Benfica vs Barcelona Preview: Team News & Prediction

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This should be a thriller at the Estadio da Luz this week after Barcelona defeated Benfica by five goals to four in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League about a month and a half ago.

Kick-off date/time: Wednesday 5th March, 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: Bruno’s Benfica

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage has come under intense scrutiny as Benfica boss throughout his tenure as the Lisbon giants have failed to properly advantage of a stumbling Sporting CP side but things may well be coming good for Benfica.

They have enjoyed four successive wins in the league to mean they only sit behind the aforementioned Sporting on goal difference, they defeated Monaco in the knockout playoff round of this competition and also beat Braga in the Taca de Portugal quarter-finals last week.

Barcelona Preview: Ridiculous scorers

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have been ridiculous to watch throughout this season. As mentioned, they won 5-4 at the Estadio da Luz in January, having been 4-2 down in that game and there have been 164 goals scored in their 40 matches across all competitions so far this season.

The Blaugrana most recently annihilated Real Sociedad by four goals to nil at Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys in Catalonia at the weekend to cement their spot at the top-of-the-table in La Liga thanks to goals from Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski.

Benfica Team News: Coming soon

Coming soon

Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): Coming soon

Unavailable: Coming soon

Questionable: Coming soon

Barcelona Team News: Coming soon

Coming soon

Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): Coming soon

Unavailable: Coming soon

Questionable: Coming soon

Benfica vs Barcelona Prediction

Benfica are in the middle of a much-needed much-improved run of form of late as they continue to mount a challenge for an unlikely treble, but at least a possible domestic double. The hosts welcome a Barcelona side that have shown they are ridiculously effective in attack but their high-line, that Hansi Flick has made clear will not change or be adjusted, has been exposed by many and none more so than Benfica, who ran four goals past Barca the other week. A high-scoring affair, once again, seems likely in this first-leg.

Benfica vs Barcelona Tip: Over 2.5 goals