Nice vs Benfica: Tips, Odds, and Match Preview

Nice and Benfica are on a crash course in the third-round qualification for the 2025/26 Champions League.

The teams last met three years ago in international friendlies when the Lisbon side won comfortably 3:0, but the stakes are higher this time around. The aggregate winner here will be one step away from reaching the UCL group stages, as they look at the Feyenoord vs Fenerbahçe matchup for the play-off opposition.

A Free Run for Nice

Contrary to their Wednesday rivals, Nice didn't play a competitive game all summer. The Ligue 1 opener against Toulouse isn't coming on for at least two weeks, so the French side has had the entire preseason to prepare for this one.

It went well, with four wins and only one loss to FC St. Pauli. Franck Haise's men fixed their scoring boots which failed them woefully in the Europa League last term, when they finished 34th out of 35 teams.

Indeed, Nice always finds a way to underperform in Europe, winning only one knockout tie in club history (against Sheriff Tiraspol). With the Conference League in the bag, it's hard to see them go past Benfica to qualify for the competition they haven't taken part in since the season 1959/60.

Nice Injury & Suspension News

Franck Haise doesn't have any injury concerns to worry about and will be able to field a strong side on Wednesday. Newcomers Yehvann Diouf (GK) and Isak Jansson (ST), who step in for departing Marcin Bulka and Gaetan Laborde, could make debuts.

Busy Summer for Benfica

The Eagles started the season strong, finally beating their fierce rivals Sporting to lift the first trophy of the season. Vangelis Pavlidis scored the only goal in the 50th minute as Benfica won their 10th Super Cup – the only domestic competition in which they had previously been tied 9 each.

The Eagles' preseason was relatively light, thanks to Bruno Lage's men participating in the inaugural UEFA Club World Cup for most of June. They didn't disappoint, beating Bayern Munich in the group stage and eventually losing to the Champions Chelsea in the extra time of the last 16 round.

With a week off (Portuguese league starts this weekend) and a 16-game unbeaten run in regular time, the Lisbon giants enter the tie as favorites, even at the away ground.

Benfica Injury & Suspension News

Benfica has had a busy summer, parting with the club legend Angel di Maria (contract) and Alvaro Carreras (Real Madrid). The additions of Franjo Ivanovic, Samuel Dahl, and Enzo Barrenechea, among others, arguably makes the first XI slightly weaker but the squad stronger as a whole. On the injury front, Alexander Bah and Tomas Araujo are still out.

Nice vs Benfica Prediction

A comfortable Benfica win on aggregate is probably in the books, but Nice's home form towards the end of the last season complicates the matter for the first leg. They won three of their last five competitive games at home, not counting the remarkable preseason.

However, everything from the teams' respective European pedigree, match-readiness, to team culture, spells Benfica, and I'm backing the Portuguese over both legs.

CryptoGamba tip: Benfica to win – 2.33 @Jackbit