The Matchday 8 clash in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage between Juventus (Italy) and Benfica (Portugal) will take place on January 29 at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. Juventus vs. Benfica: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Juventus
In the last round, Thiago Motta's side failed to defeat Club Brugge in an away match (0-0). Juventus extended their unbeaten run in the Champions League to four games but managed only one win during this stretch. However, the Italians have kept clean sheets in their last three matches in this tournament. In the standings, the club has 12 points and is in 17th place. The Turin club has already secured a spot in the playoffs but still has a slim chance of finishing in the top 8: to achieve this, they must win and hope for slip-ups from their rivals.
Defenders Andrea Cambiaso, Gleison Bremer, and Juan Cabal, as well as forward Arkadiusz Milik, will miss the match due to injuries. Notably, new signings – midfielder Renato Veiga and forward Randal Kolo Muani – are not registered for the group stage. Additionally, the Turin club terminated the contract with defender Danilo.
- The club has won in regular time in 9 of their last 13 home matches in the Champions League.
- The team conceded in 90 minutes in 6 of their previous 7 home matches in this European competition.
- The number "1" appeared in the scoreline at the end of regular time in 5 of Juventus' last 6 home games in the Champions League.
Benfica
Bruno Lage's team lost at home to Barcelona in the last round with a score of 4-5. Benfica had a two-goal advantage during the match but allowed the opponent to snatch victory at the end. As a result, the team has not won in 4 of their last 5 Champions League matches (1 draw, 3 losses). These results have dropped the Portuguese side, with ten points, to 21st place in the standings. However, a victory over Juventus will guarantee the club a spot in the playoffs.
Midfielder Renato Sanches and forward Tiago Gouveia will miss the match due to injuries. Defender Alvaro Fernandez Carreras and forward Arthur Cabral are suspended.
- Both opponents scored in regular time in 5 of the team's last 7 away matches in the Champions League.
- The number "1" appeared in the scoreline at the end of 90 minutes in 5 of the club's last 6 away games in this European competition.
- The Portuguese team conceded first in regular time in 5 of their last 7 away matches in the Champions League.
Predicted lineups for Juventus vs. Benfica
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Mattia Perin – Nicolo Savona, Pierre Kalulu, Federico Gatti, Weston McKennie – Douglas Luiz, Khephren Thuram – Samuel Mbangula, Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceicao – Dusan Vlahovic.
Benfica (4-3-3): Anatoliy Trubin – Alexander Bah, Antonio Silva, Tomas Araujo, Nicolas Otamendi – Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino, Orkun Kökçü – Angel Di Maria, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Akturkoglu.
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (Romania)
Matches – 7 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 24;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.4;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 14%.
Juventus vs. Benfica: Match Prediction
At home, the Turin side usually plays with an attacking focus, and they rarely have issues with scoring. In their last 23 home matches in the Champions League, Juventus players have only left the field without scoring three times, and in 12 instances, they scored at least twice. However, defensive errors are present: in 6 of their last 7 home matches in this European competition, the Italians conceded.
Benfica also favors a creative style of play and regularly finds the net even in away games. In their last 15 away matches in the Champions League, the Portuguese side failed to score only twice, against Inter and Bayern Munich. However, the club's defensive actions leave much to be desired: in their last seven away matches in this European tournament, the team failed to keep a clean sheet.
I expect both teams to showcase their attacking prowess. My prediction: Both teams to score – Yes
