Benfica vs Barcelona Matchday Stats Preview
Benfica and Barcelona have faced each other on 10 previous occasions in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, with the 11th making it the joint-most times Benfica have faced an opponent across the two competitions (also 11 v Manchester United and Bayern Munich).
Benfica and Barcelona have already met in the UEFA Champions League this season, with nine goals being scored in an eventual 5-4 win for Barcelona. Of the 40 times that Benfica have scored 4+ goals in a European home match, that’s the only occasion when they’ve ever failed to win (W39).
Benfica won two of their first three home games against Spanish sides in European competition (v Real Madrid in February 1965 and Real Betis in September 1982) yet have only managed a further two in their 12 such matches since then (D4 L6).
Barcelona have only lost one of their last 10 away games against Portuguese sides in European competition (W7 D2), although that one defeat did come at Benfica in September 2021 (0-3 in a group stage match).
Benfica’s 10 games in the UEFA Champions League this season have seen 35 goals scored (20 for, 15 against), while only in one previous edition have they had a higher goals per game ratio in the competition (3.9 in 2022-23 26 for, 13 against).
Among managers with 10+ games in the UEFA Champions League, Hansi Flick has the highest win percentage in the competition’s history (85% - 22 wins in 26 games). Indeed, the Barcelona boss has won at least 75% of his games with both of his clubs in the Champions League (6/8 with Barcelona and 16/18 with Bayern Munich).
Vangelis Pavlidis has been directly involved in nine goals in 10 appearances in the UEFA Champions League this season (seven goals, two assists). If he scores or assists in this game, he’ll become only the second player to be directly involved in 10+ goals for a Portuguese side in a single edition of the competition, after Jardel for Porto in 1999-00 (10 goals).
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 24 goals in 21 appearances under Hansi Flick in the UEFA Champions League. Of players to make 20+ appearances under a coach in the competition, Lewandowski’s minutes per goal ratio under Flick (74) is the best by any player/manager combo.
Vangelis Pavlidis has already scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League this season (in January), with all three goals coming in the first 30 minutes of the match. Only Kylian Mbappé in 2020-21 (4) has ever netted more goals against Barcelona in a single Champions League campaign.
Barcelona’s Raphinha has been directly involved in 12 goals in eight games in the UEFA Champions League this season (eight goals, four assists). Only two Brazilian players have ever had a hand in more in a single edition of the competition: Roberto Firmino in 2017-18 (17) and Kaká in 2006-07 (13).
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