Benfica vs Barcelona Pick – Jan 21, 2025

Barcelona will look to secure their sixth victory in seven matches in this season’s Champions League when they travel to face Benfica on Tuesday night at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

The Blaugrana currently sit second in the Champions League table, amassing 15 points from their six league phase matches. Meanwhile, Benfica are positioned 15th on 10 points, as they fight to secure a playoff spot in a highly-competitive environment. 

Benfica: Chasing Automatic Qualification

Benfica’s Champions League campaign has seen them win three, draw one, and lose two of their six matches, leaving them in 15th place. Although this is currently enough for the playoff round, they remain only three points behind eighth-placed Lille, keeping alive their hopes of automatic qualification for the next stage.

Bruno Lage’s men are riding a wave of momentum, entering this clash on the back of a four-game winning streak. Their most recent victory, a commanding 4-0 triumph over Famalicao in the Primeira Liga on Friday, keeps them second in the domestic league, just three points off leaders Sporting CP.

Historically, Benfica have struggled against Barcelona, winning only two of their nine encounters. However, one of those wins came in the 1961 European Cup final, and they also triumphed 3-0 during the 2021-22 Champions League group stage.

All in all, the Portuguese giants have shown mixed results at home against Spanish opposition, winning four, drawing five, and losing five of their previous 14 such encounters. They’ll draw confidence from their 4-0 home victory over Atletico Madrid earlier this season in the group stage.

The Portuguese giants will be without Tiago Gouveia and Renato Sanches due to injuries, while Angel Di María remains a major doubt. Di María’s absence would be a significant blow, as the Argentine has scored 13 goals and provided seven assists across 27 appearances this season. However, there is still hope the former Real Madrid ace could make the bench.

Even though he bagged a hat-trick in Benfica’s 4-0 victory over Famalicao on Friday evening, Luxembourg midfielder Leandro Barreiro may have to settle for a place on the bench, with Fredrik Aursnes expected to reclaim his starting spot in central midfield. 

Meanwhile, Kerem Akturkoglu, who has contributed 10 goals and seven assists, is set to start, with Vangelis Pavlidis expected to spreadhead the attack. If Di Maria is not fit to start, Andreas Schjelderup and Zeki Amdouni will be in contention for a start. 

Barcelona: Mixed Form Amid European Success

Despite their domestic struggles, Barcelona have been a force in Europe this season, winning five of their six Champions League matches to sit second in the Champions League table with 15 points. They trail leaders Liverpool by three points and remain three clear of Borussia Dortmund in ninth, ensuring their knockout stage aspirations remain intact.

However, Hansi Flick’s side have won the Spanish Super Cup with a dominant 5-2 victory over Real Madrid earlier this month, but they are enduring their worst La Liga run in 17 years, winning just one of their last eight top-flight matches. Currently third in the La Liga table and seven points behind arch rivals Real Madrid, their domestic form contrasts sharply with their European performances.

The Catalan outfit have a mixed record in Portugal, with six wins, three draws, and five losses in 14 away matches against Portuguese clubs. At the Estádio da Luz, their sole victory came in the group stage of the 2012-13 Champions League.

With a home match against Atalanta on January 29 to close out the league phase, a positive result in Lisbon would go a long way toward securing their qualification and maintaining momentum in Europe.

Barcelona face injury setbacks of their own, with Dani Olmo sidelined due to a muscular issue sustained in their 1-1 draw with Getafe last weekend. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal, and Inigo Martínez are also unavailable. However, Marc Casado is fit after his substitution against Getafe was confirmed as tactical.

A key player for Barcelona has been Robert Lewandowski, who leads the Champions League scoring charts this season with seven goals in just six appearances. The experienced forward is closely followed by teammate Raphinha and Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, who both have six. 

Lewandowski’s clinical finishing will be vital for Barcelona as they aim to secure a positive result in Lisbon. The 36-year-old Poland striker boasts 26 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions. 

Head coach Flick is expected to name an unchanged side, with Gavi likely continuing in the number 10 role and Ferran Torres and Frenkie de Jong available off the bench.

Possible Starting Lineups of Benfica and Barcelona

Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin – Alexander Bah, Antonio Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Alvaro Carreras – Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino, Orkun Kokcu – Zeki Amdouni, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Akturkoglu. (4-3-3) 

Barcelona: Inaki Pena – Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Balde – Marc Casado, Pedri – Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha – Robert Lewandowski. (4-2-3-1) 

Spooky Express Betting Prediction 

According to EveryGame’s latest betting odds, Barcelona are narrow favorites at +115 to claim victory in Lisbon. Benfica, however, offer solid value at +200 for a home win, while a draw is priced at +285.

For those expecting Barcelona to capitalize on their European form, Robert Lewandowski (+110) could feature in goalscorer markets, while Kerem Akturkoglu (+200) represents a tempting option for Benfica. The game’s tight nature makes the Draw an intriguing bet, particularly with both sides possessing the quality to hurt each other.

Still, we believe that Barcelona won’t lose in Lisbon and we will witness a high-scoring clash between the two Iberian giants. 

Spooky Express Free Play: X2 (Barcelona or Draw) and Over 2.5 Goals +110 at EveryGame for 5/10 Units

Spooky Express Free Play 2: Robert Lewandowski Anytime Goalscorer +110 at EveryGame for 5/10 Units