It will be a clash of European giants on Tuesday as Benfica host high-flying Barcelona in the Champions League.
Two-time Champions League winners Benfica currently occupy 15th place and are well-placed to book their spot for the playoff phase of the knockout rounds. They won the Portuguese League Cup recently by beating arch-rivals Sporting CP in the final.
Only Liverpool have had a better campaign so far than Barcelona this season in the Champions League. The La Liga giants lost their first match 1-2 to Monaco after being reduced to 10 players. Since then, they have won all five of their matches.
STREAM:Benfica vs. Barcelona LIVE in US on Paramount+ (free trial)
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Benfica vs. Barcelona live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Champions League match in the U.S.:
TV channel: –
Live stream: Paramount+
This game is not available for live TV broadcast in the US. Streaming options are available on Paramount+, which offers a FREE trial for new subscribers.
WATCH:Best of Champions League action LIVE on Paramount+ (free trial)
What time does Benfica vs. Barcelona kick off?
This Champions League clash takes place at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal and kicks off on Tuesday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Tue, Jan. 21 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Tue, Jan. 21 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Tue, Jan. 21 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Tue, Jan. 21 | 12:00 p.m. |
Benfica vs. Barcelona lineups, team news
Renato Sanches is the only long term absentee for Benfica. The Portuguese midfielder did come on as a substitute during Benfica’s league match against Braga but has since been injured again.
The front three of Angel Di Maria, Vangelis Pavlidis and Kerem Akturkoglu have been in very good form this season. Akturkoglu’s partnership with fellow Turkish international Orkun Kokcu on the left will be key to Benfica’s chances against Barcelona.
Benfica predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Trubin (GK) — Araujo, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras — Aursnes, Luis, Kokcu — Di Maria, Pavlidis, Akturkoglu.
Injured: Sanches
Suspended: None
Hansi Flick will be without first-choice centre back Inigo Martinez after the Spaniard limped off with a hamstring injury in Barcelona’s Spanish Super Cup final against Real Madrid.
With the business end of the season underway and Barcelona comfortably positioned in the Champions League table, Flick might be tempted to rest a couple of key player and give more minutes to other players on the bench.
Barcelona predicted XI (4-2-3-1 right to left): Szczesny (GK) — Fort, Araujo, Garcia, Balde — Casado, Fermin — Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha —Lewandowski.
Injured: Martinez
Suspended: None
Benfica vs. Barcelona Prediction
Barcelona have been the side to beat this Champions League season having won five of their six matches which includes a a 4-1 hammering of Bayern Munich. The Catalan Giants are heavy favourites to extend their winning run in the competition to six matches.
Benfica have shown that they are capable of upsetting the stronger teams in Europe with their 4-0 thumping of Atletico Madrid early this season.
However, the attacking quartet of Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski could prove to be a handful for Benfica to contain.
- Prediction: Benfica 1-3 Barcelona
Champions League fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Tuesday, January 21
- AS Monaco (12:45 p.m.)
- Atalanta vs. Sturm Graz (12:45 p.m.)
- Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen (3:00 p.m.)
- Benfica vs. Barcelona (3:00 p.m.)
- Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund (3:00 p.m.)
- Club Brugge vs. Juventus (3:00 p.m.)
- Crvena Zvezda vs. PSV Eindhoven (3:00 p.m.)
- Liverpool vs. Lille (3:00 p.m.)
- Slovan Bratislava vs. Vfb Stuttgart (3:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, January 22
- RB Leipzig vs. Sporting CP (12:45 p.m.)
- Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Brest (12:45 p.m.)
- AC Milan vs. Girona (3:00 p.m.)
- Arsenal vs. Dinamo Zagreb (3:00 p.m.)
- Celtic vs. Young Boys (3:00 p.m.)
- Feyenoord vs. Bayern Munich (3:00 p.m.)
- PSG vs. Manchester City (3:00 p.m.)
- Real Madrid vs. RB Salzburg (3:00 p.m.)
- Sparta Prague vs. Inter Milan (3:00 p.m.)