Boca Juniors vs Benfica Prediction, Preview, Team News and Lineups 17.06.2025

• Date and Time: Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 04:30 GMT+1
• Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, USA

Boca Juniors vs Benfica Preview and Team News 

Boca Juniors Team News

Miguel Ángel Russo has just stepped in as Boca’s new manager (from 2 June). He follows Mariano Herrón’s interim period and Fernando Gago’s dismissal in late April.

Russo’s return marks his third stint, and he’s already implemented sharper tactical structures in training. Central to Boca’s buildup from the back is Agustín Marchesín, with nine clean sheets in 21 games, though Sergio Romero remains injured.

The defence hinges on experienced profiles like Marcos Rojo, flanked by full‑backs Lucas Blondel and Lautaro Blanco. The attack relies on top scorer Miguel Merentiel and veteran Edinson Cavani.

Puesta a punto para el arranque del @FIFACWC 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Q25wmXtY2O

— Boca Juniors (@BocaJrsOficial) June 11, 2025

In their last four meetings, Boca have shown inconsistent form, with narrow draws and knockout wins (including a penalty shootout victory against Lanús). They’ve secured success over lower-tier teams, but have also experienced occasional defensive mistakes and struggled to score against top opponents. 

Over six matches, Boca Juniors scored 7 goals and conceded 5, achieving two clean sheets. Though defensive errors were costly, the squad showed moments of good attacking play.

Russo faces a defensive blow: central defender Ayrton Costa was denied entry into the US due to visa issues stemming from an old legal case.

Boca Juniors predicted lineup vs Benfica

Boca Juniors predicted lineup vs Benfica (4-3-1-2): Marchesin; Blondel, Battaglia, Rojo, Blanco; Delgado, Belmonte, Zenon; Palacios, Merentiel; Gimenez

Benfica Team News

Benfica had a difficult season, finishing 2nd in Liga and losing the Cup final to Sporting 3-1.

Ángel Di María, initially expected to be pivotal, has suffered three muscle injuries in 2025 and is currently uncertain for the tournament. The club’s priority is to resolve his contract post‑Club World Cup.

📍 Tampa, Florida 🛬#FIFACWC • #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/wKUHnn6ieb

— SL Benfica (@SLBenfica) June 9, 2025

Meanwhile, last Summer signing Vangelis Pavlidis exploded in form – nine Champions League goals, hat‑tricks against Barcelona and Porto, and multiple Player of the Month awards. Kerem Aktürkoğlu has also added dynamism on the left wing in the 2024-25 season.

Bruno Lage focuses on aggressive wing play, high pressing, and dynamic forward rotations. Benfica are clear favourites to advance from Group C with a probability of 81.7%.

Defensive pain persists: right-back Alexander Bah and holding midfielder Manu Silva are both out for season-ending ACL injuries. 

Benfica predicted lineup vs Boca Juniors

Benfica predicted lineup vs Boca Juniors (3-4-2-1): Trubin; Araujo, A. Silva, Otamendi; Dahl, Sanches, Luis, Kokcu; Akturkoglu, Pavlidis, Schjelderup

Boca Juniors vs Benfica Prediction 

• Pick: Benfica to win 
• Odds: 1.9 (22Bet)
• Score prediction: Boca Juniors 1-2 Benfica

Both teams have contrasting approaches: The hosts are compact, reactive; The guests are proactive, dominating. We anticipate Benfica will be controlling, Boca absorbing, and countering.

Benfica’s technical cohesion, goal conversion, and involvement of key players, including Pavlidis and Di María, give them a slight edge. 

Boca’s internal reorganisation under Russo leaves them short on synergy, especially in defence and the final third. 

An entertaining duel is expected, but the visitors’ quality in attack should ultimately decide.

Boca Juniors vs Benfica Prediction, Betting Tip

• Pick: Both teams to score
• Odds: 1.79 (22Bet)

Both clubs possess strong attacking potential and regularly find the back of the net. Boca Juniors are likely to focus on counterattacks, but that doesn’t mean they won’t create plenty of scoring opportunities.

Considering the open and risky attacking style of the current Benfica squad, it’s reasonable to foresee Boca Juniors having chances to score.

Furthermore, Benfica netted in 29 of their previous 30 matches, showing their tremendous attacking capability. Therefore, it’s quite possible that both teams will score on Tuesday.

Disclaimer: The content provided on this page, including all football predictions, odds, and related information, is for entertainment and informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure accuracy and timeliness, we do not guarantee the correctness or reliability of any predictions, data, or information presented here. 

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