Barcelona have been in outstanding form in the Champions League, securing 15 points from a possible 18. Their only defeat came against AS Monaco after an early red card drastically altered the game.

They should be far too strong for a struggling Benfica side, who currently sit 15th and are likely to finish in the 9-24 range. With little at stake for them, Benfica could be overwhelmed by a Barcelona team looking to secure a Top 8 finish – and automatic qualification to the Last 16 – with a win in Portugal.

Lamine Yamal has recorded 27 shots on target in 22 appearances this season (1.23 per 90). His Champions League average is even higher at 1.40 per game.

On Saturday, he fired 7 shots against Getafe, showcasing his confidence. 6 of these were from outside the box, an area where he thrives. Against Benfica’s high full backs, Yamal should find plenty of space to test the goalkeeper from distance.

This selection offers fantastic value, with other bookmakers pricing this same bet as low as 1.083 at the time of writing.

Pavlidis is Benfica’s main attacking threat and will be eager to get on the scoresheet. He averages 2.17 shots per 90 minutes in the Champions League, a trend that should continue – especially if Barcelona take an early lead.

He will likely target young Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí, who may struggle against the the physicality of the Greek international.

Barcelona winning the first half presents great value given the stakes of this game. Even with maximum points, Benfica are unlikely to secure an automatic playoff spot and are expected to finish in the 9th-24th range in the group stage.

Meanwhile, Barcelona have a clear incentive: a guaranteed Top 8 finish with a victory. They have scored in the first half of their last 6 matches, winning 5 of them, proving their ability to start strong.

A high corner count is expected for Barcelona, who will look to dominate possession as usual.

Their mastery of horizontal inversions – using overlapping full backs and wide overloads – forces opponents to defend deep, leading to dangerous cutbacks and frequent corners.

With Barcelona likely to have a high shot volume, expect deflections and saves to further boost their corner tally.

Referee Danny Makkelie averages 3.40 cards per game and hasn’t shown over 2.5 cards to a single team in his last five matches. This trend is likely to continue.

Benfica are expected to sit deep in a low block, allowing Barcelona to control possession. Their fouls will likely be tactical rather than reckless, keeping their card count low.