Benfica vs Barcelona Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Portuguese giants Benfica have underwhelmed domestically and need a win in Lisbon this week as they now prepare to face a Barcelona side that were once again left frustrated the other day.
Kick-off date/time: Tuesday 21st January, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Benfica Preview: Frustrated Benfica
Under the management of former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bruno Lage, Benfica have failed to capitalise on Sporting CP dropping off after Ruben Amorim’s departure with Benfica currently sitting second in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
The hosts most recently dispatched of Famalicao by four goals to nil at the Estadio da Luz at the weekend. They sit 15th in the UEFA Champions League ahead of the seventh match day but have won just one of their last four matches in this competition.
Barcelona Preview: Blunted Barca
Barcelona endured a major wobble before the turn of the year in La Liga, giving up what appeared to be becoming an unassailable position domestically and they now come into this one on the back of being frustrated by a 1-1 draw against Getafe at the weekend.
Prior to that irritating draw with Jose Bordalas’ feisty Getafe, the Blaugrana had won the Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia with a win against Athletic Club and then a 5-2 demolition of Real Madrid before then hammering Real Betis in the Copa del Rey last week.
Benfica Team News: Additional Heading Here
There are suggestions that both Alvaro Carreras and Jan-Niklas Beste could depart Benfica in the January transfer window but they head into this one with no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Trubin; Bah, Araujo, Otamendi, Carreras; Aursnes, Luis, Kokcu; Di Maria, Pavlidis, Akturkoglu
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Barcelona Team News: Over reliance on a 17yo
Lamine Yamal has enjoyed a remarkable rise to fame and prominence but the concern for the Catalans has been that they have been overly reliant on him with few wingers in the squad. Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains sidelined alongside both Inigo Martinez and Marc Bernal.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Araujo, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Unavailable: Ter Stegen (Injured), Martinez (Injured), Bernal (Injured)
Questionable:
Key Stats
- This is Benfica’s 300th match in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history (all rounds). They are the first Portuguese team to reach the landmark, and the fifth overall, after Real Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona and Juventus.
- Benfica have won two of their last three UEFA Champions League matches at home against Spanish teams (L1).
- Benfica have lost only three of their last 14 UEFA club competition matches (W7 D4).
- Benfica have lost only one of their last seven UEFA club competition matches at home (W3 D3).
- Benfica have lost only two of their last 15 matches in all competitions (W10 D3).
- Benfica have kept seven clean sheets in their last nine competitive home matches.
- Barcelona have lost only one of their last 20 UEFA club competition matches against Portuguese teams (W15 D4). That was a 3-0 defeat at Benfica in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League group stage.
- Barcelona have lost only one of their last eight UEFA club competition matches against Benfica (D4 L3).
- Barcelona have won their last five UEFA Champions League matches. The last time they won six in a row was in the 2014/15 season when they went on to win nine in succession.
- Barcelona have scored three or more goals in their last five UEFA Champions League matches.
- None of Barcelona’s last 27 UEFA club competition matches finished without a goal being scored.
- Barcelona have scored the first goal in nine of their last ten UEFA Champions League matches.
- Robert Lewandowski has scored in his last four UEFA Champions League matches against Benfica - seven goals in total (all when playing for Bayern). This includes a hat-trick in his most recent encounter against them for Bayern in a 5-2 home win in November 2021.
- Raphinha has scored nine goals in his last eight appearances in the UEFA Champions League.
Benfica vs Barcelona Prediction
Benfica’s 18 Primeira Liga games have consisted of 53 goals and that high-scoring tendency in their matches has been replicated on the continent, too, with their six UEFA Champions League games consisting of 17 goals. They now face a Barcelona side that have been found out a little with their extremely high and risky defensive line but their abundance of attacking options and slick attacking play means they remain extremely potent in nearly every game they play so an entertaining affair is to be expected in the Portuguese capital.
Benfica vs Barcelona Tip: Both teams to score
