Benfica 2–0 Napoli: UCL Match Report & Highlights

On: December 11, 2025 8:09 AM

Benfica 2–0 Napoli: UCL Match Report & Highlights

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Benfica vs Napoli – Match Summary

José Mourinho got the better of Antonio Conte as Benfica secured a vital 2–0 victory over Napoli at the Estádio da Luz. Despite ceding the majority of possession to the Italians, Benfica were far more ruthless in front of goal. Richard Ríos opened the scoring with a cool finish, and Leandro Barreiro doubled the lead shortly after halftime. The win keeps Benfica’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds alive, moving them just one point behind Napoli in the league phase table.

Benfica vs Napoli – Final Score

Benfica 2–0 Napoli

(HT: 1–0)

Goals:

20’ — Ríos (BEN)
49’ — Barreiro (BEN)

Benfica vs Napoli – Timeline & Events

20’ — ⚽ GOAL! Richard Ríos receives the ball in the box and coolly slots it low into the bottom right corner. (1–0)
49’ — ⚽ GOAL! A wonderful start to the second half as Leandro Barreiro finishes a delightful pass from Ríos. (2–0)
52’ — 🟨 Card: Noa Lang (Napoli) booked for a rough tackle.
78’ — 🟨 Card: Amar Dedić (Benfica) receives a yellow card.
87’ — 🟨 Card: Antonio Vergara (Napoli) booked for a harsh challenge.
90+9’ — 🏁 FT: The referee blows the final whistle; a tactical masterclass from Mourinho’s men.

First Half Analysis

Napoli controlled the ball (60% possession) but did very little with it, circulating play without penetration. Benfica were content to sit deep and strike with precision. In the 20th minute, they did just that, with Richard Ríos breaking the deadlock. Napoli’s only real threats came from distance or set-pieces, but they failed to register a single “Big Chance” in the opening 45 minutes.

Second Half Analysis

Any hope of a Napoli comeback was extinguished immediately after the break. Leandro Barreiro’s goal in the 49th minute gave Benfica a comfortable cushion. Napoli tried to respond with substitutions (bringing on Politano and Lucca), but they remained toothless in attack. Benfica actually created more dangerous opportunities on the counter (accumulating 5 Big Chances total) and could have won by a larger margin if not for some saves by Milinković-Savić.

xG Reality Check: Benfica 2.17 | Napoli 0.69

Key Match Factors

Efficiency vs. Possession: Napoli had 60% of the ball but generated only 0.18 xGOT (Expected Goals on Target). Their shooting was woeful.
Big Chance Dominance: Benfica created 5 Big Chances compared to Napoli’s 0. The hosts deserved the win based on quality of chances alone.
Midfield Battle: Richard Ríos was the standout, scoring the opener and assisting the second, completely outshining Napoli’s engine room.
Defensive Solidity: Benfica conceded almost nothing, forcing Napoli into low-percentage shots from outside the box.

Player of the Match

🏆 Richard Ríos (Benfica)

A complete performance: Scored the opener, assisted the second goal, and drove the team forward.

Benfica vs Napoli – Player Ratings

Benfica	Rating	Napoli	Rating
Trubin	7.5	Milinković-Savić	6.5
Dedić	7.0	Di Lorenzo	6.5
Araújo	7.0	Rrahmani	6.0
Otamendi	7.5	Buongiorno	6.0
Dahl	6.5	Olivera	6.0
Ríos (MOTM)	8.5	McTominay	6.0
Barrenechea	7.0	Elmas	6.0
Aursnes	7.0	Neres	6.5
Barreiro	8.0	Højlund	5.5
Sudakov	6.5	Lang	5.5
Ivanović	6.5	Politano (Sub)	6.6

Benfica vs Napoli – Match Stats

Stat	Benfica	Napoli
Expected Goals (xG)	2.17	0.69
xG on Target (xGOT)	2.00	0.18
Possession	40%	60%
Total Shots	13	9
Shots on Target	5	2
Big Chances	5	0
Corners	2	6
Passes (Accuracy)	275 (77%)	439 (84%)
Fouls	18	11
Yellow Cards	1	2
Goalkeeper Saves	2	3

Top 5 Performers

Richard Ríos (BEN): 1 Goal, 1 Assist — Directly responsible for the result.
Leandro Barreiro (BEN): Scored the killer second goal and worked tirelessly.
Nicolás Otamendi (BEN): Marshaled the defense to a clean sheet against a dangerous attack.
Anatoliy Trubin (BEN): Made key interventions and kept a clean sheet.
Matteo Politano (NAP): Provided a spark off the bench (Rating: 6.6), creating chances that starters failed to do.

Underperformers / Weak Links

Napoli Attack: Recorded 0 Big Chances and an abysmal 0.18 xGOT.
Noa Lang (NAP): Ineffective on the wing, picked up a yellow card, and was substituted.
Rasmus Højlund (NAP): Completely isolated and failed to test the Benfica goalkeeper.

Substitutions Impact

Matteo Politano (NAP): Came on at halftime and was Napoli’s best player (6.6), delivering dangerous crosses.
Vangelis Pavlidis (BEN): Came on late and almost scored, forcing a great save.
Juan Jesus (NAP): Replaced Buongiorno to shore up the defense but the damage was already done.

Tactical Breakdown

Benfica:

Low Block & Counter: Mourinho set up to absorb pressure (40% possession) and hit Napoli in transition.
Vertical Passing: Despite fewer passes, they created 5 Big Chances, showing incredible vertical efficiency.

Napoli:

Sterile Possession: Dominated the ball but lacked creativity in the final third.
Failed Crosses: Attempted many crosses (hitting the first man often) but couldn’t break down Benfica’s compact shape.

What This Result Means

Benfica: Climb to 25th place (6 pts), putting them right back in contention for the playoff spots.
Napoli: Drop to 23rd place (7 pts) with a -5 goal difference; they are in danger of slipping out of the qualification zone.