How Benfica could line up against Club Brugge

However, the Eagles are now having to cope without the presence of midfielder Enzo Fernandez following his British-record transfer to Chelsea in January.

Chiquinho has since formed a partnership with Florentino Luis in centre-midfield, and both players are expected to start at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

Schmidt is not expected to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup despite suffering a 5-4 penalty-shootout defeat to Braga in the quarter-finals of the Taca de Portugal last Thursday following a 1-1 draw with nine men after 120 minutes.

Alexander Bah and Morato were both dismissed in that match, but they are both available for Wednesday's Champions League contest and the former is set to continue at right-back, joining Nicolas Otamendi, Antonio Silva and Alex Grimaldo in the back four.

Goncalo Guedes was fit to start and score against Braga last time out after recovering from a minor muscle issue and the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee could retain his place as the central striker, although Goncalo Ramos will also be pushing to start down the middle.

Rafa Silva has begun the last two matches on the substitutes' bench after missing the majority of January with a muscle injury, and the playmaker will be in contention to replace either David Neres or Fredrik Aursnes in the first XI.

Benfica possible starting lineup: Vlachodimos; Bah, Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Luis, Chiquinho; Mario, Rafa, Aursnes; Guedes