The clash between Dutch Eredivisie and Portuguese Liga Sagres runners-up from last season should offer fans at Rat Verleigh Stadium plenty of excitement and a very good football.

After missing out on the Dutch Eredivisie title by losing to Ajax on the final day of the season, Twente easily saw off Romanian side Vaslui to reach the Champions League play-offs.

The Tukkers entered the new season with practically the same squad as last term, although they did stay without captain Theo Janssen.

Co Adriaanse’s side had a good start to the new league campaign, having beaten NAC Breda and AZ Alkmaar in their two opening games, and they are now 2.50 (3/2) with Bet365 to beat Benfica as well.

Keeper Nikolay Mihaylov has returned into action after recovering from injury, but Nacer Chadli remains injury doubt.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-3): Mihaylov – Rosales, Douglas, Wisgerhof, Tiendalli – Brama, Jansen, Berghuis – Ruiz, Janko, De Jong.

Benfica were handed a very tough draw in the third qualifying round as they were pitted against Turkish side Trabzonspor, but the Eagles did well to win the tie 3:1 on aggregate.

The Portuguese giants scored two late goals to win the first leg 2:0 before earning a 1:1 draw in Turkey, that proved enough for the place in the final qualifying stage.

Benfica did squander a two-goal lead in their opening league game against Gil Vicente, but that probably happened because the players were already thinking about the clash with Twente.

Coach Jorge Jesus faces small selection problems as playmaker Pablo Aimar is very doubtful for this clash, which is why the gaffer has included Joan Capdevilla in the squad, with the Spaniard likely to registered for the competition a day before the Twente game.

Benfica are considered favourites in this tie and they are 1.50 (1/2) with Betfair to make it to Champions League group stage.

Probable starting line-up (4-1-3-2): Artur – Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Emerson – Javi Garcia – Witsel, Perez, Gaitan – Nolito, Saviola.