First-place incentive for both Benfica and Atlético

Both SL Benfica and Club Atlético de Madrid booked their place in the knockout rounds on matchday five but the prize of first place in Group C will be decided in Lisbon.

• In their first competitive meeting on 30 October, Benfica came from behind to inflict only Atlético's second defeat in 25 games in UEFA competition at the Vicente Calderón.

• Ángel Correa marked his first Atlético start by scoring the opening goal with Nicolás Gaitán scoring Benfica's equaliser before teeing up the winner for teenager Gonçalo Guedes, his first UEFA Champions League goal.

Match background

Benfica
• Competing in their 11th UEFA Champions League group stage, Benfica began with a 2-0 home victory over FC Astana and in the double header with Galatasaray AŞ they lost 2-1 away before winning by the same score at home.

• On matchday five they recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Astana and move to ten points, the same as Atlético.

• When the Portuguese champions – European Champion Clubs' Cup winners in 1961 and 1962 – lost 2-0 to FC Zenit on last season's matchday one it was their first reverse in 14 European home encounters (W11 D2).

• Their other two home games last season produced a win and a draw, but it did not prevent them finishing bottom of Group C with five points.

• Qualification breaks an unwanted sequence for the Eagles: previously they reached the knockout rounds in only one of their last seven UEFA Champions League campaigns. In 2011/12 eventual champions Chelsea FC beat them 3-1 overall in the quarter-finals.

• Benfica's last assignment with Spanish opponents before this season came in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League final when they drew 0-0 with Sevilla FC in Turin, losing 4-2 on penalties.

• They have faced Spanish sides on the European stage on 24 occasions with the record W6 D8 L10. Before matchday two they had not won in the last 15 matches (D7 L8) since a 2-1 victory at Sevilla's city rivals Real Betis Balompié on 29 September 1982.

• Their two European Champion Clubs' Cup triumphs, in 1961 and 1962, both came against Spanish teams – FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Atlético
• The 2014 finalists began their sixth group stage campaign with a 2-0 victory at Galatasaray and beat the same opponents by the same score at home last time out. On matchday three they beat Astana 4-0 and drew 0-0 in the Kazakhstan return.

• Atlético are taking part in the competition for the third year in a row – the first time they have achieved that feat.

• They experienced all three results in their group away games in 2014/15 and lost their round of 16 away leg 1-0 at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, eventually going through on penalties after the same score at home. They lost 1-0 at Real Madrid CF, and by the same aggregate score, in the quarter-final second leg.

• Atlético had success the last time they met opponents from Portugal before this season, defeating FC Porto away (2-1) and home (2-0) in the 2013/14 group stage. Atlético's overall away record against Portuguese opposition is W2 D2 L4.

Coach and player links
• Jan Oblak helped Benfica win the Portuguese league and cup double in 2013/14 and played the full 120 minutes against Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League final.

• Tiago made 75 appearances for Benfica between 2002 and 2004, scoring 19 times.

• Guilherme Siqueira made 18 appearances for Benfica while on loan there in 2013/14.

• Raúl Jiménez (2014/15 – 21 apps, one goal), Eduardo Salvio (2010–12 – 44 apps, five goals), Pizzi (2011 – 11 apps), Sílvio (2011/12 – 10 apps) all joined Benfica after spells with Atlético.

• Sílvio is in his third season at Benfica on loan from Atlético.

• Ederson was a goalkeeping colleague of Oblak at Rio Ave in 2012/13.

• Jonas scored twice against Atlético in eight games for Valencia CF while Eliseu scored once against them during stints with Málaga CF and Real Zaragoza.

• Jackson Martínez faced Benfica nine times with Porto, scoring three goals.

• International team-mates:
Nicolás Gaitán & Ángel Correa (Argentina)
Tiago & André Almeida, Eliseu, Pizzi (Portugal)
Filipe Luís & Luisão, Júlio César (Brazil 2009–11)
Filipe Luís & Talisca (Brazil)

Match facts

Benfica
• Luisão, Gonçalo Guedes, André Almeida and Jardel are a booking away from a ban. Gaitán served a one-game suspension against Astana.

• Luisão broke his left arm in the Portuguese Cup loss to Sporting Clube de Portugal on 21 November. He is not expected to return until late January.

• Sílvio twisted his left knee against Astana and is a doubt for the visit of Atlético.

• Lisandro López scored his first goal for Benfica in the 2-0 victory at SC Braga on 30 November, when 18-year-old Renato Sanches, a starter in Astana, made his full league debut for the Eagles.

• Benfica made it four straight league wins without conceding as they defeated Académica 3-0 on 4 December.

Atlético
• Atlético are 12 games unbeaten (W9 D3) since their matchday two loss to Benfica, the latest a 2-0 Liga win at Granada CF on 5 December.

• Tiago was ruled out for four months after breaking his right leg during the 1-0 home win against RCD Espanyol on 28 November.

• Atlético started their Copa del Rey campaign with a 2-1 victory at CF Reus Deportiu on 2 December in the first leg of their round of 32 tie.

• Antoine Griezmann has scored five goals in his last five games for the Rojiblancos.

• Diego Godín scored his first club goal of the season at Granada.

• Fernando Torres is on 99 goals in all competitions for Atlético. He has not scored since 19 September.