a key tactical challenge for the visitors.
Head-to-Head: Last Meetings
There are no recent recorded head-to-head meetings between Benfica and AZ Alkmaar in the available Europa League data, so this clash effectively starts with a blank H2H slate.
Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar Prediction
All available indicators point to a Benfica side in strong attacking rhythm against an AZ Alkmaar team stepping into the Europa League season cold. Benfica’s recent tournament form reads LWWDWW, but the underlying numbers are even more compelling: 19 goals in 6 matches, an average of 4.7 goals scored per home game and just 0.7 conceded at home. They have also converted all 4 penalties awarded, highlighting their composure in key moments.
AZ Alkmaar, by contrast, have no Europa League fixtures played this season in the stats set: 0 games, 0 goals scored, 0 conceded, and no established patterns in attack or defence. That lack of competitive reference at this level, combined with a tough away trip to Lisbon, makes them difficult to back with confidence despite the predictions block giving a perfectly balanced 33%–33%–33% split for home win, draw and away win. In practice, Benfica’s attacking depth – with Pavlidis, Rafa, Schjelderup, Lukebakio and others already contributing goals and assists – should tilt the tie in their favour.
Predicted Score: Benfica 2-1 AZ Alkmaar
Benfica Recent Form
Benfica’s recent Europa League form is excellent: their standings form string reads WWDWW, reflecting a side that has turned the competition into a productive platform. Including the broader tournament statistics, they have 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat from 6 games, with only one match where they have conceded more than a single goal. At home, they are perfect so far, with 3 wins from 3, 14 goals scored and just 2 conceded.
AZ Alkmaar Recent Form
AZ Alkmaar have no Europa League form line recorded in the current data – their form field is null and they have not yet played a fixture this season in the competition. Their last-five block shows 0 games played with 0% in both attack and defence indices, underlining that this trip to Lisbon will be their first real test in this Europa League campaign.
Benfica Possible Starting Lineup
Key available players (by position):
Goalkeepers: A. Trubin, Samuel Soares, Diogo Ferreira
Defenders: C. Lenglet, A. Bah, Tomás Araújo, S. Dahl, A. Circati, S. El Karouani, Gabriel Indio, J. Neto, Rui Silva
Midfielders: João Palhinha, L. Barreiro, E. Barrenechea, H. Sudakov, J. Kamiński, Gonçalo Carvalho Moreira, C. Echeverri, Manu, M. Figueiredo, Felipe Lima, A. Schjelderup, Rafa, G. Prestianni
Forwards/Attackers: V. Pavlidis, D. Lukebakio, J. Durán, Bruma, A. Cabral
Benfica’s tournament statistics show they have most frequently used a 4-2-3-1, with 3 matches in that shape, and occasionally a 4-1-3-2 (2 matches). That suggests a likely setup with Pavlidis as the central striker, supported by Rafa and one or two of Schjelderup, Lukebakio, Prestianni or Durán in advanced roles. In midfield, the presence of João Palhinha, L. Barreiro and E. Barrenechea offers balance and ball-winning, while at the back, C. Lenglet and Tomás Araújo have both contributed goals from defence. With no failed-to-score games recorded (0 in 6), Benfica are expected to line up aggressively at home.
AZ Alkmaar Possible Starting Lineup
Key available players (by position):
Goalkeepers: R. Owusu-Oduro, J. De Busser, H. Verhulst, J. Zoet, I. Ka
Defenders: W. Hoedt, W. Goes, M. Chávez, L. Schouten, D. Kasius, S. Maikuma, E. Dijkstra, R. Ichihara, A. Natali, M. de Wit
Midfielders: J. Clasie, P. Koopmeiners, D. Kwakman, J. Oerip, S. Resink, R. Robbemond, K. Smit, H. de Wit, V. Byskov, R. Daal, C. Stengs
Forwards/Attackers: J. Hornkamp, M. Meerdink, Weslley Patati, A. Oufkir, B. Kovacs
With no Europa League lineups recorded yet, AZ’s exact shape is uncertain, but the squad composition suggests flexibility between a back four anchored by experienced centre-backs like W. Hoedt and younger options such as W. Goes or L. Schouten, and a midfield built around J. Clasie’s control. In attack, options like J. Hornkamp, M. Meerdink and Weslley Patati provide different profiles. Given the strength of Benfica’s attack, AZ may opt for a compact, counter-attacking setup, prioritising defensive structure and transitions through C. Stengs and the wide forwards.
Benfica Team News
No significant absences reported.
AZ Alkmaar Team News
No significant absences reported.
Injuries & Suspensions
Benfica:
- None reported.
AZ Alkmaar:
- None reported.
Betting Tips: Benfica vs AZ Alkmaar
Exactly 3 distinct tips from different markets:
- Result Tip: Back Benfica to win. With predictions.percent splitting the probabilities evenly at 33% home, 33% draw and 33% away, the raw percentages look balanced, but Benfica’s actual Europa League record – 4 wins from 6, 3 wins from 3 at home, 19 goals scored – strongly favours the hosts against an AZ side with no matches played in the competition yet. The form and attacking depth of Benfica justify siding with the home win market.
- Goals Tip: Over 2.5 total goals. Benfica’s matches have been high scoring: they average 3.2 goals scored per game and 1.0 conceded, and at home their goals-for average is 4.7. Their under/over profile shows 4 of 6 games going over 2.5 goals. Even if AZ are cautious, Benfica’s attacking output alone makes a goals-based angle attractive.
- Value Tip: V. Pavlidis to score anytime. Pavlidis has 5 goals and 1 assist in 3 Europa League appearances, plus he features at the top of the goals, assists and yellow-card lists for Benfica, indicating heavy involvement in key moments. Facing an AZ defence with no Europa League data this season, backing Pavlidis in the goalscorer markets offers a logical value angle built on his outstanding early tournament numbers.
Odds are accurate at the time of writing and subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.
