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 secured their spot in the Club World Cup based on the CONMEBOL ranking. Notably, Boca Juniors, who reached the final of the 2023 Copa Libertadores, failed to even make it to the group stage in the current edition of the tournament. In the national championship, Miguel Angel Russo's team finished second in the Apertura but were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the playoffs. This will be Boca Juniors' second appearance in the Club World Cup; in 2007, they reached the final, where they lost to AC Milan.
The team captain is Edinson Cavani, who has 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 and 1 loss in regular time).
- No more than two goals have been scored in 7 of Boca Juniors' last 9 games in this tournament over 90 minutes.
- 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 its 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, the team has not advanced beyond the quarter-finals during this period. In the national championship, they have settled for silver for two consecutive years. Nevertheless, Bruno Lage's team ended the 2024/25 Primeira Liga season with a 15-match unbeaten run (12 wins, 3 draws).
For midfielder Angel Di Maria, this tournament will be his last in a Benfica jersey.
- The team has not won in 5 of their last 7 UEFA Champions League matches (2 draws, 3 losses).
- The club conceded in 17 of their last 21 Champions League matches.
- The Portuguese have scored at least one goal in 6 of their last 8 games 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%.
Boca Juniors vs. Benfica: Match Prediction
One of the most famous Argentine teams has not pleased its fans this season. However, Boca Juniors still have time to turn things around, and the Club World Cup is a suitable opportunity. In Group C, there is a clear favorite and underdog, so the battle for the second spot should be between the Argentinians and the Portuguese. I believe that Miguel Angel Russo's team 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 abilities, but in the national championship, Boca Juniors finished as the second-highest scorers, failing to score in only two of their last 13 matches in this tournament. Benfica's defensive problems, which Edinson Cavani has exploited in his career, should also aid the Argentinians.
The Portuguese team kept a clean sheet in only four of their last 21 Champions League matches. It's also worth noting that Bruno Lage's team's match against Barcelona in this Champions League edition, which ended in a 5-4 victory for the Catalans, was one of the top 5 highest-scoring matches in the tournament's history. Even in the national championship, where Benfica is one of the top three teams, they conceded in 6 of their last 8 games.
My prediction: Boca Juniors Individual Total Over 0.5
