The preseason schedule is important to every team, but there are some who are under more pressure than others. The reality is that there is more focus on teams who had a down season last year, with Real Madrid and Manchester United falling into that particular category. If you have been paying any attention to the International Champions Cup, you will see that a lot of the headlines and focus have been on those two teams. It’s not that unexpected to see the bigger names in the sport get all the press, but the reality is that this is an important tournament for all involved.
This is particularly true for Fiorentina, as they ended last season on a bit of a lull, ending up getting dragged into the relegation battle in the Serie A. They need a major improvement this season if they are to stay safe, so they are under some pressure to perform. They will play their final game of the ICC against Benfica on Wednesday night in New York. It is Benfica who come into this one as a ½ goal favorite, with the goal total for this one set at 3.
Fiorentina vs Benfica 2019 International Champions Cup Lines & Prediction
- When: Wednesday, July 24 at 8 PM
- Where: Red Bull Arena, NYC
- TV: ESPN
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
- ICC Odds: Benfica -128 (Total 3)
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Why bet on Fiorentina?
It was a bit of a shaky start to this tournament for Fiorentina, as they opened things up versus Guadalajara, the first Mexican team to be invited to the ICC. They came in as the real underdogs, so it was expected that Fiorentina should come out and get the win. They did that, winning 2-1, but they looked a little nervous and had to come from a goal down in that one.The real problems arose in their second game, a 3-0 loss to an Arsenal team that was made up of a lot of younger players. Fiorentina struggled to score all last season, with these two games suggesting that they might well have similar issues this time around. These two teams met a couple of years back in ICC play, with that one ending in a 0-0 tie.
Expected Line-Up
- 1-B. Drągowski
- 5-F. Ceccherini
- 2-L. Venuti
- 15-A. Terzić
- 6-L. Ranieri
- 10-R. Saponara
- 18-S. Cristóforo
- 24-M. Benassi
- 20-G. Castrovilli
- 29-D. Vlahović
- 11-R. Sottil
Why bet on Benfica?
It was a winning year for Benfica last season, as they edged out Sporting Lisbon to win the Portuguese Primera League in a thrilling race. It is going to be tough for them to repeat, though, especially now that star midfielder Joao Felix is on the move to Atletico Madrid after a big-money summer move.
Benfica, like Ajax, has become a team that is great at developing young talent and moving them on for huge profits, so they will certainly have some money to spend to keep their squad strong and ready for the upcoming Champions League run. Benfica got off to a very solid start in ICC play, thumping Guadalajara 3-0 in the tournament opener. You would certainly like them to put in another good showing here.
Expected Line-Up
- 99-O. Vlachodimos
- 3-Álex Grimaldo
- 6-Rúben Dias
- 97-Francisco Ferreira
- 71-Nuno Tavares
- 21-Pizzi
- 8-Gabriel
- 7-Caio
- 61-Florentino Luís
- 14-H. Seferović
- 9-Raúl de Tomás
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
Benfica played some very attractive football in their opening game in this tournament, and I expect more of the same in this one. I like them to beat Fiorentina quite handily, with goals once again being part of the equation.Score: Fiorentina 1 – Benfica 3
