Nice take on the visitors Benfica in the first leg of UEFA Champions League Qualification round of semifinals. The match will be played on Wednesday, August 6th at Allianz Riviera (Nice).
Nice finally delivered a solid result. The Eaglets have previously enjoyed moderate success. Under Lucien Favre, they even reached the Champions League group stage. This gave the Ineos investors something to build upon, but for a long time they struggled to achieve any tangible progress. Only after the arrival of Francesco Farioli last year did the club climb to an impressive 4th place finish in Ligue 1. The fight for European spots was intense: Nice finished just one point behind Monaco (60 to 61), but edged out Lille on goal difference to secure a Champions League qualifying spot. They’ve now bolstered the squad ahead of the European challenge with an active transfer window. One of the most notable signings was Isak Jansson from Rapid Vienna for over €10 million.
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Benfica topped the Primeira Liga in 2023 while also delivering solid performances in the Champions League. But then their city rivals Sporting CP overtook them. Last season, even after losing manager Rúben Amorim, Sporting still beat Benfica to the league title and later defeated them again in the domestic cup final. As a result, Trubin and company had to settle for just the League Cup, won via penalty shootout during the winter. Benfica also secured second place in the league, which earned them a spot in Champions League qualification after another clash with Sporting in the Super Cup. However, they’ve since lost several key players — including veteran Ángel Di María, who left after the Club World Cup exit to Chelsea in extra time, and promising fullback Álvaro Carreras. Still, Benfica invested heavily in reinforcements — notably signing Richard Ríos for €27 million.
The sides have met in two friendlies — in 2013 and 2022 — and both times Benfica claimed comfortable wins. The Portuguese side has far more European experience, and that could make the difference. The value lies in backing Benfica with a draw no bet (0 handicap).
Prediction for the match: Benfica to win with 0.0 handicap.
