UEFA Champions League League Stage - 6
Benfica 2 - 0 FT Napoli
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
20' R. Rios
HT
↓ S. Beukema ↑M. Politano 46'
↓ M. Olivera ↑L. Spinazzola 46'
49' L. Barreiro (R. Rios)
Noa Lang 52'
↓ A. Buongiorno ↑Juan Jesus 59'
↓ N. Lang ↑L. Lucca 74'
76' ↓ G. Sudakov ↑A. Silva
76' ↓ F. Ivanovic ↑V. Pavlidis
78' Amar Dedić
↓ E. Elmas ↑A. Vergara 81'
Antonio Vergara 87'
90'+4 ↓ F. Aursnes ↑T. Freitas
90'+5 ↓ L. Barreiro ↑J. Neto
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Benfica
Goalkeepers
A. Trubin 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
A. Dedic 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
56%
Duel Win %
T. Araujo 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Otamendi 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
S. Dahl 
ENFORCER
5
Tackles
5
Tackles
6
Duels Won
75%
Win %
Midfielders
R. Rios 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
E. Barrenechea
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
F. Aursnes
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
L. Barreiro
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
G. Sudakov
LATE SHIFT
14
Late Mins
14
Late Mins
76
Total Mins
76
Entry
Forwards
F. Ivanovic
PROVOCATEUR
5
Fouls Won
5
Fouls Won
10
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
S. Soares 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
A. Silva
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Neto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Wynder
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Manu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Veloso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Rego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
T. Freitas
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Pavlidis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Schjelderup
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. Prestianni
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Rego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Napoli
Goalkeepers
V. Milinkovic-Savic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
S. Beukema
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
A. Rrahmani 
MAGNET
99
Activity
99
Activity
91
Passes
8
Duels
A. Buongiorno
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Midfielders
G. Di Lorenzo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Elmas
LATE SHIFT
9
Late Mins
9
Late Mins
81
Total Mins
81
Entry
S. McTominay
MAGNET
73
Activity
73
Activity
58
Passes
15
Duels
M. Olivera
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Forwards
David Neres
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Lang
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
R. Hojlund
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
N. Contini
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
M. Ferrante
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Juan Jesus
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
31
Total Mins
Started
Entry
L. Spinazzola
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Vergara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Politano 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
19%
Pass Acc
L. Lucca
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. Ambrosino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/12/2016 | Benfica | 1 - 2 | Napoli | UEFA Champions League | Estádio da Luz |
| 28/09/2016 | Napoli | 4 - 2 | Benfica | UEFA Champions League | Stadio San Paolo |
Benfica Win
Napoli Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 6 GD: +16
P: 6 GD: +11
P: 6 GD: +11
P: 6 GD: +6
P: 6 GD: +2
P: 6 GD: +8
P: 6 GD: +6
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +6
P: 6 GD: +6
P: 6 GD: +7
P: 6 GD: +5
P: 6 GD: +4
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +2
P: 6 GD: 0
P: 6 GD: -1
P: 6 GD: -2
P: 6 GD: +4
P: 6 GD: -3
P: 6 GD: -5
P: 6 GD: -6
P: 6 GD: -2
P: 6 GD: -5
P: 6 GD: -8
P: 6 GD: -5
P: 6 GD: -7
P: 6 GD: -8
P: 6 GD: -8
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 6 GD: -9
P: 6 GD: -13
P: 6 GD: -9
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +19
P: 8 GD: +14
P: 8 GD: +12
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +9
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -13
P: 8 GD: -11
P: 8 GD: -14
P: 8 GD: -13
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Ríos Orchestrates Benfica's European Statement Against Faltering Napoli
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 22/100. Benfica's clinical finishing and midfield dominance expose Napoli's fragile European credentials in a 2-0 victory that reshapes the group's hierarchy.
Early Precision Breaks Napoli's Resistance
At Estádio da Luz, Richard Ríos struck with surgical intent in the 20th minute, opening the floodgates for Benfica's intensity. The Colombian midfielder's movement through Napoli's midfield proved the decisive edge—not through possession dominance, but through ruthless transition play. While Vanja Milinković-Savić answered with three vital saves, the Serbian goalkeeper was merely papering over cracks. Napoli controlled 60% possession but generated just 0.64 expected goals; Benfica's efficiency told the real story. Ríos didn't just score—he orchestrated, delivering the assist for L. Barreiro's 49th-minute second that killed any lingering doubt.
Possession Without Purpose
The balance of this encounter revealed a fundamental mismatch. Napoli's 520 passes (84% accuracy) created an illusion of control; 13 Benfica shots to Napoli's 9 told the truth. Enzo Barrenechea anchored the Portuguese midfield with a commanding display, winning the stakes in transition moments when they mattered most. Napoli's form—sitting 36th in the group with just 7 points from 6 games—finally caught up with them. They came to the Luz searching for redemption; instead, they found a team hitting its stride, one that converted chances with the precision of a team that understands European football's unforgiving mathematics.
The Turning Point
Ríos's opening goal wasn't merely a breakthrough—it was psychological surrender. Benfica's press intensified, Napoli's passing lanes contracted, and by halftime, the upset factor had evaporated entirely. The second goal, arriving just four minutes into the second half, confirmed what Estádio da Luz had already sensed: this was no longer a contest. Benfica's 2-0 scoreline flattered neither team nor inflated the margin; it was the precise reflection of superior execution when it counted.
Key Questions
What made Richard Ríos the Man of the Match?
Ríos combined a goal and assist with intelligent positioning, dictating Benfica's transition play and suffocating Napoli's midfield rhythm throughout.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Desperation at the Da Luz
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 26/100. Survival is the only currency remaining in a clash where technical brilliance has been replaced by the raw fear of elimination.
The Setup
Reporting live from the **Estádio da Luz**, the atmosphere is thick with anxiety rather than the usual European optimism. Both sides have endured a miserable campaign, leaving the Stakes at an uncomfortable high while the actual quality on display suggests why they are both fighting for their lives. Benfica's recent Form—a collapse into three consecutive losses—has seen them slide into the 25th position, while Napoli’s lack of Balance has left them hovering dangerously close to the exit door in 23rd. In this new league format, this is a literal fight to avoid the tournament's version of relegation.
Key Battle
The tactical struggle will centre on the transition phases. Without a clear playmaker dominating, expect a gritty battle in the middle of the pitch. Angel Di Maria remains the primary creative outlet for Benfica, tasked with breaking down a Napoli side that often loses its shape under pressure. Conversely, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will look to exploit the space behind a Benfica defense that has already conceded eight times this season.
Our Prediction
This is unlikely to be a classic for the neutral. Both managers will prioritise defensive solidity over attacking adventure, leading to a fragmented match. While Napoli possesses slightly more individual Stars, Benfica's desperation at home should see them claw back a point. Expect a low-scoring 1-1 draw that does little to secure the future of either club in the competition.