Barcelona is set to defend their slender advantage against Benfica at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash. The Catalan giants are determined to reach the quarter-finals for the second consecutive season, while their Portuguese opponents aim for their third appearance in the last eight over the past four campaigns.
Match Overview
Barcelona’s recent domestic fixture against Osasuna was postponed due to the tragic passing of their first-team doctor, Carles Minarro Garcia. Despite this, the La Liga giants hold a crucial 1-0 aggregate lead over Benfica from the first leg. This advantage was secured under challenging circumstances, as Hansi Flick’s squad played with ten men for approximately 70 minutes following Pau Cubarsi’s early red card. A 61st-minute goal from Raphinha and exceptional goalkeeping from Wojciech Szczesny ultimately sealed their first-leg victory, meaning they now only need to avoid a loss at home. Meanwhile, Benfica demonstrated strong form in the Primeira Liga, securing a dominant 3-0 victory against Nacional last weekend. Goals from Zeki Amdouni, Orkun Kokcu, and Vangelis Pavlidis helped Bruno Lage’s team achieve a comfortable win, keeping their title aspirations alive alongside Sporting Lisbon.
Team Updates
Barcelona faces several injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s crucial home fixture. Andreas Christensen, who recently returned to full fitness, has suffered a new calf injury, sidelining him until April. The Blaugrana will also be without Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Marc Bernal due to fitness issues. For Benfica, Alexander Bah, Tiago Gouveia, and Manu Silva are all unavailable due to injuries. Additionally, Alvaro Carreras is suspended, and Angel Di Maria will miss the match due to an injury.
Barcelona vs Benfica Predicted Line-ups
Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Martinez, Balde; Olmo, De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski
Benfica: Trubin; Santos, Silva, Otamendi, Dahl; Aursnes, Barreiro, Kokcu; Akturkoglu, Schjelderup, Pavlidis
Where to Watch?
Football enthusiasts can catch the live broadcast of the Barcelona vs Benfica match on television.
Match Prediction
Benfica previously succumbed to the Catalans despite having a numerical advantage and playing on home turf at the Estadio da Luz. Historically, the Portuguese club has a poor record against La Liga teams away from home, winning only two of their 13 competitive matches. Therefore, Barcelona is widely anticipated to secure a comfortable victory on Tuesday at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Predicted Score: Barcelona 3-1 Benfica
