Our prediction for this FIFA Club World Cup match:
Benfica
Match Time & Date:
20 June 2025
17:00
Prediction: 5-0
Auckland City
This prediction will be After dropping two points in a 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors, Benfica will look to record their first win at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup when they face Auckland City at Inter&Co Stadium. The Eagles are seen as hot favourites to win Friday’s clash, but boss Bruno Lage must warn his men against complacency. Florentino is a major doubt after limping off with injury in the opener, while Italian striker Andrea Belotti misses out through suspension.
The Navy Blues, on the other hand, suffered an embarrassing 10-0 loss to Bayern Munich in the opening match of their FIFA Club World Cup campaign. Given Auckland City’s shaky defence and Benfica’s need for points, anything but a routine home win would be a big shock. All Jerson Lagos, Zhou Tong, and Ryan de Vries are pushing for a start as Paul Posa is expected to make changes to the team that faced the Bundesliga giants.soon.
Highlighted Player (Angel di Maria):
Angel Di Maria is a professional footballer who played for Argentine side Rosario Central at the start of his senior career. The left-footed winger is very quick on the ball and he often makes life difficult for opposition defenders. After playing for Benfica between 2007 and 2010, the Argentine superstar signed for Real Madrid on 28 June, 2010 for a fee of €25 million + €11 million in bonuses.
Despite impressing with los Blancos in the 2013/2014 La Liga campaign, the club chiefs decided to sell him to Manchester United on 26 August, 2014. Di Maria was playing below expectations at Old Trafford and he scored three goals in 27 league games for the Red Devils.
In 2015 he moved to Paris Saint-Germain and he scored 10 goals in 29 league appearances for les Parisiens in the 2015/2016 Ligue 1 campaign. In 2014 he won the Champions League trophy with Real Madrid and that is considered the biggest success of his career. Angel Di Maria was born in Rosario on 14 February, 1988.
Highlighted Team (Benfica):
Member of the ‘Big Three’ clubs in Portugal alongside FC Porto and CP Sporting, Sport Lisboa e Benfica are the football club that has never been relegated from the Primeira Liga. The club is nicknamed Aguias because of the Eagle symbol atop the club’s crest. Benfica play their home games at the Estadio da Luz which replaced the original one in 2003 and which boasts the capacity of more than 64,000. Arguably the most successful club in Portugal, Benfica have won a record of 35 Primeira Liga titles and also a record 25 Taca de Liga and 7 Taca da Liga trophies.
Two-time European Cup winners, Benfica are the club known for their diligent work with youth players, many of which went on to make great careers abroad. The most prominent players to wear a Benfica shirt are legendary Eusebio, Manuel Bento, Jorge Tavares and most recently Javier Saviola, Nuno Gomes, David Luiz and Angel Di Maria.
