Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
Juventus, despite their disappointing 0:0 draw away to Club Brugge, still have an outside chance of making the top eight. However, due to tiebreakers, reaching the play-offs will be challenging. Meanwhile, Benfica have yet to secure their place in the knockout stage, travelling to Turin with high motivation. Backing the visitors to avoid defeat seems a logical choice.
Juventus
Over the last five Champions League rounds, Juventus have managed just one victory, earning a total of six points. Against Club Brugge, they created a mere 0.44 xG, failing to register a single shot on target but also preventing their opponents from doing so. Under Thiago Motta, Juventus have played cautious, conservative football. Despite the urge to bounce back after their weekend Serie A loss to Napoli (1:2), they might prioritise preserving energy for the domestic league, where the race for a top-four spot remains intense.
Benfica
Benfica's recent form has been impressive, with their four-match winning streak interrupted only by a thrilling 4:5 loss to Barcelona. During this run, they defeated Sporting in the Super Cup final (2:1 after penalties). Against Barcelona, Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick, bringing his Champions League tally to four goals. Additionally, Kerem Aktürkoğlu (3 goals) and Ángel Di María (1+2) have been key contributors. A draw in Turin would be enough for Benfica to secure a play-off spot.
Juventus vs Benfica Prediction
In the autumn of 2022, Juventus lost twice to Benfica in the Champions League group stage (1:2 and 3:4), which eventually saw them drop into the Europa League. Given Juventus’ conservative approach and Benfica’s attacking quality, the Portuguese side are well-positioned to frustrate the hosts.
