Barcelona vs Benfica Odds & Prediction – Champions League Group Stage Matchday 5

• Second-placed Spanish giant hosts third-placed Portuguese rivals at 2:45 pm ET on Tuesday
•  Benfica  scored an emphatic 3-0 Group E  win against Barcelona on Matchday 2 in Lisbon
•  See the odds and best bets for Barcelona vs Benfica in Champions League Group Stage Matchday 5

Barcelona will aim to continue its revival in the Champions League when it hosts Benfica in Group E on Tuesday.

After defeat in its opening two matches, the Spanish giant has notched up two straight wins against Dynamo Kyiv to claim second place in the group.

Meanwhile, Benfica is in third place after its 3-0 victory against Barcelona on Matchday 2 was disappointingly followed by two straight defeats.

Barcelona vs Benfica Odds

Odds as of November 21 at DraftKings

This game will be critical to the outcome of the group with Barca presently having six points and Benfica having four – with two fixtures remaining.

Undoubtedly, too, Barca will want to get three more points in the bag this time out with a daunting final date away against 12-point group leaders Bayern Munich looming ahead in December.

Xavi is New Barcelona Coach

Since that Matchday 2 meeting, Barcelona has a new coach.

Finally, its superstar former playmaker Xavi has made his long-awaited return to the club to replace the departed Ronald Koeman.

https://youtu.be/v-ZEkQWZg4o

Following his appointment on November 6, Xavi won his first game in charge at home against city rivals Espanyol by 1-0 on Saturday.

Now the team sits in sixth place in La Liga.

Furthermore, with an eight-point deficit behind leaders Sevilla, the UCL probably offers Xavi his best chance of major success this season.

Benfica, moreover, was also a winner at the weekend with a Friday night 4-1 victory in the Portuguese cup against Pacos De Ferreira.

The change of manager has brought a new sense of optimism at Barcelona.

Presently, it sits in third place in the Portuguese league after only one defeat in 11 games – a point behind leaders Sporting Lisbon and second-place Porto.

The change of manager has brought a new sense of optimism at Barcelona with one of the club’s greatest-ever players now in command.

Therefore, the oddsmakers at DraftKings make Barca a wide favorite for a home win on Tuesday at -165.

With kick-off at 2:45 pm at the Nou Camp, Benfica is priced as a wide outsider at +425. The draw, meanwhile, is rated at +330.

However, a spread option looks best here. And, at +190, the price for Barcelona to win by two goals or more looks promising (Spread -1.5).

Darwin Nunez Struck Twice in 3-0 Win

Benfica’s 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light in September was certainly one of the surprise results of the early period of the group stage.

Two goals from the Uruguayan Darwin Nunez – one a penalty – and another from Rafa Silva secured the victory.

Barcelona vs Benfica Statistics

It came following a 3-0 defeat for Barcelona by current group leaders Bayern Munich on Matchday 1.

Since those two defeats, Barca has emphatically picked up its form – albeit against the weakest side in the group.

Two Defeats of Dynamo Kyiv for Barca

Firstly, there was a 1-0 win at home to Dynamo Kyiv thanks to a goal from Gerard Pique.

Then, subsequently, there came another 1-0 win courtesy of the hot property teenaged forward Ansu Bati.

https://youtu.be/d5Bt6Cf3vgs

Last season Barcelona was eliminated at the last 16 stage by Paris Saint-Germain – notoriously suffering a 4-1 defeat in the French capital before a 1-1 draw at home.

Certainly, it is now hoped that 40-year-old Xavi’s experience as a player – he was a four-time winner of the trophy with Barcelona – will revive the club’s fortunes in the competition.

❗Xavi's Barcelona will face Benfica on Tuesday in a do or die match with only three natural forwards: Memphis, Luuk and Demir. Gavi and Coutinho can play as false wingers.

• Ilias, Abde and Jutglà are not eligible to play.#FCB 👥🚫

Via (🟢): @tjuanmarti pic.twitter.com/bBbQBI3H0J

— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) November 21, 2021

He learned the managerial trade in a two-and-a-half-year spell with Qatari club Al-Sadd before being lured back to Catalonia.

Dutch forward Memphis Depay claimed last Saturday’s winner against Espanyol. He is the team’s leading scorer with seven goals.

Benfica’s satisfying opening  nose-dived once it came up against the might of Bayern Munich.

Certainly, he will be an important figure with Sergio Aguero ruled out long-term by a heart problem and 19-year-old Bati nursing a muscle injury.

Meanwhile, Benfica’s satisfying opening to its Champions League campaign has nose-dived once it came up against the might of Bayern Munich.

Firstly, it opened with a 0-0 draw away at Dynamo Kyiv before the win against Barcelona.

𝗔 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 🔵🔴#beINLiga #Xavi #BarcelonaEspanyol pic.twitter.com/kdK0kaYHMA

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) November 20, 2021

Subsequently, however, it was hammered 4-0 at home by Bayern; with a 5-2 defeat in Germany following that first setback.

It was, at least some sort of achievement to score twice at the Allianz Arena.

One of those goals came from Darwin Nunez who is the team’s joint-leading goalscorer alongside Rafa Silva with eight strikes.

However, to sum up, Barcelona will surely be inspired on the biggest stage by the return of Xavi and look set for a comfortable win here.

Pick: Barcelona -1.5 (+190)