Nice vs Benfica Prediction 6 August 2025
🔊 Can modest Nice topple Portugal's runners-up at home? On Wednesday, the two-legged clash between Nice and Benfica kicks off in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. For both teams, this stage marks their first appearance in this season's European competition. There's no room for error; they need to hit the ground running. Let's delve into the current form of both sides and make a prediction for this match.
Head-to-Head
📊 These teams have not faced each other in official matches before.
Head-to-head statistics Nice - Benfica
Nice Team Overview
⚫️ Last season, Nice were on the brink of securing direct entry into the Champions League, but fell just short and now face the challenge of navigating through qualification. The "Eaglets" finished in 4th place, trailing bronze-medalists Monaco by a single point and champions PSG by 13 points.
🔴 During the offseason, Nice made minor adjustments to their squad, addressing specific problem areas. Their key acquisitions include Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, winger Isak Jansson from Vienna's Rapid, and defender Kodjo Oppong from Sweden's Norrköping. In preparation for the Champions League qualifiers, Nice played six friendly matches. They only stumbled once, losing to Germany's St. Pauli (0-2). The rest of their friendlies were more successful: a draw with Nancy (3-3) and victories over Cercle Brugge (2-1), Aubagne (3-0), Feyenoord (2-1), and Sheffield United (3-2).
Match Results: Nice
Benfica Lisbon Team Overview
🔴 Last season, Benfica finished second in the Portuguese league, trailing Sporting by just two points. This runner-up position earned them a spot in the Champions League qualifiers starting from the third round. For Bruno Lage's team, the preseason was shortened due to their participation in the Club World Cup. Benfica put on a commendable performance in that tournament: they defeated Bayern 1-0 in the group stage but were then edged out by Chelsea 4-1 after extra time in the round of 16.
⚪️ The club's management took an active approach to squad rotation ahead of the new season. This was a necessary move as key players departed: defender Alvaro Carreras, midfielder Orkun Kokçu, forwards Andrea Belotti and Arthur Cabral, and winger Angel Di Maria. Immediately after the conclusion of the Club World Cup, Benfica officially kicked off the new season with the Portuguese Super Cup match against Sporting. In a fiercely contested battle, the "Eagles" secured a narrow 1-0 victory. The lone goal came from Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis in the 50th minute. This win served as a fitting response to their league defeat last season.
Match Results: Benfica Lisbon
Latest news
Nice
📝 The sale of goalkeeper Marcin Bulka and striker Gaëtan Laborde to Saudi Arabian clubs has brought Nice around 20 million euros. The management has allocated these funds to acquire new players who are expected to fully replace the departed footballers.
⚽️ The most expensive signing for Nice in the off-season was Swedish forward Isak Jansson, who joined from Rapid Vienna for 10 million euros. Last season, Isak netted 9 goals in 33 matches for his former team.
Benfica Lisbon
📝 Benfica have bolstered their attacking lineup by signing Croatian international forward Franjo Ivanović. The transfer from Union Saint-Gilloise cost the Portuguese club €22.8 million. Ivanović has penned a contract that runs until June 30, 2030. Last season, the Croatian striker netted 20 goals in 46 appearances for Union.
✅ The biggest acquisition for Benfica this offseason is Colombian midfielder Richard Rios. The Portuguese side paid Palmeiras €27 million for the 25-year-old defensive midfielder.
🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards
The main referee for the match is Michael Oliver from England. Over his last 100 matches, he has averaged 3.98 yellow cards per game with 23 fouls. In a more recent stretch of ten matches, the average number of yellow cards rises to 4.8. In 3 out of his last 4 games, Oliver has shown fewer than 5 yellow cards.
Looking at team statistics over their last ten matches, Benfica averages 2.6 yellow cards per game, while Nice averages 1.4. Considering these figures alongside Michael Oliver's stats, we suggest betting on total yellow cards under 5.
⚽️ Goal Prediction
Last season in their domestic leagues, both teams showed solid scoring form: Nice netted 66 goals (averaging 1.94 per match), and Benfica scored 84 goals (averaging 2.47 per game). In their last ten matches, each team averaged around 3 goals per game, with the French side scoring 1.7 goals per match and the Portuguese side 2.5. This statistical insight suggests that the upcoming clash will be high-scoring - we recommend total over 2.5 goals.
🚩 Corner Prediction
In their last ten games, both teams have averaged a similar number of corners: Nice with 5.9 and Benfica with 6.4. However, it's worth noting that pre-season friendlies often see more corners than official matches. We've observed a trend in corner totals for these teams: In 8 of Nice's last 10 matches, the total corners were under 11.5, and for Benfica, this total played out in their last 5 games. We suggest considering a bet on total corners under 11.5.
Editorial Prediction
Nice did not participate in the Club World Cup and have had more time to rest than Benfica. Meanwhile, Franck Haise's squad played six friendly matches ahead of their Champions League qualifiers. Admittedly, the opponents in these games weren't always top-tier, so it's hard to gauge the team's condition ahead of a tough challenge like Benfica. It's also worth noting that this marks Nice's first appearance in the Champions League in eight years, having previously competed in lower-tier European tournaments. The lack of experience at this level could pose a significant hurdle for the French side.
In the past five years, Benfica have twice started their Champions League journey from the third qualifying round and have always advanced, winning both home and away: against Midtjylland (4-1 and 3-1) and Spartak Moscow (2-0 and 2-0). Their participation in the Club World Cup demonstrated that the "Eagles" can hold their own against formidable teams like Bayern Munich and Chelsea. A recent victory in the Portuguese Super Cup has clearly boosted the confidence of newcomers like Dalot, Dedic, Rios, and Barrenechea, who are ready to strengthen an already formidable Benfica lineup.
Their Champions League experience should be a decisive factor in securing a win for the Portuguese side. We believe that in the upcoming match, the "Eagles" will clinch a 2-1 victory, allowing their opponents to score once. Our prediction is a Benfica win.
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Betting Tips: Nice - Benfica Lisbon
in 6 of last 7 away games.
in 16 of last 18 games.in 12 of last 13 away games.in 21 of last 22 Nice home games.in 17 of last 18 Nice games.in 18 of last 20 Benfica Lisbon games.in last 9 Benfica Lisbon away games.
in last 8 Michael Oliver games.in 35 of last 36 games.in last 16 away games.
Comparison of Teams Stats
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