Tottenham vs. Benfica: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

Tottenham Hotspur face their stiffest test of the Europa League so far, as they host an in-form Benfica side in the round of 16 on Thursday. 

The Portuguese team are seven points clear of their rivals Sporting Lisbon at the top of their domestic league, per BBC Sport, and will be looking to take a positive result back with them to the Stadium of Light. 

Spurs are on an indifferent run of form, having lost three of their last six matches, per WhoScored.com. This included losing their Europa League first leg to Dnipro of Ukraine before a dramatic turnaround in the return match rescued the tie. 

Here is the vital match information for this game and where you can watch it:

When: Thursday, March 13, at 8:05 p.m. GMT/ 4:05 p.m. ET

Where: White Hart Lane, London, England.

TV Info: Live on ITV / ITV HD

Live Stream: tvguide.co.uk

Key Storylines

Adebayor to Star Again?

Sang Tan/Associated Press

Since the reintroduction of former Arsenal and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Tottenham have been a different kind of proposition. 

With the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas and the promotion of Tim Sherwood to first-team coach, Adebayor has sparkled for Spurs, driving the team onwards and upwards. 

The player had only featured for 45 minutes in the whole season before the team's 5-0 destruction at the hands of Liverpool on Dec. 15, per Squawka. But Sherwood's decision to make him Spurs' focal point has reaped rewards.

In his 14 Premier League matches this season, Adebayor has returned eight goals for the faith that has been shown in him, per Squawka, keeping Spurs in fifth position in the Premier League. 

He also scored twice in four minutes against Dnipro to rescue his side in the previous round, as Spurs turned around a two-goal disadvantage in dramatic circumstances. 

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend tweeted about the victory and highlighted Adebayor's contribution:

Sherwood will be hoping that Adebayor maintains his form and manages to give his side a lead to take to Portugal for the second leg. 

The Togolese again looks like one of the alpha-male striking predators in European football, and his contribution has been needed after the disappointing introduction to English football for Roberto Soldado.

Adebayor's goals have taken some of the heat off his Spanish strike partner and allowed him further time to settle at the club.

Team News

Armando Franca/Associated Press

As reported by WhoScored.com, Benfica will have a relatively fresh team for the game in London. They have rested the likes of Artur Moraes, Oscar Cardozo and Eduardo Salvio for this game, and they did not feature in the recent win over Estoril this past weekend.

Benfica will be looking toward their starlet Nicolas Gaitan to provide the ammunition to cause damage to Spurs.

The attacking midfielder has two goals from his six European competition matches this year, per WhoScored.com, and his reputation as a top player can be increased with a strong performance in North London.

Here are the predicted line-ups, based on WhoScored.com's statistical analysis, although goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will surely start for Spurs, as he did at home against Dnipro:

WhoScored.com

Tottenham are without Michael Dawson, who picked up a hamstring injury in the loss at Chelsea last Saturday.

The 30-year-old England international will be a huge loss to his side. He has featured 28 times in the Premier League this season, per Squawka, and Benfica will view his noninvolvement as a huge plus. 

Danny Rose and Mousa Dembele also look likely to miss the tie, per WhoScored.com, but Danish prodigy Christian Eriksen should be fit and involved.