Juventus vs. Benfica

A massive European night unfolds at the Allianz Stadium today, Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as Juventus hosts Benfica.¹ Kick-off is set for 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 21:00 local).

This is a high-stakes "play-off decider." Juventus currently sits in 17th place (9 points) and needs a victory to consolidate their position in the top 24.³ For Benfica, currently in 25th place (6 points), this is a survival mission; they sit just outside the qualification zone and require points to keep their European season alive.

Match Information

Juventus: The Spalletti Response

Luciano Spalletti's side enters this fixture looking for an immediate response after a shock 1–0 domestic defeat to Cagliari over the weekend.⁵ While their Serie A form has flickered, Juventus has been steady in Europe, winning their last two Champions League matches.⁶ The focus in Turin is on Jonathan David, who has become the spearhead of the attack in the absence of the injured Dušan Vlahović.⁷

Team News and Selection:

• Key Absences: Dušan Vlahović (thigh), Daniele Rugani (calf), and Arkadiusz Milik (long-term) are out.

• Returning Stars: Teun Koopmeiners and Francisco Conceição have returned to the squad and are expected to play a role.

• The "Yıldız" Factor: 19-year-old Kenan Yıldız leads the competition in assists for U21 players (4) and will be the primary creative engine.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceição, McKennie, Yıldız; David.

   

Benfica: Mourinho's Tactical Trap

José Mourinho returns to Italy with a Benfica side that has rediscovered its defensive grit. After a disastrous start to the campaign, the "Eagles" have won back-to-back Champions League games against Napoli and Pafos.¹¹ Mourinho’s tactical setup—built on a compact 4-2-3-1—is designed specifically to frustrate possession-heavy sides like Spalletti's Juventus.¹²

Team News and Selection:

• Injury Crisis: Benfica travels without Dodi Lukebakio (ankle), Alexander Bah (knee), and Richard Ríos (shoulder).¹³ Bruma has returned to the squad but is not yet at 100% fitness.¹⁴

   
   

   

• The "Pavlidis" Threat: Vangelis Pavlidis has been a workhorse in Europe, recording more pressures in the final third than any other striker in the tournament this season.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Dedić, Otamendi, Silva, Dahl; Barreiro, Aursnes; Schjelderup, Sudakov, Prestianni; Pavlidis.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Historical Dominance

• The Jinx: Juventus has a notoriously poor record against Benfica, having won just 1 of their 9 meetings across all competitions.¹⁵

   

   

• UCL Perfection: Benfica has won all 5 of their European Cup/Champions League meetings against Juventus, a perfect 100% win rate.¹⁶

   

   

• Long Wait: Juventus has not beaten Benfica in any competition for 33 years (last victory in 1993).¹⁷

   

   

• Mourinho vs. Spalletti: In their 8 previous managerial meetings, Mourinho holds a slight edge with 3 wins to Spalletti’s 2 (3 draws).

Tactical Analysis and Prediction

This match pits Juventus's "high turnover" pressing (65 offensive recoveries) against Benfica's "low volume" control.¹⁸ Mourinho will likely instruct his side to sit deep and absorb pressure, banking on the experience of Nicolás Otamendi to handle Jonathan David 

However, Juventus at the Allianz Stadium is a formidable prospect—they are currently on an 18-match unbeaten home run in all competitions.¹⁹ While history favors the Portuguese side, the youthful energy of Yıldız and the home crowd should be enough to break the 33-year curse.

Final Score Prediction: Juventus 2–1 Benfica