Benfica were involved in a thrilling opening FIFA Club World Cup game as they come up against an Auckland City side, seeking to avoid another utter annihilation in this one.
Benfica team news: Belotti suspended
Former Roma and Torino striker Andrea Belotti is missing through suspension for this one, having been sent off against Boca Juniors the other day. The likes of Alexander Bah and Manu Silva were left out of their squad for this tournament due to ACL injuries.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Trubin; Dahl, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Aursnes, Luis, Sanches; Di Maria, Pavlidis, Bruma.
Auckland City team news: Going again
As has been heavily reported on, Auckland City haven’t been able to name their full strongest squad for the tournament due to some players being unable to secure time off work. There are no fresh injury concerns for them to deal with for this one, though.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Tracey; Mitchell, Den Heijer, Boxall; Murati, Gerard Garriga, Ilich, Lobo; Yoo, Bevan, Manickum.
- This is the first FIFA club competition match between teams from Portugal and New Zealand. The only meeting in a men’s international fixture between the respective nations was a 4-0 victory for Portugal in the group stage at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017.
- Benfica have lost only one of their last 14 matches in all competitions (W9 D4 L1).
- Benfica have scored in each of their last 16 matches in all competitions.
- Auckland City are without a win in their last ten FIFA club competition matches (W0 D1 L9), since a 1-0 victory against Algerian team ES Sétif in the quarter finals of the competition now known as the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ in Morocco in December 2014.
- Auckland City striker Myer Bevan scored a goal in this stadium for Canadian team Cavalry FC in a 3-1 defeat in the second leg of a Concacaf Champions Cup first round tie against Orlando City SC in February 2024.
- Benfica’s scorers in their opening match were both over 37 years old with Nicolás Otamendi (12/02/1988) being older than Ángel Di María (14/02/1988) by only two days.
- Benfica’s Ángel Di María has scored in three editions of the FIFA World Cup (2014, 2018, 2022) including the 2022 final. He has scored three goals in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007, along with two goals in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in 2008 also including the final. Now he has scored in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.
