The game is the first match of Group C in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which is a new tournament with 32 teams from six different confederations.
Match Prediction
Boca Juniors, who represent South American football, got their chance to play by following the CONMEBOL ranking system, mainly because they made it to the final of the 2023 Copa Libertadores.
Benfica secured their place as the top-ranked Portuguese team in UEFA’s four-year ranking, since there are rules that limit how many teams can come from one country.
This will be their first time playing against each other, which makes it even more exciting. Group C also has Bayern Munich and Auckland City, so it’s really important to start off strong.
17.06.2025 00:00
FIFA Club World Cup – Round 1
Boca Juniors : Benfica
Boca Juniors: The famous Argentine team is now in second place in the Torneo Apertura 24/25, having 33 points from 16 games. They are tied on points with the top team, Argentinos Juniors, but their goal difference is not as good. Recently, they lost 0-1 to CA Independiente, in the Liga Profesional de Fútbol, which ended a series of mixed results. They have only won one out of their last four matches in all competitions, with their most recent win coming from a penalty shootout.
In their 2025 season, they have achieved 15 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses in 19 matches across all competitions, showing they can be strong in important games but have been inconsistent lately.
Benfica: The Portuguese team came in second place in the 2024/25 Primeira Liga, just two points shy of the championship, finishing with 25 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses. Their latest game was a 1-3 defeat against Sporting in the Taça de Portugal, which ended a streak of three games without a win.
They have a solid record in Europe, having reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals twice recently, with significant victories over Atletico Madrid and Monaco. Although their performance in the second half of the season has shown some weaknesses, their squad depth is still quite impressive.
Based on the analysis, Benfica’s strong offense, led by Pavlidis and Di María, along with their deep roster, indicates they might just beat Boca Juniors. However, Boca’s toughness and Merentiel’s good performance could help them score, especially since Benfica has had some defensive issues, letting in 3 goals in their last game. Experts from soccerprediction.io think Benfica will win.
Our prediction:
2 (Benfica to Win)
Odds:1.64
Published: 16.06.2025 09:43
Kindly be advised that all odds are accurate as of the publication date and time indicated, and they may be subject to alterations.
All kick-off times and updates are provided in Central European Summer Time +2 (GMT+2).
How the Teams Might Line Up:
Boca Juniors (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Marchesín
Defense: Blanco, Rojo, Battaglia, Blondel
Midfield: Herrera, Delgado
Attack: Zenón, Palacios, Zeballos
Striker: Merentiel
Benfica (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Trubin
Defense: Carreras, Otamendi, Silva, Araújo
Midfield: Kökçü, Florentino, Aursnes
Forwards: Aktürkoglu, Pavlidis, María
Players Who Won’t Play:
Boca Juniors will miss Marco Pellegrino for sure. Edinson Cavani and Luis Advíncula are doubtful and might not play.
Benfica have no major injuries but will be without Alexander Bah and Manu Silva.