Benfica take on the visitors Inter in the first leg of UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. The match will be played on Tuesday, April 11th at Estádio da Luz (Lisbon).
Benfica last became champions of the country in 2019. After that, the results only worsened: 2nd place in the Primeira Liga, then twice the "bronze"… It is clear that such a result did not satisfy the grand, and clear tasks were set for Roger Schmidt last summer. As a result, the "Eagles" more than justified the hopes: they immediately took the lead and confidently held it. It is not surprising that they hurried with the German, extending his contract, with a clear improvement in its conditions, without waiting for the end of the season. Yes, they were "marked" by a defeat to Porto, but it is clear that in any case, they will wait for the "gold" at the internal arena in Lisbon sooner rather than later. So even more strength and attention can be focused on the Champions League. There, even last season, the Portuguese managed to surpass Barcelona in the group. Now, in the new cycle, they managed to take the lead, not losing twice to PSG and winning both matches against Juventus. Well, there were no chances for the crisis-ridden "Bruges", but they confidently beat the Belgians both away and at home.
| 2 x £10 Free Bet | Review | |||
| 100$-500$ for No Lose Free Bets | Review | |||
| 100% up to £200 | Review | |||
| Not available | Review |
In recent years, Inter have achieved decent results. Against the backdrop of Antonio Conte's generous spending, they were finally able to bring the "Scudetto" back. Then the financial situation changed and Conte immediately left. But his replacement, Inzaghi, delivered decent results, including winning the Super Cup and the Cup. They have already defended the first title and even won against "Milan" with a score of 3-0 in the derby. In the Italian Cup, Nerazzurri made it to the semifinals and played a draw against Juventus in Turin last week, despite numerous dismissals, ending with a score of 1-1. However, in Serie A, they have had too many setbacks after a decent second place finish in the previous season. This includes a 0-1 loss to Fiorentina in April. Then, Salernitana managed to snatch a draw when a wild cross unexpectedly found its way into the net in the final moments. As a result, Simone is currently saving the Champions League. As in the previous cycle, they managed to win 2nd place in the group, but this time they had to perform better than Barcelona to achieve it! By the way, they started the playoffs with their enemy, Benfica's "Porto". Although it was tough, thanks to Lukaku's successful strike at the right place, they still managed to defeat the "Dragons" with a single goal in 180 minutes. They are ready to repeat this scenario now with a 1-0 win at home in Milan and a 0-0 away.
In 2004, the clubs crossed paths in the UEFA Cup playoffs. Then, "Inter" was slightly stronger: 4-3 at home after a 0-0 draw in Portugal. Nonetheless, Inter are not in form, in contrast to Benfica. We will venture to suggest that the Portuguese will be able to win at home in Lisbon.
Prediction for the match: Benfica to win.
