The Matchday 1 clash of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup between Boca Juniors (Argentina) and Benfica (Portugal) will take place on June 17 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA. Boca Juniors vs. Benfica: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Boca Juniors
The Argentinians qualified for the Club World Cup based on the CONMEBOL ranking. Notably, Boca Juniors, who reached the final of the 2023 Copa Libertadores, did not even make it to the group stage in this tournament. In the national championship, Miguel Angel Russo's side finished second in the Apertura but were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the playoffs. This Club World Cup will be the second in their history; in 2007, the team reached the final, where they lost to AC Milan.
The team is captained by Edinson Cavani, who has previously been the top scorer in both the Italian and French leagues.
- The club has not won in 8 of their last 9 Copa Libertadores matches (7 draws, 1 loss in regular time).
- No more than two goals have been scored in 90 minutes in 7 of Boca Juniors' last 9 games in this tournament.
- The team has not scored more than once in 6 of their last 7 Copa Libertadores matches.
Predicted lineup for Boca Juniors (4-4-2)
Agustin Marchesin – Marcos Rojo, Luis Advincula, Marcelo Saracchi, Lautaro Di Lollo – Rodrigo Battaglia, Ander Herrera, Milton Delgado, Kevin Zenon – Edinson Cavani, Miguel Merentiel.
Benfica
The Portuguese team is making their debut in the FIFA Club World Cup. Benfica ranked seventh in the UEFA rankings over the past four years, earning them a spot in the tournament. However, in the most prestigious European club competition, they have not progressed beyond the quarter-finals during this period. In the national league, the team has settled for second place for the past two years. However, Bruno Lage's side concluded the 2024/25 Primeira Liga with a 15-match unbeaten run (12 wins, 3 draws).
This tournament will be the last in a Benfica jersey for midfielder Angel Di Maria.
- The team has not won 5 of their last 7 UEFA Champions League matches (2 draws, 3 losses).
- The club has conceded in 17 of their last 21 Champions League matches.
- The Portuguese side has scored at least one goal in 6 of their last 8 matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Benfica (4-3-3)
Anatoliy Trubin – Rui Silva, Antonio Silva, Goncalo Oliveira, Nicolas Otamendi – Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino, Orkun Kökçü – Angel Di Maria, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
Referee
Cesar Ramos (Mexico)
Matches – 5 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 15;
Average yellow cards per match – 3;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 40%.
Match Prediction: Boca Juniors vs. Benfica
One of the most renowned Argentine teams, Boca Juniors, has not delighted their fans this season. However, they still have time to turn things around, and the FIFA Club World Cup offers that opportunity. In Group C, there is a clear favorite and an underdog, and the battle for the second spot should be between the Argentinians and the Portuguese. Therefore, Miguel Angel Russo's side will play for a win in the upcoming match, which cannot be achieved without scoring goals.
In this edition of the Copa Libertadores, the team did not have the chance to showcase their potential, but in the national league, Boca was the second most prolific team, failing to score in only 2 of their last 13 matches in this tournament. The defensive issues of Benfica, whom Edinson Cavani has troubled in his career, should also aid the Argentinians.
The Portuguese side kept a clean sheet in only 4 of their last 21 Champions League matches. It is worth noting that Bruno Lage's team's encounter with Barcelona in this Champions League edition, which ended in a 5-4 victory for the Catalans, was among the top 5 highest-scoring matches in the tournament's history. Even in the national league, where Benfica is one of the top teams, they conceded in 6 of their last 8 games.
My prediction: Boca Juniors individual total over 0.5
