Benfica Lisbon vs Ajax Prediction & Betting Tips - Champions League

Prediction published on 21/02/2022, 08:36  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 21/02/2022 at 09:36 in Champions League Predictions

Dutch giants Ajax had a fine run in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League and will be hoping to keep up as they head into the knockout rounds. On their roster is an away game in Portugal, against Benfica, a team that didn’t really have a fine run in the group stages. Benfica’s season hasn’t had the needed fluency and even going to this game they don’t inspire a lot of confidence. In their last outing, the Portuguese side allowed a 2-0 lead to slip and they drew 2-2 with Boavista. It means they go into this game having conceded two goals in three of their last five matches and with just one clean sheet in the last 10 matches. Each of their last five matches ahead of this one has produced over 2.5 goals, with both sides scoring. The last time these two sides met in the Champions League was in 2018, and Ajax prevailed, winning 1-0 at home before drawing 1-1 away.

Ajax go to this game on the back of 10 straight wins and are among the teams with the best run of form among the 16 remaining in the Champions League. They won each of their six group stage matches and a key performer there was Sebastian Haller, who is only playing in the Champions League for the first time. The Ivory Coast international has 10 goals in six Champions League matches and in his recent form, he is very likely to be the source for goals heading to this game. Haller has scored six times in the last four matches ahead of this. Ajax will be unfazed by having to play away from home; this season they’ve played 14 away matches across all competitions and they won 12, drawing two. In their last 10 away matches, the Dutch giants have managed seven clean sheets. In the Champions League, Ajax have just one away loss in their last 21 matches – against Liverpool.