Benfica vs Inter Milan predictions: Eagles to soar on home soil

- Benfica have won eight of their last nine games 
- Inter Milan are without a win in six matches in all competitions 
- Recommended bet: Benfica to win and both teams to score

With Benfica seven points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga table, Tom Hill expects the Portuguese outfit to exert their quality and confidence over Inter Milan in their Champions League. quarter-final first-leg clash.

The quarter-finals of the Champions League are now upon us, and the timing could not be worse for Inter Milan as they prepare to travel to Lisbon to face Benfica in the first leg on Tuesday.

Inter's form has dipped of late, although they may take confidence from the fact they beat Porto over two legs to reach the last eight.

Team news

Goncalo Guedes is sidelined for Tuesday's clash, with the Benfica forward still nursing a knee injury. 

Julian Draxler's ankle issue means he will also miss the tie, while centre-back Nicolas Otamendi is suspended.

Left-back Mihailo Ristic is another who cannot play, having been on the sidelines since February with a hamstring issue, while right-back Alexander Bah limped off against Porto in O Classico on Friday.

Simone Inzaghi also has selection issues to contend with, as both Milan Skriniar and Hakan Calhanoglu are doubts, while Romelu Lukaku is likely to have to settle for a place on the bench, with Lautaro Martinez and Edin Dzeko set to start up front.

The stats

Benfica go into Tuesday's first leg on the back of a 2-1 defeat to rivals Porto, but their form before that had been extremely consistent. 

Roger Schmidt's men had won eight games in a row before that, while that defeat to Porto was their first at home in seven matches.

Schmidt's troops will fancy their chances of scoring, as they are have netted a league-leading 43 goals in 14 home games in the Primeira Liga while they scored seven more in three games in the Champions League group stages.

Benfica have also scored 11 goals in their last three games at the Estadio da Luz, which includes a 5-1 win over Club Brugge in the home leg of their last-16 tie.

Inter have hit the buffers of late, having gone six matches without a win in all competitions, drawing three and losing three.

The Italian giants are also without a win in six games on their travels, but they have at least scored in three of their last four trips away from the San Siro.

Prediction

With Tuesday's tie taking place in Lisbon, it gives Benfica the perfect opportunity to establish what could be a decisive lead in the two-legged tie.

Schmidt's side will not fancy travelling to Milan needing to get a result, so Tuesday's encounter will feel like a must-win fixture.

Thankfully for Benfica, Inter's recent results mean they are lacking confidence, and while they have the quality to score on their travels, they should come unstuck against As Aguias.

Benfica have won 10 of their 12 games in this season's Champions League, denied only by Paris Saint-Germain as the pair played out two draws in the group stages.

The Portuguese giants have scored 17 goals in winning their last four games in a row in this competition, and that suggests they should have too much firepower for Inter on Tuesday night.

Back Benfica to win and both teams to score at 7/2 with LiveScore Bet.

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