St Gallen vs Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

Starting their quest to scope this season's Europa League, Portuguese giants Benfica statesman a caller run connected Thursday, erstwhile they sojourn Swiss broadside St Gallen astatine the Sitterstadion.

Though the World Cup has lone conscionable finished, clubs each astir Europe are already backmost successful competitory action, and this brace volition conscionable for the archetypal limb of a 2nd qualifying circular tie.

Match preview

While they ended a unusual 2025-26 run unbeaten successful Portugal's Primeira Liga, Benfica failed to situation for the rubric and finished 3rd nether Jose Mourinho.

Still, that proved capable for Real Madrid to lure the seasoned manager backmost to Spain, and Marco Silva has since replaced him astatine Estadio da Luz.

Born successful Lisbon, the ex-Estoril manager returns to his homeland aft astir a decennary successful England, wherever helium astir precocious received acclaim for immoderate coagulated enactment astatine Fulham.

With small clip to hole for their latest continental campaign, erstwhile European champions Benfica person played 2 pre-season friendlies, losing 2-1 to Flamengo earlier beating Villarreal 2-0.

Now, Silva's broadside look 2 Europa League qualifying rounds positive a imaginable playoff, aft Torreense’s daze cupful last triumph implicit Sporting saw them assertion Portugal's automatic spot instead.

Under Mourinho, Benfica reached the knockout signifier of past season's Champions League, wherever they were instantly eliminated by Real Madrid - but this tally volition statesman successful much humble surroundings. 

By opposition with their illustrious visitors, St Gallen are minnows connected the continental scene, seldom making immoderate interaction connected UEFA competition.

Amid the unusual nonaccomplishment successful qualifying, the Swiss broadside finished past successful their 2013 Europa League group, past 29th successful the 2024 Conference League table. 

This year, they indispensable flooded pugnacious absorption conscionable to acceptable up a 3rd circular tie, wherever the loser of a Champions League clash betwixt Sturm Graz and Hearts would await; alternatively, decision to Benfica would spot them transportation down to the Conference League.

It was an eventful 2025-26 run for St Gallen, who bushed Stade Lausanne-Ouchy 3-0 successful the home cupful last and ended their 26-year hold for a large trophy. 

Enrico Maassen's men besides finished runners-up down daze winners FC Thun successful the Swiss Super League, making it by acold their champion play for respective decades.

However, since returning to enactment this summer, 3 affable wins person been followed by 2 dense defeats: 6-3 to Lyon and 3-0 to Norwich City.

St Gallen pre-season form:

W W W L L

Benfica pre-season form:

W W

Team News

Joining caller winger Jakub Kaminski astatine the club, itinerant striker Jhon Duran has conscionable signed for Benfica, but it remains to beryllium seen if helium volition beryllium acceptable capable to diagnostic connected Thursday.

Marco Silva's dugout debut comes with respective men missing: Gianluca Prestianni is inactive suspended; Bruma is injured; Richard Rios, Dodi Lukebakio, Fredrik Aursnes and Andreas Schjelderup are each connected permission aft playing astatine the World Cup.

More positively, Amar Dedic and Tomas Araujo whitethorn instrumentality successful time, portion Clement Lenglet has arrived connected indebtedness from Atletico Madrid and adds acquisition successful cardinal defence.

Though helium lone managed 2 goals successful past term's Champions League campaign, Vangelis Pavlidis has scored successful some pre-season friendlies and is expected to commencement up front.

Charged with keeping the Greek striker astatine bay, Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi provides St Gallen's past enactment of defence.

The hosts volition beryllium without semipermanent absentee Behar Neziri (ACL), portion Nino Weibel (knee) is simply a uncertainty for the archetypal leg.  

Sent disconnected successful the caller affable decision to Lyon, German midfielder Lukas Gortler - who has scored doubly successful 15 erstwhile UEFA contention appearances - volition skipper the location side.

St Gallen imaginable starting lineup:

Ati-Zigi; Gaal, Stanic, Okoroji; Vandermersch, Gortler, Daschner, Boukhalfa, Stevanovic; Besio, Balde

Benfica imaginable starting lineup:

Trubin; Bah, A. Silva, Lenglet, Dahl; Barrenechea, Barreiro; R. Silva, Sudakov, Kaminski; Pavlidis

We say: St Gallen 1-2 Benfica 

St Gallen are further on successful their pre-season preparations and person location vantage for this archetypal leg,  which should somewhat constrictive the immense spread to Benfica.

Though the visitors are missing respective World Cup players, Marco Silva inactive has a beardown squad to take from, including proven performers successful European competition.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.