Benfica Advances in Champions League, Eliminating Nice and Redirecting them to Europa League
In a dominating performance on August 12, 2025, Benfica Lisbon secured their place in the Champions League playoffs with a 2-0 win over OGC Nice at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal. The match, the third preliminary round of the Champions League, ended 4-0 on aggregate.
The game was off to a flying start for Benfica as Andreas Schjelderup, just 18 minutes in, beat Yehvann Diouf to score the opening goal (1-0). Fredrik Aursnes, another young talent, added to Benfica's lead with a curling shot in the 27th minute (2-0), effectively ending any hopes for OGC Nice.
The second half of the game saw Benfica managing the match rather than creating more chances, a testament to their control over the game. Schjelderup came close to scoring again, his shot hitting the crossbar in the second half.
OGC Nice, who were competing in the Europa League after being relegated from the Champions League, struggled to make an impact. The French club, plagued by injuries during the match, were unable to turn the game around against the Portuguese powerhouse.
Djibril Coulibaly, a 16-year-old player, was relied upon by OGC Nice during the match, while Jonathan Clauss, the French international, thought he had scored for Nice but his shot hit the post in the 31st minute.
Notably, this was the 20th match between the two clubs, and Benfica has yet to be beaten by a French club in any of these encounters.
With this impressive victory, Benfica will now advance to the Champions League playoffs, eager to continue their pursuit of glory in Europe's premier club competition.
[1] Source: [link to the news article about the game] [2] Source: [link to the news article about Benfica's Champions League campaign] [3] Source: [link to the news article about OGC Nice's Europa League campaign] [4] Source: [link to the news article about Fredrik Aursnes' performance] [5] Source: [link to the news article about Andreas Schjelderup's performance]
Football has been a source of celebration once more for Benfica Lisbon as they clinched their place in the Champions League playoffs, following a dominant 2-0 victory over OGC Nice. In this European-leagues clash, the Portuguese champions showcased their prowess, particularly in the Champions-League third preliminary round match, held on August 12, 2025, at the Estádio da Luz.
