Barcelona is on the rise under Hansi Flick, but they must proceed cautiously this Wednesday when they visit Benfica for the Champions League round of 16. Following a dominant victory over Real Sociedad, Barcelona remains unbeaten in their last 15 matches across all competitions, including an exciting 5-4 win against Benfica during the league phase of this tournament. Benfica, having been without a loss in their last eight matches, is well aware of their scoring potential against Barcelona.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Wednesday, March 5
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Lisbon, Portugal
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Benfica +270; Draw +320; Barcelona -125
Match Preview
Benfica: Vangelis Pavlidis, the Greek striker, netted a hat trick in their prior matchup and will be pivotal again. He has played a critical role, contributing to nine goals in ten Champions League fixtures this campaign. However, for Benfica to progress further, they need to bolster their scoring efforts.
Predicted XI for Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin, Alvaro Carreras, Nicolas Otamendi, Antonio Silva, Tomas Araujo, Orkun Kokcu, Leandro Barreiro, Fredrik Aursnes, Bruma, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Akturkoglu.
Barcelona: Having triumphed in their last six La Liga matches, Barcelona arrives full of confidence. Their attack, led by Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, is formidable, making them a potent threat whether the game becomes a shootout or not.
Predicted XI for Barcelona: Wojciech Szczesny, Alex Balde, Inigo Martinez, Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski.
Prediction
Barcelona is likely to seize an early lead and maintain it for a comprehensive victory, setting their sights on rotation for the second leg at home. Pick: Benfica 1, Barcelona 3
