Benfica will be looking to revive their Club World Cup campaign when they face Auckland City in their second Group C fixture following a frustrating 2–2 draw against Boca Juniors in their opener.
Bruno Lage’s side were forced to battle back from two goals down to rescue a point against the Argentine giants, but the result extended their winless run to four matches in all competitions. It is the club’s worst form since April 2023 and has already cost them both the Liga Portugal and Taça de Portugal titles to Sporting CP. With Group C shaping up to be a tight contest for second place, goal difference could prove decisive, meaning Benfica will be under pressure to produce a commanding performance against the group’s lowest-ranked side.
Their opponents, Auckland City, endured a brutal start to the tournament, suffering a record-breaking 10–0 defeat to Bayern Munich. It was the heaviest loss in Club World Cup history and underlined the gulf in class between professional and amateur football. Representing the New Zealand National League, Auckland City’s players, most of whom hold full-time jobs away from the pitch, are hoping to restore some pride and perhaps even score their first CWC goal since 2016.
Benfica will be buoyed by the performances of veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi, who has scored and been named Player of the Match three times in his last seven appearances. Up front, however, they will be without Andrea Belotti, who was sent off late in the match against Boca Juniors and is suspended.
Auckland City’s main attacking threat comes from Myer Bevan, who netted in both the semi-final and final of this year’s OFC Champions League. But the New Zealanders have now lost six straight Club World Cup matches since finishing third in 2014, with an aggregate scoreline of 21 to 1.
This will be the first ever meeting between the two clubs. Benfica have never faced opposition from Oceania, while Auckland City’s match against Bayern Munich marked their first competitive fixture against European opposition.
With the stakes high and goal difference likely to play a crucial role in the final group standings, Benfica will be expected to win convincingly. But with form faltering and pressure mounting, anything less than a dominant performance could spell trouble later in the tournament.
