Benfica v Ajax tips: Champions League best bets and preview
Benfica host Dutch giants Ajax in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, Ninad Barbadikar previews the crunch tie, providing his best bet.
Football betting tips: Champions League
1pt Ajax to win and Both Teams to Score at 5/2 (Betfair, bet365)
Benfica welcome Eredivisie champions Ajax to the Estadio da Luz in the Champions League as both sides head into the business end of the competition.
Benfica were no pushovers during the group stages, only losing to Bayern Munich both home and away and keeping clean sheets against Dynamo Kyiv and Barcelona.
Ajax, on the other hand completed a clean sweep of their group, winning every game with striker Sebastian Haller topping the scoring charts with 10 goals.
This is already an improvement on the disappointing group-stage exit from last season for Ajax, and with a summer exit possibly on the horizon for manager Erik Ten Hag, this could very well be a last hurrah.
Standing in their way are Darwin Nunez and co, who will once again look to upset another European giant and progress to the quarterfinals.
Benfica's form at home has been a mixed bag of late.
In Europe, they look formidable in an admittedly small sample of results, with only Bayern Munich managing to score against the Portuguese outfit.
On the domestic front, things have been less positive in a defensive sense. Benfica haven't kept a clean-sheet since early January and were most recently knocked out of the Taca de Portugal by city rivals Sporting Lisbon in a 2-1 defeat.
They've been swift to put that defeat behind them, beating Santa Clara 2-1 thanks to a Nunez brace. And if they are to get a result in the first leg of this tie, then Nunez will be the man.
The Uruguayan has enjoyed a scintillating campaign on the domestic front, scoring 18 times from chances worth a total xG tally of 11.54.
With three goals in the Champions League, Nunez is Benfica's top-scorer in Europe, and will no doubt be a nuisance for the Ajax defence.
For as much threat as Benfica do carry, Ajax are the undoubted favourites heading into the tie.
Only Bayern bettered Ajax's tally of 20 goals during the group stages, with Haller the star man, averaging of 1.42 xG/95 in Europe's premier competition.
Domestically, Ajax's underlying numbers are staggering. Just five goals conceded across 23 games played and 70 goals scored. They are still only five points clear of second place PSV, so things are not as straightforward as they might seem.
On the European front, Ajax dominated the group stages. Averaging 57.5% possession of the ball and averaging 3.33 goals for, they are a stern test for the mightiest of defences and will stretch Benfica in this tie.
Overall, this game promises goals which is even more reason to back AJAX TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE at 5/2.
Benfica are the underdog heading into the tie but will aim to impress in front of the home crowd, knowing they need a result to have any chance of progressing heading into the second leg.
Meanwhile, Ajax have shown they are an attacking force, and are likely to play in their usual expansive manner, which should lead to goals for and against.
Benfica v Ajax best bets and score prediction
- 1pt Ajax to win and Both Teams to Score at 5/2 (Betfair, bet365)
Score prediction: Benfica 1-3 Ajax (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
Odds correct at 1600 GMT (21/02/22)
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