The first leg of the 2025/26 Champions League third qualifying round between Nice (France) and Benfica (Portugal) will take place on August 6 at the Allianz Riviera Stadium. Nice vs. Benfica: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Nice
Nice finished fourth in the last French championship, earning the opportunity to compete in the Champions League qualifiers. Notably, the club has only participated in this tournament once before, during the 2017/18 season, when they also started from the third qualifying round and progressed. Last year, Nice played in the Europa League group stage, finishing second to last with just three points (3 draws, 5 losses).
During the off-season, defender Jean-Clair Todibo and goalkeeper Marcin Bulka left the club. Additionally, forward Isak Jansson was signed.
- Both teams scored in Nice's last nine home matches in European competitions.
- The team lost 5 of their last 7 international matches (2 draws).
- A draw was recorded in 4 of Nice's last 5 home matches in European tournaments.
Predicted lineup for Nice (5-2-3)
Yehvann Diouf – Youcef Atal, Melvin Bard, Dante, Jonathan Clauss, Antoine Mendy – Morgan Sanson, Hicham Boudaoui – Terem Moffi, Badredine Bouanani, Evann Guessand.
Benfica
The Portuguese team earned a spot in the Champions League qualifiers by finishing second in the last national championship. Notably, the club has participated in this tournament 20 times in the 21st century, with their best result being five quarter-final appearances. Additionally, Benfica has played at this stage of the qualifiers eight times, successfully advancing on five occasions. Last season, the club also competed in the Champions League, starting from the group stage and reaching the round of 16. Moreover, the team recently won the Portuguese Super Cup, defeating Sporting 1-0 in the final match.
In the summer, defender Álvaro Fernández Carreras, winger Ángel Di María, and forward Arthur Cabral left the team. Among the new signings, midfielder Richard Rios stands out.
- Benfica won 5 of their last 7 away matches in the Champions League.
- The team conceded in 6 of their last 8 home matches in this tournament.
- At least one goal was scored in the first half of 6 of the club's last 8 away games in the Champions League.
Predicted lineup for Benfica (4-3-3)
Anatoliy Trubin – António Silva, Samuel Dall, Nicolás Otamendi, Amar Dedić – Richard Rios, Leandro Barreiro, Enzo Barrenechea – Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Evangelos Pavlidis, Fredrik Aursnes.
Referee
Michael Oliver (England)
Matches – 16 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 67;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.2;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 38%.
Match Prediction: Nice vs. Benfica
Nice has not played in Europe's premier tournament for a long time, and I believe the players will be nervous. They are likely to prefer controlling the ball rather than attacking aggressively. Additionally, the club has not scored more than one goal in 4 of their last 5 home matches in European competitions, and in 8 of their last 9 international matches, where the opponents, in my opinion, were weaker than the upcoming Portuguese opponent.
Benfica, on the other hand, is known for their solid defense: the team has not conceded more than one goal in 12 of their last 16 away games in the Champions League, and only regular participants in the tournament have scored more than once against them. It's worth noting that during the off-season, the Portuguese strengthened their midfield by acquiring defensive midfielder Richard Rios, who is capable of significantly disrupting the opponent's attacks.
Considering all this, my prediction: Nice Individual Total Under 1.5 goals
