Nice (Fra) vs Benfica (Por) prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-08-05 19:00.
[p]Assured of playing in the league phase of one of the top two UEFA competitions this season, Nice and Benfica meet in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) looking to take one step closer to Europe’s top table.  [/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Nice secured their place directly in this round with a fourth-placed finish in Ligue 1, granting them a shot at qualifying for the main draw of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 1959/60. The Eaglets were able to achieve that with a run of four wins from their final five matches of last season (L1), including a 3-1 win over reigning UCL champions PSG, underlining their potential to upset top clubs. Franck Haise’s men are yet to play a competitive match this term, so will hope their home fans, in front of whom they won three successive matches at the end of the previous campaign, can help them shake off any rust.[/p]
[p]Benfica are ahead of their hosts in terms of competitive action after winning the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira by beating Sporting CP 1-0 last week. That followed their run to the round of 16 in the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this summer where they were unbeaten inside 90 minutes (W2, D2), impressively beating Bayern Munich in the group stage and only losing to eventual champions Chelsea after extra-time. The Portuguese giants have a rich recent pedigree in Europe too having made it to the UCL knockout stages in three of their last four campaigns.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]This will be the first competitive meeting between these teams, while it will also serve as Nice’s maiden clash with Portuguese opposition in a competitive setting. Benfica emerged unbeaten from three H2Hs against French sides in last season’s UCL (W2, D1), all of which came against Monaco.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p] Nice’s last nine home matches in UEFA competitions saw both teams score.[/p]
[p]Six of Nice’s last nine games have also seen both teams score.[/p]
[p]Benfica are unbeaten in regulation time in their last 18 games (W12, D6).[/p]
[p]Benfica have scored in all of their last 20 fixtures across all competitions.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Terem Moffi netted in Nice’s latest friendly fixture and has three goals in his last four appearances in UEFA competition, two of which came before half-time. Vangelis Pavlidis scored Benfica’s winner against Sporting and has six goals in his last six UCL matches, including a hat-trick inside 30 minutes against Barcelona last term.[/p]
[p]Nice have no known injury concerns, while Benfica look set to be without Tomás Araújo and Bruma, as well as long-term absentees Alexander Bah and Manu Silva.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Benfica are ahead of their hosts in terms of competitive preparation which could prove to be the difference here. Backing Benfica in the Draw No Bet market may prove to be a smart choice.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Sridhar Bhamidi[/i][/p]