Champions League: Benfica-Barcelona X-ray

Benfica hosts Barcelona this Tuesday, January 21, at 8 pm, on matchday 7 of the league phase of the Champions League.

It's the return of the Champions League to the Estádio da Luz and the 4th competition the Reds are playing in this January, after winning the League Cup, against Sporting, reaching the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup with a 1-3 win at Farense and, on Friday, January 17, their latest Liga Betclic fixture against Famalicão (4-0), on matvhday 18 of the competition. Next up is the Champions League!

And this is another clash between former European champions, the 4th of five that the schedule for the league phase of the current 2024/25 edition of the Champions League has reserved for Benfica (1961 and 1962): Feyenoord (1970), Bayern Munich (1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013 and 2020), Red Star (1991), Barcelona (1992, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015) and Juventus (1985 and 1996).

This time Benfica, with 10 points and a goal difference of 10-7 between goals scored and conceded, face a Barcelona side with 15 points and a goal difference of 21 goals scored and 7 conceded, which puts them in 15th and 2nd place respectively in the league phase of the competition.

The eagles are in the play-off zone as the seeded team, while the Blaugrana are among the teams going straight through to the last 16, so a win could be decisive for the immediate goals of each team given their position.

So far, Benfica have picked up four points at home, as a result of the win against Atlético de Madrid (4-0) and a draw against Bologna (0-0), and bagged six points away from home, against Red Star (1-2) and Monaco (2-3).

Barcelona, meanwhile, began their journey in the new Champions League with a defeat at Monaco (2-1), beating their opponents in succession: Young Boys (5-0), Bayern Munich (4-1), Red Star (2-5), Brest (3-0) and Borussia Dortmund (2-3).

It will be the 10th clash between the two teams, and the record is slightly in favor of the Spanish side. Benfica have won two and drawn four games, in which they have scored 7 goals and conceded 8. However, it must be said that in the last three matches Benfica have not conceded a goal, drawing two and winning one (3-0), specifically on September 29, 2021, at the Estádio da Luz, in the group stage of the 2021/22 Champions League.

Looking at the data provided by UEFA, after six rounds of the league phase of the competition, we see a slight advantage for Barcelona in chances created (80 against 89), shots on target (35-37), shots off target (20-27), with an equal number of blocked shots (25-25). In passing efficiency (83.7% against 87.3%), passes attempted (2,748 against 3,368), possession (47.5% against 55.7%) the Spaniards are also superior, but the Eagles are ahead in crosses attempted (85 against 64), crosses completed (26-14) and the percentage of crosses that were completed (30.6% against 21.9%).

While Barcelona are sharper in attack (288 vs. 243), as well as in dribbling (113 vs. 81), Benfica are more prolific in three defensive areas, specifically in balls recovered (268 vs. 212), tackles (99-86) and tackles won (39 vs. 37).

Individually, Aktürkoğlu (3) and Lewandowski (7) are the top scorers for each team; Beste and Di María (2) and Raphinha and Koundé (3) have the most assists, while Aursnes (68.3) and Casadó (71.1) have covered the most kilometers. Di María (16) and Raphinha (23) have taken the most shots; Pavlidis (8) and Lewandowski (8) have taken the most shots on target; Di María (27) and Lamine Yamal (38) are the dribbling champions; while Otamendi (43) and Casadó (34) dominate in terms of balls recovered.