Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica prediction, team news and preview

Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica: what the match decides

Omonia Nicosia host Benfica at the GSP Stadium on Thursday 22 October 2026 in round 3 of the UEFA Europa League league stage. Both sides have played twice, won twice and have 6 points, so the match decides which of them moves into the leading group in a 36-team table.

Benfica are third with 6 goals scored and 1 conceded, a goal difference of +5. Omonia are sixth with 4 scored and none conceded (+4). Juventus lead the table, also on 6 points. Both clubs currently sit in the zone our data marks as promotion, with the play-offs (1/8-finals) as the next step.

The short answer to the main question: this looks closer than the table order suggests, with Benfica holding a slight edge on quality and attacking output and Omonia bringing a very sound home record.

Omonia Nicosia and Benfica recent form

Omonia have not lost in their last five, a run of WWWWD. They have won four and drawn one, scoring 13 and conceding 3, which works out at 2.6 goals scored and 0.6 conceded per game. Three clean sheets and no failed-to-score games show a side that is reliable at both ends. Their latest result was a 2-2 home draw with Olympiakos in the 1. Division on 19 October.

At home, Omonia have played three of those five, winning two and drawing one with 7 goals for and 3 against (2.33 scored and 1 conceded per game). They kept one clean sheet in those three, and both teams scored in two of them. In Europe they beat Celta Vigo 1-0 at home and Celje 3-0 away.

Benfica's last five read WWLWW: four wins and one defeat, 12 goals scored and 5 conceded (2.4 and 1 per game) with two clean sheets. Their only loss was 1-3 at Porto in the Primeira Liga on 20 September. They have since beaten Vitória SC 2-0 and Celtic 4-1.

Away from home Benfica have played two of the five, winning 2-0 at AC Milan and losing at Porto. That record gives 3 goals scored and 3 conceded, or 1.5 each per game, so their defence has been less secure on the road than in the rest of the run.

Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica team news

Omonia have three players listed as out: B. Akintola (listed as inactive), C. Eiting (knee injury) and F. Kitsos (knee injury). No doubtful players are reported in our data for the home side.

Benfica also have three players out: D. Banjaqui (muscle injury), E. Barrenechea (injury) and J. Kaminski (muscle injury). No doubtful players are reported for the visitors either.

Our data does not say how important each absentee is to his side's usual starting eleven, so the effect on each team is hard to judge. No line-ups are published yet; they are confirmed about an hour before kick-off, and this section will reflect them once they are in.

Storylines: two unbeaten starts collide

For Omonia, the story is defensive. They have won both league-stage games without conceding, 1-0 against Celta Vigo and 3-0 at Celje, and they have scored 13 goals in their last five matches in all competitions. A third straight win would keep them firmly in the top group of the table.

For Benfica, the story is the strength of their start. They are third on goal difference after a 2-0 win at AC Milan and a 4-1 home win over Celtic, and have scored 6 in two European matches. Their loss at Porto came in the league, and they have since won both games.

What this match can change is the shape of the top of the table. The winner will probably stay in the top group on 9 points, while a draw would leave both on 7 and still level with each other.

Key battles: Omonia's defence against Benfica's attack

The main contest is Omonia's defensive record against Benfica's output. Omonia concede 0.6 goals per game over their last five, while Benfica score 2.4 per game and have found the net in all five matches. One side's strength has to give way.

The second contest is Benfica's away defence. They have conceded 1.5 goals per away game, which is above their overall 1 per game, and Omonia have scored in all five of their recent games. If Omonia score first, the game could become more open than their low-scoring European results suggest.

Goal totals also point towards activity. Omonia have had four of five games with over 2.5 goals and Benfica three of five, so a scoreline of three or more goals is a realistic outcome on form.

Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica head-to-head

No previous meetings between Omonia Nicosia and Benfica are included in our data, so there is no head-to-head record, goals-per-game average or notable result to cite.

That makes recent form and the league-stage table the best guide. This will also be a first look at how each side handles a different style of opponent from those they have faced so far.

Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica prediction

Our lean is a narrow Benfica win, with a draw the main alternative. Benfica have the better goal difference (+5 against +4), a more productive attack (2.4 goals per game in their last five) and a recent 2-0 win at AC Milan, while Omonia have conceded just 3 goals in five games and are unbeaten.

On goals, we lean towards a match with at least two, and more than two is plausible given Omonia's four over-2.5 games in five and Benfica's away concession rate of 1.5 per game. Both teams scoring is a real possibility, though Omonia's clean sheets in the league stage so far make a low-scoring game just as plausible.

Things that could change this view include the confirmed line-ups, the effect of the absences on each side and an early goal. This is a lean, not a certainty. MATCH PULSE's three AI engines (GPT, Claude and Gemini) publish their independent analysis of the match before kick-off.

How to watch Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica

No official broadcasters are listed in our data for this match. Check the UEFA Europa League's official broadcast partner in your country and its official app for live coverage.

The match is on Thursday 22 October 2026 at the GSP Stadium. The kick-off time on this page is shown in your own time zone.

We have not listed this competition's broadcasters yet. Check the competition's official broadcast partner in your country and its official app.

Only official rights holders are listed; availability can change. Watching through unofficial streams is unsafe and unfair to the clubs.

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