What we have learned from the first half of the Champions League campaign: Sporting lead Liga Portugal’s UCL hopes, Benfica need a miracle | OneFootball

The league phases of UEFA’s European competitions have reached their respective halfway stages, with Portugal’s sides having played four games each. Sporting have made the greatest impression on the continent’s main competition. Benfica, on the other hand, have had endured a torrid time in continental play.

The reigning Liga Portugal champions are representing the Iberian nation alongside Benfica in this year’s Champions League, with Porto and Braga participating in the Europa League. Both northern teams, despite disappointing results this week, are in good shape to make progress in the Europa League.

The opening fixtures in UEFA’s two leading competitions have given fans a strong idea of which teams will progress to the latter stages and which teams need to improve their form immediately to avoid early elimination.

Sporting have made the biggest Portuguese UCL impact

Sporting’s opening fixtures of the UCL have seen them continue their strong form in Europe after last season’s run to the knockout stages.

The Lions have achieved an impressive seven points from the first four matches of the 2025/26 league phase and are now odds-on favourites to secure a path to the playoff round in a bet on Champions League football this season at -3300. The Champions League betting tips suggest they could even make a push for a top-eight finish, which would allow them to bypass the initial knockout round.

The 21-time league champions recorded a straight-forward victory against debutants Kairat Almaty to kickstart their strong 25/26 European form and have since built on that with a respectable home victory against Marseille as well as a strong point away to Juventus.

The recent loss away to Napoli was disappointing, although even then it was a night in which Sporting created good chances and simply didn’t take them, which bodes well for their hopes of long-term progress.

A consecutive run to the knockout stages would represent a successful campaign for Sporting, although reaching the round of 16 for the first time in the new format will be their real aim. It would be a shock if they do not survive longer in the competition than their city rivals, Benfica.

Benfica need a remarkable turnaround to avoid elimination

Benfica have endured a contrasting experience to Sporting in the opening four matches of the UCL. There have been no positives to take from their run of four straight defeats to Qarabag, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen.

With the new format not allowing teams to drop down into the Europa League, Benfica will need a remarkable change of form to progress to the knockout stages. The team’s issues have revolved around their tendency to concede goals in abundance and their complete failure to find the net away from home, having conceded eight across the four fixtures, and netted just twice - both at the Estádio da Luz.

José Mourinho will need to turn yet another of his teams into a defensive force and get last year’s seven-goal UCL man Vangelis Pavlidis back to his best in the competition if Benfica are to have any chance of still qualifying for the knockouts.

Wins against Ajax and Napoli will be vital to set up a potential comeback story ahead of the final two matchdays in 2026. From there, a victory either away against Juventus or at home to Real Madrid will likely be required.

Ultimately, Portuguese clubs do not consistently set Europe alight in the Champions League, but underdog runs are far from unheard of in the competition. Sporting at least look certain to extend the nation’s hopes into the knockout rounds of 2026 following their early form, and from there, a favourable draw could set up a memorable run for the reigning league champions.