Europa League: Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Hertha Berliner Sport Club

SL Benfica has a big chance today, to go on through, into the next Europa League phase, after the draw obtained in Berlin. Benfica returned from Germany with the same result Quique Flores players had obtained on October 2oo8, a one goal equalize. That last season game was for the Uefa Cup competition that was precisely transformed in the Europa League. One other difference is that the game disputed earlier was for the group stage, and the one occurred last Thursday was the first of a two games eliminatory.

Europa League: Hertha Berliner Sport Club von 1892 1-1 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

The reds visited Hertha BSC Berlin knowing that the German team was facing a delicate moment of the season. The last place occupied for the Berlin team in the Bundesliga confirms that, only twelve points obtained in 22 games disputed. When Angel Di Maria scored the first goal of the match when only three minutes had passed from the beginning of the game, responding well to the precious cross from Carlos Martins, many Benfica fans on the Stadium and around the world listening to the radio or watching TV believed that finally a victory would be obtained in Germany. Nevertheless, the eagles players become with some apathy and conceded a goal, an own goal from Javí Garcia, when probably not even the German players believed it. Probably because of the low temperatures the second part brought nothing relevant. Sometimes the result is more important that the exhibition...

Ángel Fabián Di María (1988/02/14)
The Argentine left winger was born in the neighbourhood of La Pedriel that belongs to the beautiful city of Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe. Angelito started playing professional football in Club Atlético Rosario Central (2oo5). There he stayed for two years and his great evolution made him sign for the reds.
Di Maria is a very fast player, who makes tremendous damage on the opponent defensives with his dribbles. He likes to be with the ball and to take it into the adversary space. Di Maria shoots easily and well but generally he contributes more to his team with his dangerous crosses into the area. Di Maria has still a lot to learn and of course to "grew up" physically and mentally but we believe that he will soon give much more to the world of football.

Stadium Luz : Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Hertha SC Berlin
Referee: Pieter Vink

To the Press
Jorge Jesus
"Our main objective is to win the Portuguese League." "We may be tired but of winning games." "We are in advantage in this eliminatory but we will try to score and win the game."
Friedhelm Funkel
"We know that our task is very difficult, however we believe that we can score and go into the next phase, a two goals draw will be enough."

Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Goalkeepers: Júlio César and Quim;
Defenders: Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Luisão, David Luiz and César Peixoto;
Midfielders: Javi Garcia, Carlos Martins, Rúben Amorim, Di María, Pablo Aimar, Fábio Coentrão and F. Menezes;
Forwards: Saviola, Óscar Cardozo, Éder Luís, Alan Kardec and Nuno Gomes;
Coach: Jorge Jesus.


Well now the only chance to go on through is to win this important game at home, with our help on the stadium, or at least obtain a equalize without goals. The chance of going to the next round would be a generous offer to the "King" Eusébio. Eusébio da Silva Ferreira also known as "The Black Panther" will receive, before the game start, from the UEFA President, Michel Platini, the UEFA President’s Award. The main objective of this award is to recognize the work made by the ones who receive it, in favour of the European Football development. Michel Platini said: "It is a great privilege for me to present the UEFA President's Award to Eusébio, one of the all-time greatest goal scorers and ambassadors for the game of football. "Eusébio is a giant in our sport and the values such as self-abnegation, fair play and respect, conveyed throughout his successful career, both on and off the pitch, have made him a good example for future generations."

The reds won the Lisbon derbies

The reds had for two different competitions to face the two Lisbon rivals and the most important was obtained, that was, two victories.

Carlsberg Cup: Sporting Clube Portugal 1-4 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

SL Benfica went to visit the lions home, José Alvalade Stadium, for the Liga Cup last week on the 9th February and was expecting to face the same old rival. However, things were not like that, Sporting club is living some difficult times and the team is the reflex of it.

Many fans expected a better Sporting for the following reasons: the team was away from the Portuguese Cup and on the Liga Sagres was occupying the fourth place. It was a derby against the eternal rival and also because the game was disputed at home. Nevertheless Jorge Jesus the reds coach made some alterations on the team and players like Júlio César, Éder Luís and Alan Kardec entered initially.

Sporting entered the game badly, João Pereira made a unnecessary fault (7’) over Ramires and saw the red card. The result of the free kick was precisely the first goal of SLB, scored by David Luiz (8’). The time was passing and Di Maria making damage on the opponent defence when half an hour arrived and with it the second goal of the game and again for the reds, this time scored by the Brazilian Ramires. Another Brazilian player scored for Sporting CP seven minutes later, his name Liedson, the lions player who played more on the 90’ minutes. On the second part of the game came two more goals one from the number 4 Luisão (68’) and the other one from Óscar Cardozo just before the final whistle from Olegário Benquerença the referee of the game who made an acceptable work.

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Clube Futebol «Os Belenenses»

Benfica received for the Portuguese Liga last Saturday afternoon another rival from the Capital, this time the team of CF «Os Belenenses». The Belem team came to Luz on the last place of the championship but strangely because they are playing a pleasant football. The team orientated by António Conceição appeared facing Benfica differently from the others teams who normally come to our Stadium to defend. A well organized team made the eagle players run more and caused many troubles to the eagles offensive who had tuff times. However more than 45300 spectators saw Cardozo scoring soon, before the 10 minutes, when he responded well with his head to a perfect cross from Ramires on the right. A open game that had few chances for both sides. Quim the Benfica goalkeeper responded always well on the few chances created by the blues from Restelo, mainly in the first half and by Fajardo. David Luiz and Weldon need to be more concentrated and focus more on what Jesus wants from them, on the other hand, Javi Garcia, Fábio Coentrão and Maxi Pereira helped in a very positive way the team obtaining this 3 points. The referee wasn’t noticed expect when showed correctly the red card to Bruno Vale, the Belenenses goalkeeper who was making a good job, when he defended a ball from Cardozo away from his area.

The doors of the Algarve Stadium will be opened on the 20th of March to receive the Carlsberg Cup final, Benfica will then play against the other finalist team FC Porto. On the Portuguese Liga Benfica maintains the first position with 49 points.

Liga Sagres: Two games - 4 points

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3-0 União Desportiva de Leiria

On a cold Wednesday night, the reds received the team of Leiria and added 3 more points.

More than 30 000 were able to see a game where Benfica owned the ball. The 90' minutes were of absolute control of SLB and although Silas and Carlão, UD Leiria players, tried to do everything they could to reach the Quim nets, no significant danger was registered. The South American players Saviola and Aimar broke the opponent defensive allowing Cardozo, before the ten minutes to score the 1st goal. "The rabbit" Saviola scored the second of the night and the last goal was obtained near the end of the game by Rúben Amorim, on a tremendous kick to Leiria nets. Although by this time the Leiria goalkeeper was suffering from pains, this goal is important mainly to Rúben who needed this goal to easier achieve the good performances, we are used to see.

Liga Sagres: Vitória Futebol Clube 1-1 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Last Saturday, the city of Setúbal, received the visit of the reds.

Everybody was with high expectations on good game, that mainly because the games of Vitória FC (Setúbal) at home are always considered difficult to the visitors and also because the last result between these two teams, had been of 8-1 benefiting the reds. Well, if we look at the final result, a one goal draw, we may consider that those previews were correct. In fact, who saw the game has the perfect conscious that Benfica lost two points for own responsibility.

SL Benfica controlled well the game and reached the goal by David Luiz 14' responding well to a corner kick and making the ball, who was touched by Ricardo Silva the Vitória defence, go into the nets of the goalkeeper Mário Felgueiras. Everybody expected more goals but the lack of enthusiasm and dynamic of the eagles made a timid Vitória appear. Before the end of the first part 38', David Luiz alone in the area missed a kick and unfortunately to the team made a own goal. Nothing of much importance to register until the end of the game, except for a great opportunity from Cardozo who missed a penalty near the end of the game. The referee team was not also 100% and a goal for Vitória and a penalty for Benfica were in our opinion bad judged. In resume, this game could and should have been better.

The last weeks have been full of cases in Portugal, involving police records (YouTube) of football people and their influences, referees being strangely contacted by phone, players of opponent teams being contacted to "give" them money, tunnels where players respond to Stewards words, and being "punished" someday. Well, If all this, being true or false, occurred till now, one question is needed to be asked: How dramatic will the next episodes of this Soap Opera be?

Living dramatic moments, are the lions, Sporting Clube de Portugal, that receive later the eagles, SL Benfica for the Liga Cup competition. After loosing with FC Porto the access to the next phase of the Millennium Cup and being at a distance of 19 points (one game less) of the Portuguese Liga top, the only national competition where Sporting can show some work is on the Carlsberg Cup.

All the eyes will be focused (20.15h local time) on Alvalade Stadium. Don't miss it!

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3-1 Vitória Sport Clube

More than 50.000 football fans assisted to the great game between SL Benfica and Vitória SC. The game was on Saturday evening on the beautiful Stadium of Luz.

The reds received the Guimarães team, this time for the Liga Sagres competition. The only team who had defeated the reds on official home games. But the game result became much different from that counting to the Portuguese Cup. Benfica won the game and the final result, was a fair victory of three goals to one. The northern team entered very well in the game and caused some troubles to the eagles, mainly after the first goal. Aimar, who is recovering his best shape, took the ball from the midfield and benefited from an apparently lost ball to appear alone facing Nilson and scoring the first goal for SLB. Some of the most dangerous Vitória SC players Custódio, Targino and Desmarets tried to break down the reds defensive, but only Nuno Assis grabbed that chance and didn't waste it.

On the second half Jorge Jesus transmited so much motivation to our players that at least two argued. But this kind of discussions, about who is in better position to shot the nets, was positive. The players involved were, Óscar Cardozo who, like any other striker around the world, focused on the nets and lost the chance of passing a ball to Carlos Martins, being this last one, eventually in a better position to score. The result of this guts to win the game gave some fruits later when Carlos Martins shot twice the Nilson nets. The Vitória goalkeeper who always makes tremendous exhibitions in Luz against Benfica had no chance to stop the powerful shots of Carlos Martins. On the last twenty minutes of the game Benfica played with only 10 players. Carlos Martins, the better player in field saw a second yellow card and went sooner to the dressing room. A important victory when the Winter market closed. About entrances and exits on Luz, here we leave some of them:

On Winter Market

Joining SLB:
Alan Kardec from Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama
Airton from Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Éder Luís from Clube Atlético Mineiro

Leaving Luz:
Shaffer loaned to Club Atlético Banfield
Patric loaned to Avaí Futebol Clube
Urreta loaned to Club Atlético Peñarol
Adu loaned to Aris Thessaloniki FC
Balboa loaned to Fútbol Club Cartagena
Moretto sold to Brasiliense Futebol Clube
Ed Carlos sold to Club Deportivo SCl Cruz Azul

Tomorrow Benfica will receive the União Desportiva de Leiria team on an advanced game of the Portuguese Liga Sagres. This option was considered because the calendar may cause some damage, principally the Europa League games, that will occur during this month. Until the end of the championship, many victories are needed and every points will count, so come to Luz to give the maxim support to our Club Benfica!