Benfica Achieve Convincing 2:0 Victory Over Napoli in Champions League Showdown

Written by Pavel Kateliev

Pavel Kateliev is a popular sport journalist, particularly in the fields of football, basketball, tennis, and hockey. He writes daily for Sportingpedia and his work has been translated into at least 20 languages and featured on renowned outlets such as BBC, Yahoo, MCN, Sun, and Evening News, in Italian, English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

, | Updated: December 11, 2025

Key Takeaways:

Benfica overcame Napoli 2:0 in the sixth round of the Champions League main phase
After this fixture, Napoli occupies 23rd position while Benfica has moved up to 25th in the standings
Goals from Richard Rios (20′) and Leandro Barreiro (49′) sealed the triumph for the hosts

Match Analysis

Benfica delivered a clinical performance to defeat Napoli 2:0 in an enticing Champions League encounter from the sixth round of the main phase. The match unfolded as a tactical battle between two decorated managers, José Mourinho and Antonio Conte, at Benfica’s home ground. Demonstrating relentless pressure from the outset, the Portuguese side secured a deserved three points in front of their supporters.

🤩 #UCL win!#SLBSSCN pic.twitter.com/GyuoGTn5Z6
— SL Benfica (@slbenfica_en) December 10, 2025

First Half: Benfica Take Early Advantage

The home side started assertively, with Franjo Ivanović nearly breaking the deadlock in the 12th minute, only to be denied by a fine save from Vanja Milinković-Savić in Napoli’s goal. Moments later, Fredrik Aursnes triggered further anxiety among the visitors as his shot drifted narrowly wide of the upright.

The sustained pressure paid off in the 20th minute when Richard Rios coolly controlled the ball inside the box and slotted home into the bottom right corner, putting Benfica ahead. Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo attempted to restore parity in the 29th minute with a header, but failed to find the target. Nicolás Otamendi then squandered a prime chance to extend the margin before half-time, sending his effort off target from close range.

Second Half: Barreiro Doubles the Lead

Benfica reinforced their dominance immediately after the break, with Leandro Barreiro latching onto a precise pass in the 49th minute to double the advantage for Mourinho’s charges. This left Napoli needing a swift response as Conte sought to alter the momentum by introducing Matteo Politano, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Juan Jesus.

Napoli’s Response and Benfica’s Resilience

The standout opportunity for Napoli materialised in the 71st minute, when David Neres unleashed a powerful shot that was heading under the crossbar. However, Anatoliy Trubin was up to the task, producing a crucial save to preserve Benfica’s clean sheet.

In the closing stages, Evangelos Pavlidis, who entered as a substitute, threatened to further widen the margin. On two occasions he challenged Milinković-Savić, but the Napoli goalkeeper’s interventions ensured the deficit did not increase.