Barcelona vs Benfica Betting Tips & Predictions | Match Previews

23^rd November – 21:00, Camp Nou, Barcelona

Barcelona will host Benfica in the Champions League group stage 5^th round on Tuesday evening. The hosts want to seal their place in the knockout round, while the away side searches for a chance to remain undefeated.

Barcelona vs Benfica Match Preview & Team News

We don’t remember the weaker start of Barcelona’s Champions League campaign. They lost in the opening two rounds but managed to bounce back with a double win over Dynamo Kyiv. Those six points launched the Catalans in 2^nd place, being two points ahead of their upcoming rivals. Ronald Koeman’s side goes to this match after beating Espanyol in the Derbi Barceloni, breaking their four-game winless streak. The home side is currently sixth in La Liga, and they are pretty far from the title battle. A victory here could see them secure a place in the top two, and Memphis Depay and the lads will try to improve their game against a strong rival.

Benfica kicked off its Champions League campaign by picking up four points from the first two rounds. However, they lost twice in a row against Bayern Munich and slipped to 3^rd place. The Eagles have been very confident against their upcoming rivals in their first match earlier this season, as they celebrated a 3:0 victory. Jorge Jesus’s side hasn’t been too convincing lately, though, and they are 3^rd in the Primeira Liga. Lucas Verissimo and the lads have had defensive issues in the past few weeks, and they failed to keep the clean sheet on the last five occasions. Benfica has been dealing with some problems in the locker room lately, and it will be interesting to see whether they overcame them ahead of this important clash.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Barcelona is a favorite, but we believe the bookies hugely underestimated the visitors. The hosts didn’t impress against Dynamo Kyiv and Espanyol, while Benfica is a much tougher opponent. We don’t think the away team will lose this one, but in any case, Barcelona shouldn’t win by more than a goal.

Goals Market Prediction

The hosts haven’t been too tight in the back lately, while Benfica has had the same issues in the past few weeks. We anticipate a great battle, and neither side should be able to keep the clean sheet.