Preview: Barcelona visit Benfica in penultimate Champions League game

Benfica host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday evening with both teams targeting qualification from the league phase.


By Graham Ruthven


The race for top the eight

Benfica have already demonstrated their quality against one of LaLiga’s big hitters in the Champions League this season, thumping Atlético Madrid 4-0 back in October. This should be a warning to Barcelona.

Bruno Lage’s team are well-placed to qualify for the competition’s knockout rounds after three wins, two draws and just one defeat in the league phase. Another victory would all but secure their place in the top 24.

Barcelona’s Champions League form has been strong this season. Indeed, Hansi Flick’s team have suffered just one defeat in six games, and that came away to Monaco when they played the majority of the match with 10 men.

The Catalans sit second in the 32-team table with only Liverpool ahead of them. However, their recent form hasn’t been so glowing with Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Getafe leaving Barca without a win in their last four league games.

Barca’s last visit to Lisbon to face Benfica resulted in a 3-0 win for the hosts and this will be another test for the Catalan outfit as they struggle for consistency.

Key players

Lage will likely set up in a 4-3-3 shape that will look to exploit the space in behind the Barcelona full backs through Kerem Aktürkoğlu on the left and Ángel Di María on the right, should the latter be fit.

In central midfield, the pressure will be on Florentino Luís to stop Barcelona from finding their passing rhythm. Fredrik Aursnes and Orkun Kökçü are also expected to start in the centre of the pitch where the match could be won and lost.

Barca will field a fearsome starting lineup with a frontline including Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Pedri. Lamine Yamal has three goals in his last three games while Lewandowski has scored seven goals in six Champions League outings this season.

Champions League top scorers, 2024/25

At the back, Ronald Araújo is expected to continue alongside Pau Cubarsí with Iñaki Peña set to be favoured over Wojciech Szczęsny despite the Polish goalkeeper starting the recent Spanish Supercopa games.

Team news

Tiago Gouveia and Renato Sanches are both sidelined through injury for Benfica who could also be without Di María for the visit of Barcelona on Tuesday. Otherwise, Lage has a fully fit squad to choose from.

The absence of Di María would be a significant blow considering the Argentine’s record this season – the former Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid winger has registered 19 goal involvements in 27 games. It’s possible he could start the match on the bench.

Di María’s season summary to date

While Barcelona’s injury troubles have eased recently, they are still without a number of important players including Marc-André ter Stegen, Marc Bernal Iñigo Martínez.

Gavi was a worry following his early withdrawal against Getafe on Saturday, but the young midfielder is believed to be fit and available to feature against Benfica. 

Prediction

Barcelona should continue their unbeaten run in Europe’s premier club competition but they won’t find it easy in the Portuguese capital: Benfica 1-1 Barcelona.


(Cover image from IMAGO)


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