Benfica vs Bologna Prediction

Head-to-head

The opponents have not previously met on the football field, Benfica vs Bologna Prediction.

Benfica

Benfica has suffered only three defeats this season. One of these was in the national championship, where they are second but lead Sporting in terms of points lost. In the Champions League, the team also looks quite decent. However, they looked hopeless in Munich, where they lost to Bayern, albeit with a minimal difference (0:1). The opponent had total game dominance, and Benfica responded with only one shot, which missed the goal. Nevertheless, this defeat was quite expected, while Feyenoord seemed a passable opponent (1:3). It was surprising that the loss happened two weeks after thrashing Atletico (4:0). In the last round, Benfica barely took three points from Monaco. The “Monegasques” were left with fewer players when the score was tied. The “Eagles” conceded but near the end of regular time not only equalized but also went ahead (3:2). Note that there are no key losses for the hosts.

Bologna

Bologna was one of the surprises of Serie A last season, but the main architect of success now works at Juventus. However, Vincenzo Italiano, who took over, is at least not failing. Although the squad has become weaker, the team is vying for a place in European competitions. Last weekend, the “red-blues” missed a victory against Juventus (2:2). They led by two goals but allowed their opponent to catch up. In the Champions League, Italiano’s side has only one point from a draw with Shakhtar (0:0). In other cases, they lost by no more than two goals. Even at “Anfield,” they managed to avoid a heavy defeat (0:2). In the last round, Bologna missed a real chance to cling to the playoffs by losing at home to Lille (1:2). Considering the not-so-deep squad, the loss of Aebischer, El-Azzouzi, Lykogiannis, and Orsolini due to injuries is significant. Cambiaghi is also absent, having played only 15 minutes after his move from Empoli.

Fouls and Yellow Cards

In the Champions League, Bologna commits fouls more often – 11.6 compared to 9.2. It’s not surprising that they also have more cautions – 2.6 compared to 2.2. However, Benfica received at least two yellow cards in 4 out of 5 matches. The exception was the match against Atletico, where goals came easily to them, so there was no need to press or violate discipline unnecessarily. We suggest betting on total yellow cards over 1.5 from Benfica.

Prediction on Goals

Bologna has scored only one goal in the Champions League, which is the worst record. However, they defend relatively well, having not suffered any heavy defeats and conceding only seven goals. Therefore, it’s not surprising that all group stage games were low-scoring. In this sense, a bet on total goals under 3.5 seems like a sure bet.

Prediction on Corners

Bologna has an advantage in corners in the Champions League – 4 versus 3.6. However, away from home in 8 out of their last 9 matches, they have had no more than four corners. This indicates that the match may be low-scoring in this regard as well. Therefore, it’s worth choosing total corners under 9.5, especially since it has played out in nine consecutive away matches for Bologna.

Match Prediction

Benfica should be recognized as the favorite for the upcoming match. This season they have won almost all matches. There are three victories in the Champions League as well. However, they stumbled in the match against Feyenoord and did not meet expectations against Bayern. Considering that trends indicate a relatively low-scoring nature for the upcoming match, we suggest a potential exact score of 2:0.

Bologna scores less than anyone else in the Champions League. Moreover, they have significant personnel losses. Their chances of reaching the playoffs are practically nonexistent as well. Additionally, the team lacks experience playing at stadiums like “Estádio da Luz.” Therefore, we will settle on the option – Benfica win. Especially since this bet has played out in 14 out of their last 15 home matches.