Juventus return to European action on Wednesday night when they welcome Benfica to the Allianz Stadium, looking to reignite their Champions League momentum and claim a third straight victory in the competition — a feat the Bianconeri have not achieved since the 2021–22 campaign.
Luciano Spalletti’s men, however, arrive at this penultimate fixture of the league phase under a cloud of frustration. A shock domestic setback to struggling Cagliari at the weekend halted their seven-match unbeaten run and served as a sobering reminder of the team’s inconsistencies. Now sitting 10 points adrift of Serie A’s summit in fifth place, Juventus must channel their response into Europe if they hope to finish the year on a high.
Match Preview
Seeking Redemption After Cagliari Shock
The loss in Sardinia marked Spalletti’s second defeat since taking charge in Turin and significantly dented hopes of mounting a late title charge. Yet, European football offers a welcome diversion. Juventus have collected nine points so far — enough to guarantee a place in the knockout playoff round — but the ambition remains to break into the automatic qualification spots, currently just three points beyond their reach.
To achieve that, the Bianconeri will likely need maximum points from their final two group fixtures. A victory over Benfica would not only lighten the pressure ahead of the group finale in Monaco but also serve as a timely morale boost for a side whose European identity is slowly being rebuilt under Spalletti.
History Favors the Visitors
Standing in Juventus’ way is a Benfica side with an enviable recent record in this fixture. The Portuguese giants have triumphed in seven of their nine meetings with Juve, including victories in each of the last three encounters. Their last visit to Turin yielded a disciplined and aggressive display, qualities that José Mourinho — now steering the Lisbon club — will expect his players to replicate.
Benfica have also enjoyed success against Italian opposition in recent years, going unbeaten in their last four European matches against teams from Serie A. Their matchday six win over Napoli in Lisbon underlined their ability to raise their game on the continental stage, even when domestic form wavers.
It has been a mixed start to 2026 for Mourinho’s men. Their new year opened with victories over Estoril and Rio Ave, sandwiched between defeats to Braga and Porto. The inconsistency contrasts starkly with their stellar finish to 2025, which featured an 11-match unbeaten streak and back-to-back Champions League wins. Mourinho’s challenge will be to recapture that rhythm in Turin, as his team sit a modest 25th in the overall league phase standings but remain within touching distance of the top 24 and a playoff spot.
Key Tactical Battles
This encounter offers an intriguing stylistic contrast. Juventus have gradually adopted Spalletti’s possession-heavy, structured approach, emphasizing ball circulation and intelligent positional play. Their build-up often flows through Manuel Locatelli and Khéphren Thuram, whose partnership in midfield has added energy and technical balance. The creative chain continues with Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz — the latter emerging as one of Juventus’ brightest young sparks with four assists already in this European campaign.
Up front, Jonathan David shoulders much of the scoring responsibility with Dusan Vlahovic sidelined by a thigh problem. The Canadian’s intelligent movement and willingness to press could prove vital in unsettling Benfica’s veteran centre-back pairing led by Nicolas Otamendi.
For Benfica, the attacking burden rests heavily on Vangelis Pavlidis. The prolific forward has been lethal in the domestic league, netting 17 times, yet he has struggled to replicate that form in Europe with just one goal in six outings. Behind him, Mourinho’s fluid attacking trio — often featuring Gianluca Prestianni, Georgiy Sudakov, and Andreas Schjelderup — must find ways to break Juve’s disciplined back line marshalled by Bremer and Malang Sarr.
Team News
Juventus are relatively healthy heading into the tie, with only Daniele Rugani (calf) and Vlahovic (thigh) ruled out. Spalletti has no new suspensions to contend with, although Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal will have to tread carefully — both would miss the trip to Monaco if cautioned.
For Benfica, Dodi Lukebakio (ankle), Alexander Bah (knee), and Richard Rios (shoulder) remain unavailable. Mourinho can otherwise call on the core of his regular lineup, though Otamendi and Aursnes must avoid bookings to stay eligible for matchday eight.
Probable Starting XI’s
Juventus (3-4-2-1/4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceição, McKennie, Yildiz; David.
Benfica (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Dedic, Otamendi, Araujo, Dahl; Barreiro, Aursnes; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.
Prediction
The Allianz crowd will expect a response after Juventus’ disappointing league defeat, and the Bianconeri’s recent European form suggests they can deliver. Benfica’s pedigree in this fixture and Mourinho’s knack for upsetting Italian sides should make it a tense, tactical affair, but Spalletti’s side appear equipped to edge it this time.
Prediction: Juventus 2-1 Benfica
