After winning 1-0 in Lisbon, Barcelona will now welcome Benfica to Catalonia as Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium is ready to host the second leg of the fixture on Tuesday, March 11.
The two sides have met twice this season with 10 goals scored across the two matches as the league phase fixture ended 5-4 in favor of Barcelona who once again won by a one-goal difference in the Round of 16.
Know more about the odds, moneyline, picks, and predictions for the crucial UEFA Champions League second leg fixture between Barcelona and Benfica here.
Here is when and where to watch the clash between Barcelona and Benfica.
Date: 03/11
Time: 5:45 pm GMT
Location: Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, Barcelona
Where to watch: The match can be watched on TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+ in the UK, while it will also be available to watch on Paramount+ in the USA
Pau Cubarsi’s red card was the main event of the first half in the first leg played between Barcelona and Benfica as Wojciech Szczesncy produced multiple good saves to keep the fixture at parity. At the hour-mark, Antonio Silva’s misdirected pass found Raphinha who pounced on the Benfica defender’s mistake and shot the ball past the goalkeeper to give his side a slender 1-0 lead.
After the sudden passing away of club doctor Carles Minarro Garcia due to undisclosed reasons, Barcelona’s La Liga match against Osasuna was postponed on Saturday as the whole club mourns in tough times.
The Blaugrana head into the second leg with an advantage and an enforced rest of one week, which means that the players should be physically up for the challenge, but being mentally focused will be the key for Hansi Flick’s men on Tuesday.
On the other hand, Benfica did play on Saturday as they smashed three goals past Nacional and kept a clean sheet as well to keep pace with Sporting at the top of the Liga Portugal points table.
Bruno Lage is hopeful for a turnaround as he exclaimed that his side should have won 5-1 in the first leg and subsequently rested several key players on the weekend to keep them fresh for the Champions League encounter against the Catalans. Former Real Madrid star Angel di Maria faces a race against time to face Barcelona as the Argentine’s presence could be a point of differentiation on the field.
The Playoffs aim to facilitate the safest bets for the game. Have a look at the predictions for the game below.
Total goals Over 3.5 @ -122 (MGM Bet): Two well-drilled sides who pack a punch in defense and are ready to fire with goals whenever required would be giving it their all to progress to the quarter-final stage of the competition.
Robert Lewandowski (To Score a Goal @ -120 as per MGM Bet): Robert Lewandowski is in fine form as the former Bayern Munich striker sits atop the La Liga Golden Boot race and has 9 goals in 9 UEFA Champions League games this season. A goal from the Polish marksman would go a long way in ensuring his side’s progression to the next round in Europe.
Many fans and pundits would be hoping to see Benfica in the next stage of the competition but Barca’s strength and Flick’s tactical acumen might prove to be a bit too much for Lage’s men away from home.
Our Final Prediction: A 2-1 win for Barcelona is the most likely outcome as the home advantage would be a big factor for the Catalans who are going through tough times off the field.
A stand-up comedian and a sports journalist with speciality in writing prediction pieces and features on football, cricket, and badminton. Over the last few years, I have contributed pieces to iGaming giants like Parimatch, 1X News, and Melbet.
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