The returning leg of the Champions League Round of 16 will be played on Tuesday, March 7, in Lisbon, Portugal, where the home team defends a 2:0 lead, and here you can check out the best Benfica vs. Club Brugge betting pick.
Benfica – Club Brugge Betting Tip, Prediction & Odds (7.3.2023)
Club Brugge will have a mountain to climb in order to eliminate Benfica in Portugal. Their recent form doesn’t suggest the Belgian champions are able to do it. Benfica shouldn’t have problems to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Benfica vs. Club Brugge: Initial Situation
In their respective domestic leagues, these teams are giving us two different stories. Benfica is atop of the Portuguese league with 62 points (W20, D2, L 1) and a goal difference of 58:13. The Eagles are eight points above Porto with 11 rounds to go. Club Brugge, on the other hand, are struggling in the Belgian Jupiler Pro league. They are sitting in 4th position with 46 points and a 47:35 goal difference. Club Brugge are 21 points behind Genk and are fighting to finish in the top four and secure their place in the Championship Group.
Benfica Stats & Form
Benfica are entering this game on the wings of four consecutive wins. That positive run started with a 2:0 win in Brugge, after which Benfica beat Boavista, Vizela, and Famalicao in the league, allowing just one goal and scoring 2+ in each game in the process. At home, Benfica are unbeaten this season in all competitions (W15, D2).
Midfielder Joao Mario is the team’s top scorer with 19 goals in all competitions, while striker Goncalo Ramos has 16 goals to his name. Alex Grimaldo is Benfica’s top assist-maker with nine so far, while Joao Mario added six.
Club Brugge Stats & Form
The Belgian champions are going through a rough period of the season. Club Brugge recorded just two wins in the last 14 games (D8, L4) in all competitions, which is unacceptable for a club of such stature. The Blue-Black lost the most recent match 3:0 against Ooestende on the road in the Jupiler League and now are winless in the previous three road games (D2, L1).
Ferran Jutgla registered ten goals this season and also has a team-high eight dishes. Hans Vanaken contributed nine goals and five assists, Andreas Skov Olsen scored nine goals with four assists, while Noa Lang and Casper Nielsen combined for 15 goals.
Benfica – Club Brugge: Head-to-Head
These teams have met just once before and it was in the first leg of this matchup. Benfica won 2:0 in Brugge, thanks to goals from Joao Mario (penalty) and David Neres. The match could’ve ended differently, but Brugge’s first-half goal was disallowed for offside after the VAR check, and in the second half, the visitors controlled the situation and deservedly celebrated a victory.
Benfica – Club Brugge Odds
The bookmakers expect an easy victory for Benfica. The odds on the hosts to get a W are 1.44 at Unibet; a draw is 4.75 at bet365, while Club Brugge to win can be found at 6.50 at BetVictor. When it comes to goals, Over 2.5 is 1.73 at bet365 and Under 2.5 goals is 2.10 with the same bookie.
All the signs are showing us an easy victory for Benfica. The Portuguese giants showed class in the first leg in Belgium, and I am pretty sure they will get another convincing win on Tuesday. Benfica are unbeaten at home this season and they scored at least two goals in nine of the previous ten games at Estádio da Luz. With the way Club Brugge are playing at the moment, I’d be surprised if they even manage to score here, let alone get something out of this match. The visitors should consider themselves lucky if they don’t concede more than a goal, which is hardly going to happen. I am positive Benfica will score a minimum of two goals, while I am not sure the hosts will allow one. That’s why I am going with a handicap win on Benfica at 2.10 odds (bet365).
Betting tip and prediction: Benfica – Club Brugge (7.3.2023)