Benfica flex £120 million in depth to recharge batteries ahead of Rangers’ Europa League trip.

Benfica, Rangers’ Europa League adversaries, rebounded from a three-game losing streak that threatened to wreck their season.

The Portuguese heavyweights had been trounced by Sporting Lisbon in the Portuguese Cup before being humbled 5-0 by FC Porto, leading to an eventual 2-2 draw with Rangers.

Benfica defeated Estoril Praia 3-1 after making five changes from the previous week’s Europa League match against Rangers.

In contrast, Rangers’ 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Hibs used the same starting lineup.

Benfica returns to winning ways.

Benfica’s Europa League team, which cost £120 million more than Rangers’, produced their second string in Portugal, demonstrating impressive squad depth.

Nicolas Otamendi, Joao Neves, Rafa Silva, Angel di Maria, and Arthur Cabral all left the Benfica squad with one eye on their trip to Rangers on Thursday.

Orkun Kokcu, who cost Benfica £26 million when he joined from Feyenoord, opened the score in the encounter before Estoril equalised via Rodrigo Gomes.

Marcos Leonardo, the Brazilian striker who was scheduled to replace Alfredo Morelos at Santos, pushed Benfica ahead 2-1 in the first half injury time.

Tiago Gouveia earned the points four minutes into the second session, relieving pressure on German manager Roger Schmidt.

Rangers will welcome Benfica to the Europa League.

After the weekend’s games, all eyes are on Ibrox this Thursday evening, when Rangers meet Benfica in the Europa League.

The game is level at 2-2, and Rangers will be hoping that the strength of Ibrox, even at an earlier kickoff time of 5:45pm, would be enough to carry them through.