Alexander Bah and Vangelis Pavlidis were also on target for Marco Silva’s side, who established a commanding three-goal advantage before half-time. Camilo Durán pulled one back for Celtic after the break, but Benfica restored their three-goal cushion late in the match.
The victory gave Benfica six points from their opening two league-phase matches, following their 2-0 away win over AC Milan in September.
Jhon Durán sets the tone from the penalty spot
Benfica made a flying start and took the lead in the fifth minute when Jhon Durán converted a penalty with a composed Panenka finish, leaving Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo unable to stop the effort.
The early breakthrough gave the hosts confidence, and they continued to dominate possession while putting pressure on Celtic’s defence.
Their second goal arrived in the 23rd minute following an excellent attacking move. Gianluca Prestianni combined with Samuel Dahl before finding Bah inside the penalty area, where the Danish defender finished to make it 2-0.
Celtic struggled to contain Benfica’s movement and struggled to build sustained attacking pressure as the home side continued to create openings.
Benfica extend their lead before half-time
Benfica added a third goal in the 36th minute, with Durán completing his brace to put the hosts firmly in control.
The Colombian forward’s second strike capped a productive first-half display from the Portuguese side, who went into the interval with a 3-0 advantage.
Celtic had few answers to Benfica’s attacking intensity, while the home defence dealt effectively with the Scottish champions’ attempts to respond.
Camilo Durán gives Celtic hope
Celtic returned for the second half with greater determination and were rewarded in the 63rd minute when Camilo Durán scored to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
The goal offered the visitors a measure of encouragement after a difficult opening 45 minutes, and they attempted to build momentum in search of another breakthrough.
Benfica, however, remained dangerous going forward and continued to threaten whenever space opened up in the Celtic defence.
Pavlidis seals Benfica’s emphatic win
Benfica put the contest beyond doubt in the 89th minute when Pavlidis finished confidently after receiving a well-weighted pass from Tomás Araújo.
The Greek striker’s goal restored Benfica’s three-goal advantage and completed a convincing 4-1 victory in front of their home supporters.
Anatoliy Trubin also made an important late save to deny Camilo Durán, ensuring Celtic could not reduce the deficit further.
Benfica maintain perfect Europa League record
The result leaves Benfica with maximum points after two matches in the league phase, strengthening their position as they pursue a place in the knockout rounds.
Marco Silva’s side will now turn their attention to their next European fixture, an away meeting with Omonia in Cyprus on 22 October.
For Celtic, the defeat represents a disappointing start to their European campaign. After losing 3-1 at home to Ferencváros in their opening fixture, the Scottish side have now suffered back-to-back defeats and must improve quickly to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Benfica, meanwhile, will take confidence from another strong European performance as they look to maintain their momentum in the competition.