Benfica v Napoli Betting Tips

As things stand, Group B is one of the tighter groups in the Champions League and as we approach the final match-day there are still three teams who’s qualification hopes are still very much alive.

Both Benfica and Napoli know that a win guarantees them top spot, but anything less could mean elimination from the competition. At the same time, though, a draw could see both through, but this largely depends on the result in Kiev – if Besiktas secure three points in Ukraine then they’ll have booked their place in the last-16, such is the tightness at the top of this group. With this in mind, it’s likely that both Benfica and Napoli will be trying their hardest to win this match, thus ensuring that top-spot is filled by them rather than the Turkish outfit.

With both teams going for the win, from a betting point of view, ‘Over 2.5 Goals & Both Teams to Score’, at odds of 5/4, is the way to play this one. The two teams played out an attacking match (4-2 victory for Napoli) in the reverse of this fixture and a similar outcome is fancied here.

Scoring and conceding seems to have been a regular occurrence for these two and, having both scored nine and conceded seven and eight, goals have been on the cards in the majority of their matches up until this point. Both teams have scored in three out of Benfica’s five Champions League matches this campaign, while Napoli have both scored and conceded in four out of their five. On top of this, Benfica have scored at least once in all five of their matches, while Napoli have failed to score in just of their five – finding the net in both of their previous away matches.

When it comes to total goals, neither boasts stats that are quite as impressive as they do when it comes to ‘Both Teams to Score’ – more than two goals were scored in three of Napoli’s five and in two of Benfica’s five – but the fact that they are playing each other should help in this respect, after all, it certainly did when they met on match-day two. Additionally, at least three goals were scored in four of Benfica’s last five at home, as well as in three of Napoli’s last five on the road (all-competitions).

A secondary bet to go for in this contest, at a price of 14/5, is ‘Lorenzo Insigne to Score Anytime’. The Italian winger has been among the goals of late and possesses the ability to be equally threatening with both the ball at his feet from deep and when running in behind. The 25-year-old is yet to score in this season’s Champions League, but has been in a rich run of form recently, scoring in each of his last three league appearances, netting a total of four goals in that time. Against a Benfica defence who’ve looked far from secure during this group campaign, Insigne is bound to cause problems and it would be no surprise at all if he got himself on the score-sheet.

See more Champions League tips here.