Benfica vs Bayern Munich Prediction and Preview – 13/04/16
Champions League preview – Benfica vs Bayern Munich prediction.
Benfica top scorer Jonas is suspended after receiving a yellow card in the first leg and is likely to be replaced by Raul Jimenez who has scored two in four Champions League starts and came off the bench to hit the winner against Academica at the weekend. Centre-back Luisao has returned from an absence of almost four months and could find a place on the bench.
Pep Guardiola rested a number of players at the weekend with Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller expected to return to the Bayern lineup on Wednesday. Douglas Costa could also return on the right as Arjen Robben continues to struggle with a muscle strain. Central defenders Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng are ruled out and with Medhi Benatia doubtful, Guardiola will rely on the makeshift pairing of Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba.
Possible Line-ups
Benfica 4-4-2 formation: Ederson; Almeida, Lindelof, Jardel, Eliseu; Pizzi, Fejsa, Sanches, Gaitan; Jimenez, Mitroglou
Bayern Munich 4-1-4-1 formation: Neuer; Lahm, Kimmich, Alaba, Bernat; Vidal; Costa, Muller, Alcantara, Ribery; Lewandowski
Statistics
- Benfica have won 9 drawn 0 and lost 1 of their last 10 matches
- Bayern Munich have won 6 drawn 3 and lost 1 of their last 10 matches
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Benfica have scored an average of 2.1 goals and conceded an average of 0.6 goals per game
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Bayern Munich have scored an average of 1.8 goals and conceded an average of 0.7 goals per game
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of Benfica’s previous 10 matches
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of Bayern Munich’s previous 10 matches
Prediction
It is a blow for Benfica to lose one of Europe’s top goal scorers. Rui Vitoria’s side have conceded in two of their four home games in this season’s competition and will need to score three to progress if they concede in the second leg. Benfica have not scored more than two goals in a Champions League match since 2011 so the game plan may be to keep the visitors at bay and hope to take the game to extra-time or penalties.
Bayern are not rolling over teams as easily as they did in the early part of the season and have won three of the last four games 1-0. Their Champions League away record has not been too good over the past two seasons. They have only won two of the last eight away games, both coming in the group stage of this season’s campaign against Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb.
Bayern are unbeaten in 11 competitive away games and are taken to extend the run against Benfica.
Tips
Draw at 61/20 with Marathonbet
Under 2.5 goals at Evens with Marathonbet
Correct Score 1-1 at 7/1 with BetVictor
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