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Benfica host Inter on Tuesday for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League’s quarterfinals, only on Paramount+. Benfica’s 16-game unbeaten run in all competitions was ended by a 2-1 defeat at home to Porto on Friday. Meanwhile Inter drew away 1-1 against Salernitana last weekend in Serie A action. The home side are aiming to reach the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the first time as they take on the Italian club, who are in the last eight for the first time in 12 years. The winners of this tie will face AC Milan or Napoli in the semifinals. Here’s what you need to know:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Tuesday, Apr. 11 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica — Lisbon, Portugal
- TV and live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Benfica +112; Draw: +220; Inter +260 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Benfica vs. Inter
How they got here
Benfica won four of their six Group H games, the exceptions being two 1-1 draws against Paris Saint-Germain. They finished in first place ahead of the French rivals in the same group with Juventus and Maccabi Haifa. Paired with Club Brugge in the round of 16, Benfica went through with a 2-0 win in Belgium and a 5-1 home success to reach successive European cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1968-69. Inter’s Group C campaign started and finished with 2-0 defeats against Bayern Munich, but they remained unbeaten in between those losses, collecting ten points including a decisive four against Barcelona (1-0 at home and 3-3 away) and wrapping up a spot in the knockout stage with a 4-0 success at home to Viktoria Plzen.The Nerazzurri knocked out Porto in the round of 16, winning 1-0 in Milan before holding out for a goalless draw in Portugal.
What to know
- Benfica are in the quarterfinals for the second season in succession but have lost all five ties at this stage of the UEFA Champions League, while Inter have not reached this point since going out as holders to Schalke in 2010-11.
- Inter claimed their second European Cup at Benfica’s expense, Helenio Herrera’s side winning 1-0 in the 1965 final at their own San Siro home thanks to a 43rd-minute goal from Jair.
- Only Bayern Munich, with 12, have suffered more European Cup quarterfinal defeats than Benfica’s ten.
- Benfica have not faced Italian opponents in a knockout tie since beating Juventus 2-1 on aggregate in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League semifinals (2-1 home, 0-0 away). That made their record in two-legged contests with Serie A sides 5-7 and was their second aggregate win in a row after seven successive defeats.
- Former Inter midfielder Joao Mario has scored in Benfica’s last five UEFA Champions League matches, four of them penalties.
Prediction
Benfica’s chances to qualify for the semifinals will probably depend on Tuesday’s game and need to win, while Inter are not going through a good moment as Simone Inzaghi’s side failed to win in the last four Serie A games (one draw and three defeats). Pick: Benfica 2, Inter 1.
