Barcelona v Benfica: Portuguese giants can continue scoring streak

Barcelona v Benfica: Portuguese giants can continue scoring streak

Benfica have scored a lot of goals of late and Dan Fitch believes that both teams to score will land, when they travel to Barcelona.

Barca win first game under Xavi

Barcelona really need to win this one if they are to make the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Currently second in Group E, Barca have a two point advantage over Benfica after four games (W2 D0 L2). Yet with Barcelona travelling to the runaway group leaders Bayern Munich in their final match and Benfica hosting bottom of the table Dynamo Kiev, it's imperative that Barca take the opportunity to build up an unassailable lead.

At the weekend Barca won their first match under their new manager Xavi. It was an important one too, as they defeated their local rivals Espanyol 1-0 in La Liga. That victory leaves them in sixth place in the table, six points behind Atletico in fourth and ten points short of the leaders Real Madrid.

Benfica won the reverse fixture 3-0, but this promises to be much a much harder test against a team trying to impress a new manager. The Portuguese giants are also facing a tough battle domestically. Third after their 4-1 win over Pacos Ferreira at the weekend, Benfica are a point behind Sporting Lisbon and the Primeira Liga leaders Porto.

Benfica can get on scoresheet

Barcelona are the 1.67 favourites, with Benfica at 5.7 and the draw at 4.3.

That seems a short price for Barca, considering that Xavi has not yet had time in the job to prove that his team have turned a corner. A safe bet could be to back goals from both teams. Benfica scored three in the reverse fixture and come into this match off the back of some fine goalscoring form.

Jorge Jesus has seen his team scored 20 goals over the last five games, with includes two away at Bayern Munich. Both teams to score is 1.72.