The emotions of the UEFA Champions League continue. This week we will have the definitions of the quarterfinals and now the eight teams that will play for the coveted qualification to the semifinals will put their life on the pitch.
As there were no draws this past week, four clubs have a clear advantage going into the second leg. That is to say, if we consider what we have seen so far, there would be no doubt that City, Real Madrid, Inter, and Milan would be the semifinalists. However, in the Champions League, anything can happen, and we must wait for the development of each match.
This match starts with the series 2-0 in favor of the Italian team, so they have everything in their favor to get a victory or advance to the semifinals of this edition of the Champions League. However, Benfica is a pretty aggressive side and knows what is to win as a visitor in Italy this season, so we cannot say that everything is written in stone.
When:
Wednesday, April 19 at 03:00 PM ET at San Siro
Moneyline odds:
Inter +118
Benfica +230
Draw Offs:
+246
Where Can I Stream?
Why Bet on Inter?
There is no doubt that Inter knows they can’t falter in this home game even though, in Serie A, they are living a real hell at this point of the season.
The Neroazzurri, throughout the entire 2022/23, showed great play, and their victories were practically certain. Moreover, the fact that they had advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League could have given them extra confidence going into all competitions.
However, Inter is not at their best; they have lost four of their last five games in Serie A and have dropped to fifth in the table.
The 2-0 win in Portugal should give them a lot of advantage, but, not to be overlooked, they come from losing to Monza at the San Siro, with a score of 0-1. This moment of form is hard to interpret, at first look we could think that the Italians just decided to focus on the Champions League. In this line of thought, it should be appointed that, although their performance in Europe has been good, the greater opposition in this edition is on the other side of the draw, so even if they reach the final, they’ll have to face a European Behemoth to win.
The only thing in their favor in recent times is that, besides Lazio, all their rivals for the top four of the Serie A are also at a poor level.
Why Bet on Benfica?
Benfica, for its part, is also experiencing what would be the first and only difficult moment in its season, both in the Primeira Liga (Portuguese soccer’s top flight) and in the Champions League.
After sweeping a Belgian rival in the Champions League, the team met a very determined Inter at the Estadio da Luz and were crushed by a 0-2. However, it doesn’t end there, as the Águias also lost last Saturday in the Portuguese local competition to Chaves, scoring 0-1.
We could argue that this result is the product of squad rotation due to the challenge they’ll have to face on Wednesday. However, looking at the lineup for that match is the first-choice squad of all season. Maybe the minds of the players are in European competition, but this is not the moment to be faltering in the League.
Now, Benfica has to put all its eggs in the basket to come back from the 0-2 deficit in this second leg to stay alive in this edition of the Champions League.
Final Betting Analysis: Inter vs. Benfica
Inter defeated Benfica 2-0, with goals from Barella and Lukaku in the second half, on the back of sporadic spells of dominance. The last time Inter and Benfica met was in the round of 16 of the 2004 Europa League, where they played to a goalless draw in Lisbon and a thrilling 4-3 win in Milan for the locals.
At MyBookie.ag, we can see that there is a Moneyline that favors Inter at +118, while Benfica starts at +230.
Now, we expect this match to be a bit tight, as both teams are experiencing somewhat complicated situations, and, likely, this will not improve heading into this match. In addition, neither is very clear in front of the goal.
However, we can give our confidence to Inter at home, considering this match is one of the most important of the season, so our betting selection will be a win for the Milan side 1-0.
Look for a straight win on the Moneyline Inter. For example, if you put $100 on Inter at +118, you’ll see a $118 win with a total payout of $218.
Inter vs. Benfica Betting Pick: Inter
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Eduardo Perozo: Author
Eduardo Perez is a Gambyl sports betting staff writer. He is based in South America and is an expert in all things Football especially when it comes to Ecuardorian and Brazilian league soccer.
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