Benfica vs. Real Sociedad Betting Tips: Otamendi to be carded in Champions League clash

Real Sociedad make the trip across the Iberian Peninsula to Benfica in Group D of the Champions League group stage on Tuesday. We’ve asked our man Anthony Eadson to preview the action and provide us with his best bets.

Benfica have lost both of their Champions League matches this term and sit bottom of the Group D table heading into the third round of fixtures. Real Sociedad on the other hand find themselves top of the table after a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan where Lautaro Martinez scored a late equaliser, before a 2-0 win on the road at Salzburg at the start of October.

The side from San Sebastian have only been beaten twice in 12 matches across all competitions this season. Japanese attacker Takefusa Kubo has five league goals in eight starts this season, with Sociedad’s only two defeats both coming away at the Spanish capital in losses to Real and Atletico Madrid. 

We don’t think this will be a game that the visitors will run away with, but at the current prices in the match result market, we think they are worth a punt. Odds of 49/20 (3.45) imply just a 29% chance of victory on Tuesday, with Sociedad potentially being undervalued by the market here. 

Clement Turpin, the highwayman of refereeing takes the whistle for this match and he averages 5.8 yellows per game across the last seven he has taken control of in the Champions League. 

We’ll be hoping the Frenchman dishes out a card to Nicolas Otamendi in the Estadio da Luz, with the central defender being booked more time than any member of the Benfica squad last season. 

In 2023/24 he has two yellows to his name in the Primeira Liga and another in this competition which came against Salzburg, The Argentine was shown three yellows in nine European matches last season and although he may not be the most eye-watering of prices for this encounter at 11/4, he looks a solid prospect in this must-win game for the hosts.