Benfica v Liverpool, Tuesday 8pm (GMT)
Benfica’s hopes of winning the Primeira Liga are all but over. They lost 3-2 to Braga on Friday night and are now 12 points behind the league leaders Porto, who also have a game in hand. Benfica’s defeat over the weekend was away, but their home form has not been great either – they have only won three of their last seven matches at Estádio Da Luz. However, they have already upset the odds in the Champions League this season, reaching the quarter-finals by beating Ajax 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16.
Benfica will be without Lucas Veríssimo (no relation to manager Nélson Veríssimo) and Rodrigo Pinho, and they are sweating on the fitness of midfielder Adel Taarabt. Taarabt missed the defeat to Braga through injury, though in-demand forward Darwin Núñez came off the bench to score and provide an assist, so his confidence will be high.
Liverpool kept up the pressure on title rivals Manchester City with a 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday. Their recent form has been astoundingly good. They have won 16 of their last 17 matches – the only hiccup a 1-0 defeat at home to Inter last month, and even that loss came in the context of winning the tie on aggregate – and have won their last eight away matches.
Curtis Jones was forced off with an ankle issue at the weekend and Joel Matip sustained a nasty bump to the head but both players, as well as Naby Keïta, are fit, with Jürgen Klopp confirming he has a full squad available. Trent Alexander-Arnold made the bench on Saturday and should take over from Joe Gomez at right-back. In attack, Luis Díaz and Sadio Mané could start in place of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.
Manchester City v Atlético Madrid, Tuesday, 8pm
Having dropped points in three of their last five league matches, Manchester City’s lead at the top of the table has been cut to one point, though they did not let Liverpool’s win over Watford early on Saturday impact their trip to Burnley, where they won 2-0 thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gündogan.
City eased into the quarter-finals with a 5-0 aggregate win over Sporting CP in the last 16. Pep Guardiola bemoaned his lack of options at right-back before the second leg of that tie, and he is without Kyle Walker, who serves the third of a three-match ban, which should see João Cancelo start at right-back. Cancelo’s compatriot Rúben Dias is still sidelined.
Atlético Madrid are also without a key player in Yannick Carrasco, who is still banned for Diego Simeone’s side. In addition, Atlético will be without José Giménez after he sustained a knock in their 4-1 win over Alavés on Saturday. Atleti are 12 points behind Real Madrid in La Liga and will not be retaining their title.
Nevertheless, they arrive at the Etihad in great form. Simeone’s side are unbeaten in eight and have won seven of those games – including a 1-0 win on their last trip to Manchester, when they dumped United out of the Champions League at Old Trafford. Four straight away wins is ideal preparation for facing City for the first time. This will be just the fourth time that Guardiola and Simeone have faced each other.
