Benfica 2-0 Napoli: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Bwin’s post-match review of Benfica 2-0 Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Benfica secured a 2-0 victory over Napoli in this Champions League encounter. The hosts took the lead in the 20th minute when Richard Ríos scored, assisted by Franjo Ivanović, giving Benfica an early edge despite Napoli’s possession dominance. Benfica’s recent form showed mixed results with wins against Ajax but losses to Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Newcastle United, yet they built on that here by maintaining composure after the opener.

The second half started with Leandro Barreiro extending the lead in the 49th minute, assisted by Richard Ríos, which effectively sealed the game as Napoli struggled to convert their chances. Substitutions came late for Benfica, with Vangelis Pavlidis and António Silva entering at 76 minutes, while Napoli made earlier changes at half-time but couldn’t shift the momentum. Coming off a win against Qarabağ but a heavy loss to PSV, Napoli’s recent draws and defeats highlighted their difficulty in breaking down a resolute Benfica defence.

Napoli held 60% possession compared to Benfica’s 40%, suggesting they controlled much of the play, but Benfica made the most of their opportunities on the counter, reflected in the even split of 33 successful dribbles each. The visitors earned six corners to Benfica’s two, pointing to more attacking territory, yet they failed to register any assists, while Benfica notched one, underlining the hosts’ clinical edge in key moments.

Benfica picked up one yellow card, with Napoli receiving two, indicating a slightly more disciplined display from the winners, and no red cards disrupted either side. Substitutions saw Napoli use all five, starting with Leonardo Spinazzola replacing Mathías Olivera and Matteo Politano coming on for Sam Beukema at 46 minutes, followed by Juan Jesus for Alessandro Buongiorno at 59 minutes, Lorenzo Lucca for Noa Lang at 74 minutes, and Antonio Vergara for Eljif Elmas at 81 minutes; Benfica used four, with Vangelis Pavlidis replacing Franjo Ivanović and António Silva coming on for Georgiy Sudakov at 76 minutes, Tiago Freitas for Fredrik Aursnes at 90+4 minutes, and José Neto for Leandro Barreiro at 90+5 minutes.

The game’s first decisive moment arrived in the 20th minute when Richard Ríos opened the scoring for Benfica, finding the net with an assist from Franjo Ivanović to give the hosts a lead they would protect. Early in the second half, Leandro Barreiro doubled the advantage at 49 minutes, assisted by Richard Ríos, which shifted the balance firmly in Benfica’s favour as Napoli pushed forward without reward.

Substitutions influenced the latter stages, with Napoli making half-time changes including Leonardo Spinazzola for Mathías Olivera, but yellow cards for Noa Lang at 52 minutes and Antonio Vergara at 87 minutes added to their frustrations. Benfica’s Amar Dedić received a yellow at 78 minutes, yet late swaps like Vangelis Pavlidis for Franjo Ivanović helped them see out the win comfortably.

Benfica lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which allowed them to absorb pressure and strike on the break, with Richard Ríos and Leandro Barreiro forming a key midfield partnership that delivered both goals. Franjo Ivanović provided creativity in attack before being replaced by Vangelis Pavlidis, while Georgiy Sudakov’s involvement ended with António Silva coming on to bolster the defence. Fredrik Aursnes contributed in midfield until Tiago Freitas took over late, and Amar Dedić’s defensive role was marked by his yellow card.

Napoli deployed a 3-4-2-1 setup, aiming for width and forward penetration, but struggled to break through despite players like Noa Lang, who earned a yellow card before Lorenzo Lucca replaced him. Mathías Olivera and Sam Beukema started but made way at half-time for Leonardo Spinazzola and Matteo Politano respectively, while Alessandro Buongiorno was substituted by Juan Jesus in defence. Eljif Elmas featured until Antonio Vergara came on, with the latter picking up a late yellow card.

Richard Ríos earned Bwin’s Man of the Match award for his standout performance, scoring one goal and providing one assist to drive Benfica’s victory. He also created one key pass, though no big chances, demonstrating his influence in midfield and ability to turn possession into decisive moments against a possession-heavy Napoli side.

Recent Champions League matches:

• Win: 2-0 vs Napoli (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Ajax (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Newcastle United (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Chelsea (A)

Recent Champions League matches:

• Loss: 0-2 vs Benfica (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Qarabağ (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Eintracht Frankfurt (H)
• Loss: 2-6 vs PSV (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Sporting CP (H)

Benfica have just claimed a 2-0 win over Napoli, boosting their tally to six points and placing them 25th in the standings, with recent form showing back-to-back victories after a run of three losses. This result sets them up well for their next fixture against Moreirense on 2025-12-14 at 18:00, where they will aim to build momentum and climb the table, though Moreirense’s current position and points remain to be confirmed.

Napoli suffered a 0-2 defeat to Benfica, leaving them on seven points in 23rd place, with their recent form including a win over Qarabağ but also a heavy loss to PSV and a draw with Eintracht Frankfurt. They now turn attention to their upcoming match against Udinese on 2025-12-14 at 14:00, seeking to regain consistency and improve their standing, with Udinese’s league position and points yet to be detailed.

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