Uefa Europa League: AEK Athens FC - Sport Lisboa e Benfica‏

Tonight Benfica visits AEK on the second game of the Europa League group phase.

SL Benfica will be received tonight at the OACA Spiros Louis Stadium. This Stadium makes part of the Olympic Complex. The architect Santiago Kalatrava improved and harmonized the Olympic Sports Complex for the Olympic Games in 2004. Calatrava’s master plan and architectural interventions have established a central pedestrian axis, with clearly marked entrances; created a sense of place by developing a landscape Common Domain. To have a project signed by this great Spanish engineer is without any doubt a great honor.

The team of AEK Athens FC was founded in 13 April 1924 and is based in Athens, capital of Greece. The Club was created by a group of refugees of Constantinople, who wanted to provide athletic and cultural diversions for them and also for the Anatolian refugees. Several Athletes took part on the Club’s foundation. The place of that important moment was a shop belonging to Emilios and Menelaos Ionas on Veranzerou Street, in the center of the city. Along the vast history the team of AEK Athens FC won many Titles, such as eleven Greek Championships, thirteen Greek Cups, one League Cup and three Super Cups.


Two players, well known for the reds, are the Portuguese Geraldo Alves and the twenty nine years old Brazilian, Gustavo Manduca. Both represented our Club and play now for AEK Athens grabbing the opportunity the Greek Club gave them.


The AEK's Coach, Dušan Bajević, came from Yugoslavia to command AEK Athens FC. He was the Helenic Club’s striker during four years, where he won the Greek titles in 1978 and 1979. Dušan Bajević told the Press that he had the tactic to defeat Benfica and that after the last weekend loss against Panathinaikos, the team needed a new beggining.


To the Press Jesus told that if the team wins the game it will be important to go on to the next stage. Also David Luiz said that the team is ready to the game and that the team will apply all the energies to get the 3 points.


Jorge Jesus takes 22 players to Athens: Moreira, Júlio César, Quim, Miguel Vítor, Luisão, David Luiz, César Peixoto, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Rúben Amorim, Javi García, Aimar, Ramires, Fábio Coentrão, Di María, Felipe Menezes, Carlos Martins, Cardozo, Keirrison, Weldon, Nuno Gomes and Saviola.


Referee
Stefan Johannesson (SWE)
Assistant referee
Mathias Klasenius (SWE) Joakim Flink (SWE)
Additional assistant referee
Markus Strömbergsson (SWE) Ake Andreasson (SWE)
Fourth official
Johan Hamlin (SWE)
UEFA Delegate
Fernand Meese (BEL)
UEFA Referee observer
Stefan Ormandjiev (BUL)

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 5-0 Leixões Sport Club‏

It seems that this Sport Lisboa e Benfica came out of a Fairy Tail.

The extraordinary results obtained by our Glorious team don’t seem to end. It looks like we Benfiquistas are in a fictional fantasy where Jorge Jesus is the Magician that transformed the red players, allowing them to perform amazing acts. On a weekend dominated by the election of the Portuguese Prime Minister, Benfica decided to occupy again the newspapers headlines. The five goals victory achieved against Leixões Sport Club caused the positive impact on the Press.

Some people say that the ones who speak Spanish or Castilian on the team are the responsible for the positive results. Like for instance Aimar, Saviola, Di Maria, Maxi Pereira, Javi Garcia and Cardozo. This last one, Cardozo, started so well the current season, that is already one of the best strikers on Europe, this on what respects to goals scored. The truth is that Tacuara is talked on the news like Fernando Torres or Antonio Di Natale concerning the goals they scored. Óscar Cardozo, known also as Tacuara scored twice on this last game and not all the goals obtained until now were on penalty shots. The fantastic header on his second goal against the team of Matosinhos is the proof of that.

Others say that the Portuguese language is fundamental on the team and that players like Nuno Gomes (Captain), Fábio Coentrão, Ruben Amorim or Quim make the difference. Finally the ones who also believe in Portuguese language but with some Brazilian pronounce. On that chapter the protagonists are Luisão, Ramires and David Luis. The Brazilian defenders make what they are asked to and always they can, help the forwarders scoring, principally on free and corner kicks. The team of Leixões came to Luz Stadium knowing that this could happen and they did their best to avoid it. Things were not going very bad to the men oriented by José Mota, on the first half, although the goal suffered and the ingenuity of Pouga had originated a second yellow card and the respective sanction. Aimar was missing many passes fortunately he made the brilliant cross to David Luiz head. With the second half appeared a better organized Benfica and the faults committed by the opponent players only helped our team to play the type of football Jesus likes. The result of so many faults was another expulsion and this time of Nuno Silva, who was being in our opinion one of the best players on the game. The goals from Cardozo, Maxi Pereira and Ramires came naturally and there was nothing Zé Manuel whe entered on the Matosinhos team could do. Zé Manuel celebrated, on Saturday night, his participation on 250 Portuguese League games.

More than 40000 spectators saw the game against Leixões, probably among them was the new red fan number 200 000. Let's reach the 300 000!

Liga Sagres: União Desportiva de Leiria 1-2 Sport Lisboa e Benfica‏

Portuguese Football is about referees.

The referees who should be small intervenient on a big show became the big game protagonists. While other Europe Countries talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Kaká, Ibrahimovic, Ribéry, Kiessling, Ozil, Zé Roberto, Diego, Ronaldinho, Luís Fabiano, Nani, Rooney, Fernando Torres, Drogba, Fàbregas, Lisandro, Giuly, Niang and so much others, referees are talked about here in Portugal. It’s not difficult to understand why? That’s because there are to many interests around the games.

Measures are being awaited for a long time, but few have been done until now. We all know that things aren’t easy to change. But occurring these situations every weekend are a bit too much. The Champion of a European League can’t be chosen and decided on the backstage.

Benfica won the international home game. Benfica beat BATE Borisov on Luz stadium last week. Two null was the final result and our Captain Nuno Gomes played very well, scoring a great goal. Cardozo scored the other goal and helped Benfica entering with the right foot on the group phase. The new referees system was positive in a global way and expected rapidly on our National League, Sagres.

Now is finally time to talk about the quality of the players and not about the simulations they eventually made or the fault they may have not committed. Portuguese Liga Sagres returned this weekend and a victory smiled for the reds. The difficult Leiria team almost robbed us points that can be important.

The Leiria team is well oriented by the very experienced old football player Manuel Fernandes. Players like Panandétiguiri, Ricardo Pateiro and Silas did a very good game and are very preponderant on Leiria’s team. On the other side was our team with some alterations on the initial line up. Jesus had already introduced on the European game against BATE players like Júlio César and Felipe Menezes, now in Leiria was the moment of Keirrison. These players may be crucial on the Benfica’s future and that’s precisely on what Jesus is thinking. Cardozo scored a goal on a penalty shoot and earlier Saviola had responded with a fantastic goal to a cross from is companion Pablo Aimar.

On the first round of the Portuguese Millenium Cup, Benfica will play against Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo de Monsanto. The visit to Monsanto must occur on the eighteen of October.

Uefa Europa League » Group Stage starts today‏

The Group Stage from the new Uefa’s competition will start today and some innovations will be introduced.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica will receive in Luz Stadium the Belarusian team FC BATE Borisov. The tonight game will have more referees than the usual and that because the IFAB (International Football Association Board) introduced some alterations. The public wanted more veracity on the referee judgments and IFAB responded with the introduction of two more referees on all the Europa League phase Group games.

So, the four referees (Referee, 2 Assistants, and the observer) will be complemented with two more assistant referees. These two new assistants will occupy the positions alongside each goal. Their positions will be on the opposite side of the goal from the actual assistants.

The new referee assistant won’t have a flag they, will help the main referee using radio communication or a vibrating system. The additional assistant referees will be able to enter the pitch if necessary. Formation was given to almost one hundred elements. On this training occurred in Nyon, Switzerland, was present the Referee Commission President of the Portuguese Football League, Vitor Pereira and also the referees Bruno Paixão and Jorge Sousa that will participate in same matches.

The IFAB Association was created in 1886 and is composed of The Football Association (England), The Scottish Football Association, The Football Association of Wales, The Irish Football Association (Northern Ireland) and finally with high importance FIFA.

Jorge Jesus to the Press

The reds coach already alerted the fans to the difficulties that might appear and that not all the games can be won with so many goals, as the last two games of the Portuguese League.

“The team is fine if we look at the results, but it still has much to grow. The game against BATE will be the first of the Group Phase where we want to go on through. We will try to reach the victory, because points do count, but to do that we will need to be at same level as we were in the last games.”

About the Belarusian team he said:

“It is a team Tactical Disciplined that goes rapidly on Counter-Attack and is very tuff defensively.”

Viktor Goncharenko to the Press:

The coach from BATE Borisov, Viktor Goncharenko, that won’t be able to be seated on the bench because he has been suspended, said that a draw would be a nice result.

“Benfica has strong Attack and Deffense. We like to win but we consider a draw here a good result.”

The BATE elements are also pleased for being playing in Luz Stadium.

“We are very happy to be able to play in this great stadium. We would like to play more in cenarious like this one.”

Uefa Europa League » Goup I:
Sport Lisboa e Benfica - FC BATE Borisov (20:05 Local Time)

Everton FC – AEK Athens FC

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Moreira and Júlio César;

Defenders: Shaffer, Luisão, Maxi Pereira, David Luiz, César Peixoto and Sidnei;

Midfileders: Rúben Amorim, Javi García, Ramires, Fábio Coentrão, Felipe Menezes and Di Maria;

Forwards: Cardozo, Keirrison, Nuno Gomes and Saviola;

Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Futbolniy Klub Borisov Works of Automobile and Tractor Electronic Equipment

Goalkeepers: Sergei Veremko and Dmytro Ivanov;

Defenders: Sergei Sosnovski, Igor Shitov, Aleksandr Yurevich, Artyom Radkov, Maksim Bordachov and Vladimir Rzhevski;

Midfileders: Dmitri Likhtarovich, Aleksandr Volodko, Sergei Krivets, Aleksandr Pavlov, Igor Stasevich, Mikhail Kravchuk and Maksim Volodko;

Forwards: Vitali Bulyga, Aleksandr Alumona, Vitali Rodionov and Hovannes Goaryan.

Coach: Viktor Goncharenko.

Referee Knut Kircher (GER)

Stadium: Luz

Liga Sagres: Clube de Futebol «Os Belenenses» 0-4 Sport Lisboa e Benfica‏

Jesus knew perfectly well what to do in Belém to win the game and obtained an amazing victory.

The Stadium of the team Clube de Futebol - «Os Belenenses» is located in Restelo.This beautifull side of Lisbon agregates one of the best neighbourhoods of the city, Restelo and also the most important Turistic part, Belém. On Restelo we can find expensive and marvellous houses, many belonging to embaixes. Belém has at least three Lisbon top Monuments, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Torre de Belém and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. All these monuments are somehow related with the Portuguese discoveries made arround the world through the seas. In Belém we can also find Centro Cultural de Belém, museums and the Tippical and delicious cake “Pastel de Belém”.

It is an usual joke, to say that when a team plays in the Stadium of Belenenses and suffers goals that is taking home Pasteis, that famous cake. Well this time the fortune smiled to Benfica and we won the game with four goals without response. But not everything was bad to the responsables of Belenenses, the Benfica fans that wanted to see the game in loco helped financially a lot buying the majoroty of the tickets.

Benfica entered strong on the game and soon scored. A tremendous run from Javier Saviola, passing by the Beleneses deffenders and keeper like if it was easy. A goal to be seen by all the football lovers arround the globe. Some other opportunities were created without success having at the same time a solid deffense. Talking about the deffense it’s necessary to congratulate Maxi Pereira for his return, on the second half, after being injured. This second 45 minutes were marked for the goals scored, three on total. Initially by Cardozo, secondly by J. Garcia and the last one by Ramires. Ramires is presently one of the most important players of the team, not only for the fact that he is scoring goals but also because he consolidates the team. Ramires is the kind of player that makes what the coach wants and is able to superate all expectations. He works harder than what is expected and the result is positive for the group. The great players are difficult to identify inside the lines, they do what they are asked to and even more and when they do that they don’t compromize the team.

Ramires Santos do Nascimento (1987 /03/24)

Ramires is natural from Barra do Piraí, Brazil.He was discovered while he represented Joinville Esporte Clube where he played until 2oo7. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube bought his Pass on that year and soon he gained his place on the team. Ramires plays rapidly being very resistent. He is very good technically. Shots easily and recovers many balls passing them also quite well. He represented Brazil on the Olympic Games obtaining the Bronze Medal. On that tournament he had players on the Brazilian team like Pato (AC Milan), Ronaldinho (AC Milan), Diego (Juventus FC) and Alex Silva (Hamburger SV) Luisão’s brother. Ramires won the Championship Mineiro 2oo8/o9 and the Silver Ball given by the Placar Magazine in 2oo8. This prize his given to players who have been avaliated by the Placar Magazine Reporters that are presented in all the games from Brasileirão. More recently he represented Brazil and won the Confederations Cup that took place in South Africa.

http://www.jec.com.br/
http://www.cruzeiro.com.br/
http://www.ramires.tk/

Jesus, Benfica’s coach is doing what the Club needed. Everyone is conscient that nothing is won and that much needs to be done. The reds coach is putting every players working and saying this should not be considered depreciative to the work done until now. The fact is that they are football players professional and Jorge Jesus wants them “breading” football and if they fell asleep they should be dreaming with the ball and positions on the field. For instance video of football games, eveybody watch, but the motivation to watch them are different mabybe because each player understands perfectly well what is expected from him.

Liga Sagres SL Benfica 8-1 Vitória Futebol Clube

SL Benfica returned to “Glorious days”. A brilliant performance from the team orientated by Jorge Jesus allowed that, what seemed to be a difficult game was transformed on, an easy one.

Quim, Shaffer, Luisão (21’), David Luiz, Ruben Amorim, Javi García (16’), Ramires (37’), Pablo Aimar (35’), Ángel Di María, Óscar Cardozo (29’, 65’, 75’) and Javier Saviola. The following players entered on the second half: Fábio Coentrão, César Peixoto and Nuno Gomes (85’).

After the international away defeat, against Poltava, Luz received the men who will for sure be remembered for many years. I say that because many of us still remember the last victory with the exact same final result. It was on the first season of Mister Eriksson as Benfica’s coach. The forward Nené scored 5 goals on that 14th May 1983. On that season, 1982/83, Benfica become the Portuguese Champion. Great players represented SLB, like for instance, Bento, Malta da Silva, Humberto Coelho, Toni, Bastos Lopes, Messias, Rui Rodrigues, Matine, Jaime Graça, Artur Correia, José Henrique, Adolfo, Vitor martins, Eusébio, Nelinho, Jordão, Diamantino Costa, Shéu Han, António Simões and of course Nené.

Tamagnini Manuel Gomes Baptista – Nené (20/11/1949)

Leça da Palmeira located on the North of Portugal watched Nené being born on the year of 1949. With 19 years he began representing SL Benfica on a carear that last almost 20 Years.

It is difficult to talk about one of the most brilliant players, but referring some facts will turn for sure this task easier. The striker Nené took part of the squad who become Portuguese Champion 1973 without a single defeat and with 28 games won. Nené was victorious eleven times on the Portuguese Championship, winning 8 Portuguese Cups and two National Super Cups.

This fabulous striker also took part on the Uefa Cup final 1982-83 against the Belgian team Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht. He was the Portuguese player of the year in 1971.

The great striker Nené had great positional capacity, an excelent sense of oportunity and above all he scored a lot of goals.

Nowadays Nené is the Coordinator of the Benfica’s youth teams.

Yesterday night Benfica went to Canada where they played a friendly against Celtic Football Club and won the CNE Cup. The reds goals were scored by Ruben Pinto, Keirrison and Saviola. The match took place in Toronto where the BMO Field received almost 17000 spectators.