Preview: Juventus vs. Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

Juventus welcome Benfica to Allianz Stadium on Wednesday, aiming to secure a third Champions League victory in a row for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

However, Luciano Spalletti's team head into the penultimate fixture of the competition's league phase fresh off a shock Serie A defeat to struggling Cagliari, and also aware of their historical disadvantage in this fixture: the Old Lady have lost the last three meetings and seven of nine overall.

Match preview

It was meant to be business as usual for Juventus when Cagliari visited on Saturday, only for the Old Lady to fall to their first defeat against the Sardinians in almost six years.

The defeat, Spalletti's second in charge of the Turin giants, all but kills any outside chance they had of winning the Scudetto, with the Bianconeri now 10 points off the top in fifth.

Now aiming to bounce back in Europe after a seven-match unbeaten run, during which they won six, the experienced manager bids to secure an important victory to boost the Italian club's prospects of progressing automatically to the knockout rounds.

While the Old Lady enter the seventh matchday in 17th place on nine points — which guarantees a spot in the knockout phase playoffs — they have no reason not to desire more, given that Atletico Madrid in eighth are only three points ahead.

A positive ending to the league phase, however, is contingent on the two-time European champions winning on matchdays seven and eight and needing results in other games to go in their favour to seal an automatic spot in the competition's round of 16.

That ambition is threatened by an opponent entering this week's fixture on a four-match unbeaten sequence against Italian sides in Europe, including this season's matchday six triumph over Napoli in Lisbon.

© Imago / Sportsphoto

Digging deeper, the Portuguese giants have notched seven victories in nine previous meetings with Wednesday's opponents, winning three in a row before their forthcoming encounter, and they seek a fourth on the trot in Turin.

A mixed start to the year for Jose Mourinho's men has witnessed two wins over Estoril and Rio Ave bookending defeats to Braga and Porto, a far from ideal 2026 for a side that ended 2025 on an 11-match unbeaten run.

Mourinho's troops claimed eight wins during the above-mentioned positive run, including back-to-back Champions League victories, and they bid to secure a third at the expense of the Old Lady.

The Lisbon heavyweights last won three in a row in Europe's premier club competition in the 2022-23 season, but history in this fixture and positive results against Italian teams stand them in good stead ahead of another visit to Turin.

Indeed, maximum points for the Eagles would be what the doctor ordered, considering the Glorious One's position in 25th in the 36-team league phase.

While their prospects of finishing in the automatic qualification spots are marginal to none, Mourinho's team remain in with a beyond realistic chance of ending in the top 24.

Now, they need another significant result against Italian opposition to rise into the playoff spots or stay close to 24th place before next week's concluding matchday.

Juventus Champions League form:

Juventus form (all competitions):

Benfica Champions League form:

Benfica form (all competitions):

Team News

With Spalletti's men not sustaining new injuries before the penultimate matchday, Daniele Rugani (calf) and Dusan Vlahovic (thigh) are the only absentees.

While the Old Lady have no players missing through suspension, Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal would miss next week's visit to Monaco if booked on Wednesday.

Without Vlahovic's three goals, the Bianconeri will rely on Jonathan David and Weston McKennie (both on two goals) to carry the can against the Eagles.

Kenan Yildiz has assisted in consecutive matchdays, bringing him to four overall in the competition, and the sensation could add to his overall goal contributions on matchday seven.

Like Juve, Benfica have two players at risk of missing the final round of the league phase with another booking: Nicolas Otamendi and Dodi Lukebakio, although the latter is out injured.

Joining Lukebakio (ankle) on the treatment table are Alexander Bah (knee) and Richard Rios (shoulder), but Mourinho has the majority of his leading players available.

One such player is Vangelis Pavlidis, who has scored 17 league goals but has yet to make a significant impact in Europe, scoring once in six appearances.

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Trubin; Dedic, Otamendi, Araujo, Dahl; Barreiro, Aursnes; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

We say: Juventus 2-1 Benfica

The Old Lady will be desperate to prove that the shock Serie A loss at Cagliari was merely a temporary lapse.  

Despite Benfica's historical edge in this fixture, and Mourinho leading Spalletti 3-2 in their eight previous meetings (two draws), the Turin hosts are backed to finally turn the narrative in their favour by securing a narrow victory over the Portuguese giants.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.