Borussia Dortmund of the German Bundesliga returns home to face Benfica of Portugal in the second leg of their European Champions League round-of-16 series this Wednesday, March 8th trailing 1-0 in the two-legged series. This tie is still up for grabs with Dortmund being favored to go through to the quarterfinals.
Borussia Dortmund vs Benfica Odds – bet365 Soccer Betting Line:
- bet365 currently lists Dortmund as the favorites to win the 90-minute game at 7/20 with Benfica 15/2 and a draw at 4/1.
bet365 Soccer Bonuses:
- With bet365’s Euro Soccer Bonus you can earn up to 100% more on your returns if you place accumulators on the Premier League, Champions League, Bundesliga, Primera Liga or Serie A. Place a pre-match accumulator of three or more selections on the Full Time Result or Result/Both Teams To Score markets combining teams in any of these competitions, and if successful, bet365 will add the relevant bonus to your returns.
- With the Bore Draw Money Back offer even a goalless draw is never the worst result with bet365 – if you place a pre-match bet on any Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time or Scorecast market for any Soccer match and the game finishes 0-0, bet365 will refund your stake if the bet loses.
- With the Each-Way First Goalscorers offer you can have an Each-Way First Goalscorer bet on any match, and be safe in the knowledge that if your player scores at any time during the game we will pay you out! Each-Way bets are settled on all goalscorers at 1/3 odds for unlimited places in 90 minutes play.
Borussia Dortmund vs Benfica – Head to Head:
- The clubs have met three times in the past with Benfica winning two and losing one. However, Dortmund has outscored them 6-3 in those games. Kostas Mitroglou scored the lone goal in the first leg for Benfica’s 1-0 win while goalkeeper Ederson saved a penalty kick from Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Borussia Dortmund – A Closer Look:
Dortmund is attempting to reach the quarterfinals for the third time this decade. They enter the match in third place in the German Bundesliga with 43 points from 12 wins, seven draws and four losses with 52 goals for and 25 against. However, they trail league-leading Bayern Munich by 13 points. Their last outing was a 6-2 thumping of Bayer Leverkusen at home on Saturday.
Dortmund went undefeated in the group stage of the Champions League with four wins and a pair of draws, which both came against Real Madrid. They also beat Portuguese side Sporting CP 2-1 away and 1-0 at home and won Group F. This is Dortmund’s first appearance in the knockout round since losing to Italian champions Juventus 5-1 on aggregate in 2014/15.
Dortmund has been in fine form in the Bundesliga with three straight wins since losing to Benfica in the first leg. They’re also unbeaten at home in the domestic league with eight victories and three draws. Dortmund has lost just one of their past 11 European matches at home along with eight wins and a pair of draws. Dortmund has won all five of their previous home encounters against Portuguese opposition. Sven Bender, Rode and Marco Reus are expected to miss the contest with injuries.
Benfica – A Closer Look:
Benfica is hoping to reach the quarterfinals for the third time in the past six seasons. They enter the contest in first place in the Portuguese league with 10 points from 19 wins, three draws and two losses with 52 goals for and 13 against. They have just a one-point lead over second-place Porto, but are 12 ahead of third-place Sporting. Benfica last played on Saturday and beat Feirense 1-0 away.
Benfica managed to score in all three of their Champions League away games in the group stage. They were beaten 4-2 by Napoli, won 2-0 at Dynamo Kyiv and played to a 3-3 draw at Besiktas. Benfica beat Zenit St. Petersburg in last year’s round-of-16 by winning at home and away. They were then edged 3-2 on aggregate by German champions Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.
Benfica has struggled in the past on their visits to Germany with two wins, six draws and 14 losses. However, they enter the game on a seven-match winning streak in all competitions. They have been led by Mitroglou who has 18 goals in his last 17 games. Felipe Augusto is expected to miss the game with an ankle injury.
Dortmund vs Benfica – Takeaway:
Dortmund won the Champions League in 1996/97 while Benfica has won two European Cup titles in 1961 and 1962. Benfica will advance with a win, draw, or any one-goal loss other than 1-0. The game will go to extra time if Dortmund wins 1-0. If it’s not decided it will go to a shootout. Dortmund is 2-2 in European shootouts while Benfica is 2-1. Dortmund will advance with any win of two goals or more.
Click here to read our review of the bet365 online sportsbook.
Check out bet365 Casino Games now! There are some great new Slots and Promotions in the bet365 Casino.
While you are at it, check out our summary of the Best Online Betting Bonuses now.