Europa League Next Level Teamwork analysis: Benfica and Hoffenheim strike gold

Goals win games, and of the 214 goals scored across the opening four matchdays of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League, it is table-toppers Benfica who have the largest share with 13.

According to the UEFA Technical Observer Group, Marco Silva's team have demonstrated "individual and relational quality" in outscoring the rest of the competition while totting up maximum points – yet they aren't the only ones.

For the following analysis, UEFA Technical Observers Jan Peder Jalland and Ian Woan assess two outstanding goals from the league phase at its halfway stage: Vangelis Pavlidis' strike for leaders Benfica against Celtic, and Fisnik Asllani's effort for Hoffenheim against Beşiktaş.

Both have much to recommend them. Jalland noted the "close distances, timing of movements in relation to each other, and anticipation and sharpness in finishing", while highlighting the artful finishes themselves: "We see how often the top goalscorers anticipate the balance of their direct opponent and then finish between the legs to exploit this."

The Benfica goal, unsurprisingly, crowns a long sequence spanning 23 passes and nine players before Pavlidis wins the space and profits from Tomás Araújo's super through ball; 'unsurprisingly', because – as the below graphic indicates – of the league phase's top five goals with the most passes, Silva's side have scored three.

Woan praised the collective effort behind Pavlidis' "excellent goal", emphasising the "team patience, exploiting of spaces and combination play of the midfielders". "The key moment," he stressed, "is when the Celtic centre-back comes out to follow the Benfica midfielder which opens up space; the centre-forward sees the opportunity and releases himself."

Woan also commended the final touches applied by Pavlidis. "With the defender lunging to his left and the goalkeeper covering the right, he makes the decision to reverse his shot."

The art of the near-post finish is evident too in the second video as Asllani matches the quality of Tim Lemperle's assist with an expertly executed strike through the defender's legs.

Yet it is exceptional teamwork – not just a dozen passes but the collective movement across the front line – that facilitates this goal. Woan underlined the "relationship between the central midfielder, two forwards and right winger", hailing the Hoffenheim players' "awareness of space and willingness to drive into these spaces".

"Threats on both sides of the ball after Asllani's first touch made it very difficult to defend," added Jalland.

Fisnik Asllani (left) and Leon Avdullahu celebrate Hoffenheim's team goal against BeşiktaşAFP via Getty Images

Technical observers' takeaways

• The relationship of players key to moving opponents out of their structure, then the awareness of team-mates to exploit gaps that open by working together and with well-timed movement.

• The ability to create goalscoring opportunities of players in possession facing towards goal, with heads up and understanding the pass type, required to give the centre-forward the best chance to score.

• The awareness of strikers to unbalance their opponent or goalkeeper combined with the technical execution to exploit the situation with the finishing action.