Goals and spectacle. Undoubtedly imaginable, but not on that scale. Benfica and Barcelona face each other in the first leg of the Champions League round of sixteen and we all have in mind the 4-5 with which the Catalans took 3 points in the seventh round of the first phase. These were fundamental points that allowed Flick’s team to finish in the top positions and also to have a seemingly easy draw.
At the moment, in Europe, there are very few teams that have the ability to win matches like the Spaniards who are top of the league having made a sensational comeback during this period, especially against Real Madrid who, at a certain point in the season, seemed to have gone away. But it didn’t happen that way: the Blaugrana found the consistency they needed and now they’re playing for a place in the next round against a team that on paper is inferior and with the possibility, moreover, of a return match at home.
It will objectively be a very different match compared to the one we saw a few months ago. Fewer goals, for sure, but the result could be similar. That is to say, of course, a victory for Barcelona who will almost certainly be able to wrap up their qualification on Wednesday evening. And then they’ll put the final stamp on their qualification at home.
Odds comparison
Barcelona’s victory is quoted at 1.85 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and at 1.80 on Snai.
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The prediction
A match with at least one goal for each team and at least three goals overall, as happened in the first phase of this Champions League. Barcelona are currently too strong to consider a sensational upset. An away win is widely predicted.
The probable line-ups for Benfica-Barcelona
BENFICA (4-3-3): Trubin; Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras; Kokcu, Barreiro, Aursnes; Akturkoglu, Pavlidis, Bruma.
BARCELONA (4-2-3-1): Iñaki Peña; Koundé, Pau Cubarsi, Araujo, Balde; Pedri, Marc Casadó; Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-3