Barcelona vs Benfica Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | Champions League

Barcelona vs Benfica Preview

• Tournament: Champions League
• Date: Tuesday, March 11
• Kick-off Time: 05:45 pm GMT
• Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Spain

La Liga leaders Barcelona will play host to Portuguese club Benfica in their second-leg Round of 16 clash of the 2024/25 Champions League season at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Both teams have endured a polar opposite start to their Champions League campaign.

Hosts Barcelona are undergoing a stellar season on both the domestic and European fronts as they are sitting first in the La Liga table and are favourites to secure a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals. Robert Lewandowski tops the goalscoring charts with 21 goals followed by Raphinha with 13, whereas Lamine Yamal has bagged 11 assists for himself. We predict this game will be another high-scoring affair.

Meanwhile, Benfica has endured a disastrous start to their Champions League campaign and will face elimination as they lost 1-0 in the reverse fixture last week. Vangelis Pavlidis is the leading goalscorer with eight goals followed by Ángel Di María with seven whereas Kerem Aktürkoglu has also bagged six assists for himself.

Barcelona Team News

The home side will be without defender Pau Cubarsi who was sent off in the reverse fixture last week. Andreas Christensen is sidelined with a calf injury whereas Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are yet to return from their knee injuries.

Benfica Team News

As for the visitors, they would be without the services of Alexander Bah and Manu Silva, Tiago Gouveia (knee) and Angel Di Maria (muscle) in this crucial tie. Benfica midfielder Florentino sustained a thigh injury and will sit out on their travels.

Barcelona vs Benfica Predicted Lineups

Barcelona Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Szczesny

Defenders: Kounde, Araujo, Garcia, Balde

Midfielders: Pedri, De Jong

Forwards: Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski

Benfica Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Trubin

Defenders: Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras

Midfielders: Kokcu, Barreiro, Aursnes

Forwards: Akturkoglu, Pavlidis, Bruma

Barcelona vs Benfica Head-to-Head Record

The two sides have faced each other 11 times on the European stage. Barcelona recorded five wins, Benfica managed two, whereas the remaining four games ended in a draw.

Key Players to Watch in Barcelona vs Benfica

Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

The Polish striker is regarded as one of the best strikers in Europe and has scored nine goals in nine Champions League games this season. Lewandowski has bagged 34 goals in all competitions and has accumulated a 3.71 xG in his last five games.

Vangelis Pavlidis (Benfica)

Vangelis Pavlidis is the leading marksman for the Portuguese giants and is expected to play a major role in this tie. Pavlidis made 27 goal contributions in 40 matches across all competitions.

Barcelona vs Benfica Prediction

The Spanish giants are the favorites for this tie due to their stellar start to the 2024/25 campaign. The Blaugrana have proven tough to beat this season and have scored 29 goals in nine matches in the Champions. Hansi Flick’s men secured a 1-0 win over Benfica in the reverse fixture.

As for Benfica, they have been one of the worst-performing teams in the Champions League but have still managed to make it to the last 16. The Portuguese giants are challenging for the domestic title but sustained a 1-0 defeat in the reverse tie. The two teams met earlier this year and Barcelona secured a hard-fought 5-4 win.

Predicted Score: Barcelona 3-1 Benfica

Where to Watch Barcelona vs Benfica Live?