Two European giants meet on the pitch as Lamine Yamal and FC Barcelona visit Benfica at the Estadio da Luz in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Here is my Benfica vs. Barcelona prediction and Champions League odds for today's match.
Benfica vs. Barcelona Pick, Prediction, Odds
| Barcelona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-0.5 -117 | 2.5 -250o / 200u | -120 |
| Benfica Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+0.5 +107 | 2.5 -250o / 200u | +275 |
- Benfica vs. Barcelona moneyline odds: Barcelona -120, Benfica +275
- Benfica vs. Barcelona over/under: 2.5 Goals (-250 Over , +200 Under )
- Benfica vs. Barcelona pick: Barcelona to Win and Over 3.5 goals
I am backing Barcelona to win and over 3.5 goals in the Benfica vs. Barcelona match.
Benfica Prediction
Unlike their rivals, Benfica had to grind to get into this stage of the competition after finishing 16th in the league phase. Bruno Lage's side is flying high. The two-time European Cup winners are undefeated in their past eight games across all competitions. Second in the Primeira Liga behind Sporting Lisbon with one game less, they're also into the Taca de Portugal semi-finals after beating Braga last Wednesday.
Their entertainment factor in the Champions League has been off the charts, taking part in a 4-0 (vs. Atlético Madrid) match, a 3-2 (vs Monaco) contest, a 4-5 (vs Barcelona) game and a 3-3 draw vs. Monaco. However, that must only be a reason for delight for neutral fans. Surely, Lage would prefer his side be able to keep goals away at a higher rate.
Squad-wise, the main concern is the absence of midfielder Florentino (thigh) and forward Angel Di María (muscle), who will likely miss both games against Barcelona. They're joined by Alexander Bah (ACL), Manu Silva (ACL), Tiago Gouveia (knee) and Renato Sanches (muscle) on the injury report.
Barcelona Prediction
The sky is the limit for Hansi Flick's team in the Champions League. A 2-2 draw to Atalanta almost cost them second place in the league phase, but they have scored an unparalleled 28 goals in their eight games.
The Blaugranas are also taking care of business at home. While they wasted a 4-2 lead in their Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg draw with Atletico Madrid after coming back from 2-0 down to draw 4-4, they followed that up with a 4-0 demolition of Real Sociedad to reclaim the top of the La Liga standings. Still unbeaten in 2025, that marked their 15th consecutive game without defeat across all competitions.
With wonderkid Gavi set to make a return on Wednesday, only Andreas Christensen (muscle) is out for the game, apart from the longstanding injuries to Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, so Flick should field a full-strength starting 11 for this one.
Benfica vs. Barcelona Pick
These two gave us a nine-goal festival the last time they met. While Benfica's gung-ho style and flimsy defense matches well to Barcelona's attacking prowess, remember that knock-out stage football is a different beast than league or group-stage games.
There will be goals, but Barcelona is getting into the business end of their season, so they won't leave themselves open to attacks, and will look to rely more on their individual brilliance as games become closer and closer.
Expect Barça to get this series as wrapped up as possible. Second-leg drama has become a mainstay of Barcelona in Europe recently, so they'll be keen to avoid the mistakes of the past. With five Champions League meetings since 2012, the series leans Barcelona and I expect that to remain the case.
Still, with two goal-happy sides, over 3.5 goals looks tempting.
Benfica vs. Barcelona Pick: Barcelona to Win and Over 3.5 Goals
