Liverpool v Benfica predictions: Reds have the edge in potential humdinger

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Liverpool v Benfica in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Liverpool to win & both teams to score
1pt 13-8 Betfair

Team news

Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has no injuries to deal with but is expected to rotate his team after the draw with Manchester City on Sunday.

Benfica
Defender Lucas Verissimo and forward Rodrigo Pinho remain sidelined for the visitors.

Match preview

Outright odds suggest Liverpool's best chance of winning a second trophy this season is in the Champions League and they can justify those quotes with a second-leg triumph over Benfica in the competition's quarter-finals.

The quadruple-chasing Reds, who have already won the League Cup, are a best-priced 15-8 to win the Champions League compared to 2-1 to win the Premier League and 9-4 to win the FA Cup.

And the fact they have a 3-1 lead over Benfica from the first leg of their quarter-final tie explains their short price to win club football's most prestigious competition.

Jurgen Klopp has an injury-free squad right now and although he should be cautious of complacency going into this match at Anfield, he is likely to rotate personnel given it is a game sandwiched between two clashes with Manchester City.

Some minor changes to the home team coupled with the fact Benfica can approach this match as a free hit mean the Portuguese club could be a decent bet to get on the scoresheet.

They managed to do so in the first leg in Lisbon and they should not be underestimated in the final third, given they have seen off Ajax and Barcelona in the Champions League this season.

Benfica are also pretty good travellers, having scored in 13 of their last 14 away matches in all competitions.

In Darwin Nunez they have an exciting forward who has already bagged five goals in the Champions League this season and, should they play on the front foot as they need to, they can breach Liverpool's defence on Merseyside.

Although facing superior opposition, Liverpool's rearguard did show signs of vulnerability against Manchester City on Sunday, allowing Kevin De Bruyne space to score with a deflected effort after only five minutes.

And as well as against Benfica, they have shipped goals to Chelsea, Shrewsbury, Crystal Palace, Cardiff and Norwich since the start of 2022, having put out rotated teams in some of those matches.

They are nonetheless the better side in this tie and, even if they do concede, they have the attacking exploits to compensate.

Few teams can call on as many top forwards as Liverpool and even if they rotate their attacking options, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino can still be devastating.

Klopp's men have struck at least two goals in five of their last six assignments and have not lost to Portuguese opposition at Anfield since the 2005-2006 campaign.

But it may not be plain sailing and Benfica can score, making Liverpool to win and both teams to score an enticing punting option.

Key stat

Benfica have scored in each of their last five defeats.

Inside info

Liverpool

Penalty taker Mo Salah
Free-kick wizardTrent Alexander-Arnold
Set-piece aerial threatVirgil van Dijk
Card magnetFabinho

Benfica

Penalty taker Darwin Nunez
Free-kick wizard Alejandro Grimaldo
Set-piece aerial threat Darwin Nunez
Card magnet Nicolas Otamendi

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