After a 2-2 draw in their opening game with Braga, Benfica have found their rhythm on league business with clinical 5-0 and 3-0 wins over Vitoria Setubal and Nacional.
Jorge Jesus' side, however, haven't played a competitive game in 17 days and have since lost Javi Garcia and Axel Witsel from their midfield in big money moves.
With the duo now absent, and with Maxi Pereira and captain Luisao suspended, who are the key men Celtic will have to be on their guard against in their opening Champions League fixture?
Oscar Cardozo
In Cardozo's case, the stats speak for themselves. The 29-year-old has finished top scorer in the Portuguese top flight in two of the last three seasons, as well as being the leading marksman in the 2009/10 Europa League with nine goals.
Cardozo has netted 131 times in 217 appearances, more than a goal every two games, having signed from Newell’s Old Boys in 2007.
At 6ft 4in, he isn’t a renowned scorer with his head but his physical stature is such that he is a significant threat in the air, especially when Benfica get the ball wide.
Strongest on his left, he has shown on numerous occasions he is equally adept with his right, as displayed with his strike against Manchester United last term.
Lorenzo Melgarejo
A fellow Paraguayan alongside Cardozo, Melgarejo was recruited as a left winger from Independiente FBC in 2011. A year on loan with Pacos Ferreira followed, before Jorge Jesus switched him to left back upon his return to Estadio da Luz.
Melgarejo has been first pick so far this campaign, rampaging up the left flank as Benfica overload their opponents in wide areas going forward.
He likes to play high up park, either getting to the by-line to make crosses or getting by on the overlap. Given Benfica’s tendency to overload, Celtic will need to quickly address a weakness shown against St Johnstone where Kris Commons and James Forrest often failed to track back.
The 22-year-old’s impact has been such that he was signed up on a new contract until June 2018 earlier this week. Thankfully though, Celtic will be all too aware of Melgarejo's threat, having scouted him last season with a view to a possible loan move.
Pablo Aimar
The Argentine lynchpin never has lived up to his billing as the “new Maradona” but is undoubtedly one of the main creative forces going forward for Benfica.
The departure of regular midfield starters Javi Garcia and Axel Witsel in recent weeks has left Benfica to reconsider their configuration in the middle of the pitch.
Aimar is more likely to start in the middle of the advanced three, directing traffic to the wings before making himself available for the second ball in and around the area.
The 32-year-old stated ahead of his trip to Glasgow that he was convinced his side had superior technical ability to Celtic and would be looking to return home with the win.
Given time and space with the ball at feet, Aimar has the craft and the vision to pick apart any defence. Celtic will have to work hard to press him throughout the match, knowing just one lapse in concentration could lead to their downfall.
The onus will fall on Victor Wanyama and Scott Brown to nullify his threat and also prevent Martins from winning turnovers high up the pitch and swamping Celtic’s defence.
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