The UCL is back with the first leg of the quarter-finals. Many teams have crashed out, and we are down to the last eight of the season; undoubtedly, everything is getting tougher with players feeling the heat. A victory in this round put the team closer to the Champions League picks title.
With the away goals rule gone, we already saw how the teams set up and play against others in the round of 16. Although there are complaints that teams are more complacent than when the rule existed, we can see that the second leg is more open than it used to be in the past. We are looking for more exciting matchups.
One of the ties we would be witnessing in the quarter-finals is between Benfica and Liverpool. The first leg will take place in Portugal with Benfica at home, and even though they are the underdogs for this matchup, we can’t write them off just yet. So, follow us as we look at this game between these two exciting teams.
Benfica vs Liverpool Stats
Benfica Stats
This is one of the top teams in Portugal, and the only one left of the three came from the Primeira Liga. Sitting 3rd with 61 points, the team is close to sealing their Champions League spot. Winning the Primeira Liga is out of reach with only six games left and 12 points off Porto, the title is far from reach.
However, that means they can focus more on going far in the UCL to try to win silverware this season. Although they are the underdogs for their matchup against Liverpool in the quarter-finals, we can’t underestimate what they can bring to the pitch.
Before their away loss to Sporting Braga in the Premier Liga, the team was on a 9-game unbeaten run where they defeated Ajax in the UCL round of 16. Undoubtedly, Benfica will be coming into this match on a good run of form. However, it will take extra work to beat Liverpool in the two legs.
Liverpool Stats
Liverpool is on an impressive run in the League and the UCL. The team already won their first silverware of the season after winning on penalties against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. In addition, Liverpool has closed the gap between them and the league leagues, putting them within one point of the league title.
Before their round of 16 second-leg loss, the team was on a 7-game win streak in the Champions League this season. As a result, they are a tough team to beat and clear favorites to make it to the semi-finals. Although they still have to face Benfica in at least 180 minutes, there is a higher chance that they will get to the semis.
The team has scored 77 goals and conceded 20 in the EPL. They are the highest-scoring team and 2nd-best defense in the league. As a result, they are currently leading on goal difference, and it shows that they score a lot and don’t allow much in at the back. With that, teams have their work cut out if they want to beat Liverpool.
Benfica vs Liverpool Betting Trends
Both teams have only met four times in recent times, and they weren’t in this decade, with the most recent being in 2010. Benfica won three during those four meetings, while Liverpool won one in the Europa League. However, here are a few betting trends from both teams.
- Liverpool has won 100% of their Champions League away matches this season.
- Benfica has only lost once at home in this season’s UCL competition.
- Benfica hasn’t lost any home match in the Champions League, where they scored first.
- Liverpool has scored two or more goals in all their away matches in this season’s UCL.
- Mohammed Salah is Liverpool’s top goalscorer in all competitions this season.
- Darwin Nunez is SL Benfica’s highest goalscorer in all competitions.
Benfica vs Liverpool Betting Prediction
Going purely on who has the best team on paper and based on their run of form, Liverpool is the clear favorite. The team has one of the best statistics across Europe, putting them among the top teams to eventually win the competition. In that case, this matchup is a bit easy for them compared to others they could have been paired with.
Undoubtedly, we can’t write Benfica off because to get to the UCL quarter Finals is not a small feat. However, the last time they got to this competition stage, they were paired with the season’s eventual champions, Chelsea, another English team. So, this might be their chance to exert revenge in England even though it is an entirely different team now.
We expect a not-so-open game, and although Liverpool will have most of the possession, they will find it a bit hard to break down Benfica’s defense. However, we are looking at an underrated match that can become a big deal. But, we think Liverpool will take home the victory and maintain their impressive away run. Our prediction for this match is 2-0, justifying the Champions League odds for this match.
Benfica vs Liverpool Betting Analysis
Benfica and Liverpool are not typical rivals, but this will be an exciting matchup where we see one of the biggest teams in Porto take on another big team in England. We expect an end-to-end tie even though Liverpool is the favorite to win based on team strength, form, stats, and the Champions League betting odds.
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