Juventus vs Benfica: UEFA Champions League Predictions & Betting Tips 29/01/2025
There should be fireworks across Europe as the inaugural league phase of the UEFA Champions League wraps up on Wednesday, with all 18 matches kicking off simultaneously.
The Allianz Stadium in Turin will be one such venue, where Juventus, already assured of a place in the next round, host Benfica. The Portuguese side, currently in a play-off spot, need a positive result here and for things to go their way elsewhere to keep their UCL hopes alive.
For Juventus, victory would significantly boost their bid for a top-eight finish and direct qualification to the last 16. Given they’re just one point off automatic qualification, Thiago Motta’s men will be eager to avoid the two-legged knockout play-offs, which would add even more strain to an already packed schedule.
However, while Motta’s Juventus have proven extremely tough to beat, they’ve also struggled to win games. More than half of their games this season have ended level, including seven of their last ten league outings. Bluntness in attack has been a major issue, with the Bianconeri managing just 1.4 goals per game over that period.
That lack of firepower could be welcome news for Benfica, whose defence has been exposed in Europe, with 12 goals conceded in their last five UCL matches, including five against Barcelona last time out. With the visitors needing at least a draw to remain in the play-off spots, Juventus’ attacking struggles could work in their favour.
A win, however, would be even better for Benfica, and they may feel victory is an achievable objective.
The visitors have averaged 1.9 goals per game in their last ten league fixtures and have an impressive record against the Bianconeri, winning five of their last six meetings.
That will undoubtedly boost their confidence as they look to leave Turin with a result.
Team News and Players to Watch
Juventus will be without centre-back Gleison Bremer due to injury, which could expose them defensively. Meanwhile, striker Dusan Vlahovic is expected to start from the bench, amid uncertainty over his future.
However, Teun Koopmeiners has stepped up recently with two assists in his last ten games, while new signing Randal Kolo Muani scored on his debut at the weekend, offering encouraging signs for the hosts going forward.
For Benfica, Angel Di Maria has been in superb form, netting six times in his last ten appearances, while Vangelis Pavlidis has been prolific this season, scoring 14 goals, including a hat-trick against Barcelona in their last Champions League match.
Defensively, though, Benfica have problems of their own. Alvaro Carreras and Arthur Cabral are suspended, while Tiago Gouveia and Renato Sanches remain sidelined through injury, leaving them vulnerable in midfield and defence.
Betting Tip: Juventus Win or Draw & Goal/Goal
29/01 21:00 Juventus – Benfica Juventus Win or Draw & Goal/Goal @ 2.28 (Bet9ja)
This promises to be a tense battle, with both teams desperate to avoid defeat.
Juventus are notoriously hard to beat, and playing at home strengthens their case for at least a draw. However, Benfica’s strong head-to-head record in this fixture means a Juventus win isn’t guaranteed.
Given the Bianconeri’s tendency to draw games, another stalemate wouldn’t be a surprise.
Both sides have shown defensive weaknesses in recent outings, particularly Benfica, who have been leaky in the Champions League. At the same time, the Portuguese side have enough attacking quality to exploit Juventus’ defence, especially with Bremer absent.
Expect a closely contested encounter, with Juventus doing enough to avoid defeat but struggling to keep Benfica off the scoresheet.
Back Juventus to win or draw and both teams to score at 2.28 odds on Bet9ja.
Juventus vs Benfica - Juventus Win or Draw & Goal/Goal @ 2.28
Juventus vs Benfica - Juventus Win or Draw & Goal/Goal @ 2.28 Possible Lineups:
- Juventus: Di Gregorio (GK); Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, McKennie; Luiz, Thuram; Yildiz, Koopmeiners, Mbangula; Gonzalez
- Benfica: Trubin (GK); Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Bah; Aursnes, Luis; Di Maria, Kokcu, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
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