Benfica boost as Luisão returns from two month suspension
Brazilian striker Lima dos Santos scored his sixth goal of the season to give the visitors full points to stay level with Porto at the top of the table with 23 points from seven matches.
Celtic’s next Champions League opponents have now won four matches in a row since losing to Spartak in Moscow.
On Thursday they will get a further boost with the return of defender Luisão from a two month suspension for striking a referee during a pre-season match against Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Benfica face Moreirense on Friday night with coach Jesus Jorge having to decide whether or not to bring Luisão back into his team.
In the absence of Luisão Jorge has turned to Jardel to step into the centre of defence with four clean sheets picked up in the four match winning run.
Looking ahead to the remaining Champions League fixtures Jorge said: “We must beat Celtic to have a chance of qualifying when we go to Barcelona, it’s not a certainty that Celtic will win at home to Spartak.
“After our first match at Celtic I felt that they could score from set-pieces against Barcelona and that’s what happened.
“We have a big match coming up against Celtic and can only think about that not the other complications of the group. After beating Spartak we have a chance that we have to take.”
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