Benfica vs Barcelona Predictions

• Benfica have been beaten 3-1 by Feyenoord and held to a 0-0 draw by Bologna in their last two Champions League home games
• Barcelona have won five straight Champions League games, scoring 20 goals in that run
• Barca boss Hansi Flick has won 21 of his 24 Champions League matches as a manager

Barca to bounce back at Benfica

A tenth-minute red card for Eric Garcia ultimately cost Barcelona in their opening Champions League game of the season against Monaco, but they have shown no signs of slowing down since, scoring 20 goals while winning their subsequent five European matches. 

That level of performance should come as no surprise to anybody who watched Hansi Flick at Bayern Munich, though, as the German manager has now won 21 of his 24 Champions League matches – with his 88 per cent win-rate the best of any boss to take charge of at least ten games in the competition. 

Barca were left frustrated on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Getafe but their opponents that day were managed by Jose Bordalas, who is notorious for setting his sides up to be physical and horrible to play, with Flick’s men unlikely to face the same resistance in Lisbon. 

Hosts heading for further home frustration 

Benfica have enjoyed a solid Champions League campaign, sitting 15th and in the playoff places, but a 3-1 loss to Feyenoord and a 0-0 draw with Bologna in their last two home European home matches will not feel them with confidence ahead of a visit from a side eyeing top spot. 

Barcelona are Liverpool’s closest pursuers in the race for top, sitting three points behind the Reds, and their 5-2 rout of Real Madrid earlier this month proves they have the talent to keep up that chase with a win in Lisbon. 

Barca have managed just two Champions League clean sheets, though, so there is a chance Benfica score on Tuesday, with a 3-1 away win appealing as a correct-score bet.