Benfica vs Celtic prediction — Europa League · Thu 15 Oct · 20:00 UK

Europa League · Thu 15 Oct · 20:00 UK
Benfica 68Draw 19Celtic 13
Benfica to win has not moved in 6 days — steady at 68%
The call
68%
Benfica to win
Calls on the result published at 60–70% have landed 69% of the time
151 of 220 settledFull record →
3.3
Goals expected
2d 07hUntil lineups lock
Goal before half-time
82%
Both teams score
56%
3+ goals
64%

What we expect

Our forecast for this match. The tick on each bar is that side’s average over their last six.

what we expecttheir average over the last six
BenficaCeltic
2.4
Goals+1.4
1.0
avg 2.5 · 4 away · 2+ in 5/6
avg 1.5 · 3 away · 1+ in 5/6
24.7
Shots+15.8
8.9
avg 15.8 · 4 away · 25+ in 0/6
avg 18.5 · 3 away · 9+ in 5/6
6.5
On target+2.6
3.9
avg 5.3 · 4 away · 7+ in 1/6
avg 8.2 · 3 away · 4+ in 5/6
8.7
Corners+5.4
3.3
avg 6.8 · 4 away · 9+ in 2/6
avg 10.7 · 3 away · 3+ in 6/6
BenficaCeltic
0.7
Goals+0.3
0.4
11.7
Shots+7.6
4.1
3.1
On target+1.3
1.8
4.1
Corners+2.5
1.5
BenficaCeltic
1.6
Goals+1.1
0.6
13.0
Shots+8.2
4.8
3.4
On target+1.3
2.2
4.6
Corners+2.9
1.7

Each row is drawn on one scale, so a bar means the same length on both sides. Second-half goals are our full-match forecast minus our first half.

How to read this

The small bars under each number are that side’s most recent matches (up to six), home and away, against opponents of mixed strength, oldest on the left; the dashed line is the number we expect. Our forecast is for this opponent at this ground, so a favourite’s recent numbers often sit below it and an underdog’s above it.

Recent averages · last 6 matches

What each side has actually done lately, home and away — a record, not a forecast.

BenficaCeltic
Attack
2.5Goals1.5
1.9Expected goals (xG)2.1
15.8Shots18.5
5.3Shots on target8.2
3.5Big chances3.5
6.8Corners10.7
Defence
0.7Goals conceded0.8
0.7xG conceded1.1
10.5Shots faced12.3
2.5On target faced4.5
4.2Corners conceded3.7
1.8Keeper saves3.5
Style & discipline
59%Possession62%
11.3Fouls12.0
3.2Yellow cards1.3
1.5Offsides1.5

Our numbers, most likely first

Ranked by our probability, strongest first — our three strongest above the line.

MarketProbability6-day change
Benfica to score90%−1
Over 1.5 goals84%0
Over 2.5 goals64%0
Celtic to score61%0

In plain English

Benfica are the model's pick, without being a certainty. They have won five of their last six, and the model expects them to create about a goal more per game than Celtic. Expect goals: the model sees around three.

What would change the call

Benfica to win, priced again from the same expected goals if the match reaches these states.

Benfica lead 1–0 at half-time68% → 85%
Celtic lead 1–0 at half-time68% → 24%
Goalless at half-time68% → 53%

Each row is the call re-priced for that scoreline at half-time. Lineups are not in it — we publish per-player shooting rates, not a squad-strength number, so what a rested front three does to this figure is not something we can honestly put a number on.

Benfica · last 6

Wv Vitória de Guimarães2–023 shots
Lat FC Porto1–312 shots
Wat Milan2–011 shots
Wv Gil Vicente3–117 shots
Wat Moreirense4–021 shots
Wat Marítimo3–011 shots

Celtic · last 6

Wat Motherwell2–025 shots
Lv Rangers0–15 shots
Lv Ferencváros1–316 shots
Wat St. Johnstone1–015 shots
Wat St. Mirren2–123 shots
Wv Aberdeen3–027 shots

First half — what we expect

Benfica
72%
to score before half-time
Celtic
38%
to score before half-time

Chance of at least one goal before half-time: 82%

BenficaCeltic
11.71st-half shots4.1
avg 9.5 · 4 away · 12+ in 2/6
avg 7.7 · 3 away · 4+ in 4/6
3.11st-half shots on target1.8
avg 2.7 · 4 away · 3+ in 3/6
avg 3.5 · 3 away · 2+ in 4/6
4.11st-half corners1.5
avg 4.7 · 4 away · 4+ in 3/6
avg 5.8 · 3 away · 2+ in 6/6

First-half chances

58%Chance of 11+ shots<10%
39%Chance of 13+ shots<10%
77%Chance of 2+ shots on target50%
37%Chance of 4+ shots on target13%
72%Chance of 3+ corners21%
38%Chance of 5+ corners<10%

How the match splits

1st half2nd half
Shots · Benfica11.713.0
Shots · Celtic4.14.8
Shots on target · Benfica3.13.4
Shots on target · Celtic1.82.2
Corners · Benfica4.14.6
Corners · Celtic1.51.7
How to read this

First-half numbers are our full-match forecast split by how much of each side's shooting and corners usually comes before the break. The small bars under each number are that side's most recent first halves (up to six).

Second half — who scores?

At half-time we update each side’s chance of scoring in the second half from what the first half showed.

Player forecasts

How much each player is expected to threaten the goal if he starts — lineups are confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Based on counted shooting from the 2025/26 season in this competition.

Benfica
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Vangelis Pavlidis
FW · 4.0 shots expected
98%
85%
56%
Dodi Lukébakio
MF · 3.8 shots expected
98%
62%
25%
Franjo Ivanovic
FW · 3.8 shots expected
98%
85%
56%
Gianluca Prestianni
MF · 2.9 shots expected
95%
61%
24%
Richard Ríos
MF · 2.8 shots expected
94%
51%
16%
Andreas Schjelderup
MF · 2.8 shots expected
94%
55%
19%
Celtic
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Benjamin Nygren
MF · 2.2 shots expected
88%
54%
18%
James Forrest
FW · 2.0 shots expected
87%
44%
12%
Luke McCowan
MF · 1.7 shots expected
82%
35%
7%
Daizen Maeda
FW · 1.7 shots expected
82%
52%
17%
Sebastian Tounekti
FW · 1.6 shots expected
79%
40%
9%
Hyun-Jun Yang
FW · 1.5 shots expected
77%
44%
12%

These are forecasts, not tips. A player’s rate is weighted toward the league average when it rests on fewer minutes, so a small sample never reads as a certainty.

Model inputs

Benfica form (last 6)W W W W L W
Expected goals gap (home minus away)+1.4 / match
Head-to-head, last 2Benfica 1 · Draws 1 · Celtic 0
Celtic in their league tableTop quarter

Head to head

Nov 2012Benfica 2–1 Celtic
Sept 2012Celtic 0–0 Benfica
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Common questions

Who will win Benfica vs Celtic?

Bawler's model rates this match: Benfica are favoured (68% win probability vs 13% for Celtic, 19% draw). The model uses each side’s expected goals, recent form and the strength of the opposition.

What is the predicted score for Benfica vs Celtic?

The most likely scoreline from Bawler's model is Benfica 2-0 Celtic (10.1% probability). Expected total goals: 3.3.

How does Bawler predict Benfica vs Celtic?

Bawler estimates each side's expected goals from its results and the quality of its chances, adjusted for the strength of the opposition and for home advantage, then works out the chance of every scoreline to get win, draw and both-teams-to-score probabilities. Team news and lineups are not built into these numbers. For this match that gives Benfica 68%, the draw 19% and Celtic 13%. Every prediction is published before kickoff and settled afterwards.

Will both teams score in Benfica vs Celtic?

Probably — Bawler's model gives both teams scoring a 56% chance. That is based on Benfica expecting 2.35 goals and Celtic 0.95.

Over or under 2.5 goals in Benfica vs Celtic?

Bawler's model expects 3.3 goals in total. It leans towards three or more goals: over 2.5 goals is 64%.

Around this fixture

Liga Portugal table →Premiership table →
All fixtures & results →Benfica form →Celtic form →