In stuttering form in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund will be hoping for a morale-boosting win when they travel to the Estadio da Luz to take on Benfica in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg.
Currently 15 points adrift of first-placed Bayern Munich after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against rock-bottom Darmstadt, the Schwarzgelben are available at 5/4 (2.25) with bet365 to ease the pressure with an important victory in Lisbon.
However, the Portuguese league leaders have won 22 and lost just one of their last 27 fixtures on home turf, and are priced at 11/5 (3.20) to gain the upper hand by coming out on top yet again here.
Getty ImagesThe guests’ 2-2 draw away to Real Madrid was their first in 13 fixtures on the road in this competition, but you can get odds of 12/5 (3.40) on them being held to a stalemate once again in this one.
While their domestic form may be unconvincing, Thomas Tuchel’s men have been extremely impressive in European competition so far.
The Germans beat holders Real Madrid to top spot in their group stage campaign, going six games unbeaten and scoring a record 21 goals in the process.
GOALAs the second top scorers in the Bundesliga, Tuchel’s men will certainly feel confident of scoring a scoring at least one away goal when they take on a defence that conceded 10 goals in four group games against Besiktas and Napoli.
However, having conceded 20 goals and failed to keep a single clean sheet in their last 12 away games in all competitions, the visitors cannot be counted upon to keep out a home side that has scored 51 times in 18 in their own back yard.
All in all, odds of 19/20 (1.95) are not to be missed on over 2.5 goals being scored for Benfica’s seventh consecutive home game and Dortmund’s 11th in 14 on the road.
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