UEFA Champions League Preview: Benfica vs Barcelona

Benfica and Barcelona meet again in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash after both teams had strong performances in the group stages. Benfica narrowly advanced with a 4-3 aggregate win over Monaco, while Barcelona finished second in their group behind Liverpool, impressing with 28 goals in eight matches.

Barcelona has been dominant domestically, unbeaten in 2025, and sits atop La Liga after a 4-0 win over Real Sociedad. They’ve been on a 15-match unbeaten streak, scoring multiple goals in 11 of their last 12 away games.

Benfica, currently level with Sporting Lisbon in the Primeira Liga, is in strong form with seven wins and a draw in their last eight matches. They have been entertaining in the Champions League, scoring 35 goals in 10 games, including a thrilling 5-4 win over Barcelona in the league phase.

Starting XI
Benfica (4-3-3): Trubin; Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras; Kokcu, Barreiro, Aursnes; Akturkoglu, Pavlidis, Bruma
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski

Prediction: Benfica 1-2 Barcelona