SPORT LISBOA E BENFICA » OUT OF MANY, ONE !

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 2-1 Rio Ave Futebol Clube

2010-05-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

Sport Lisboa e Benfica is the new Portuguese League Champion. After the victory of last Sunday afternoon against Rio Ave FC Benfica celebrates one more Title of the Club’s long history.

Benfica began the game very strong and achieved the goal soon, on the third minute, by Óscar Cardozo. Few minutes later the Brazilian Wíres made a unnecessary fault over Ramires and saw the red card (11’). The red fans would have probably preferred that the referee Jorge Sousa, did not send the Rio Ave FC player out, this because they were perfectly conscious that our players would win that game, although the difficulties they might face. The red players had few real chances after that episode but the majority of the time had the ball with them selves.

The last 45’ minutes of the season started and Rio Ave fell that they could do history playing in front of 64.103 spectators and they started to approach the eagles area. In reality, they scored by Ricardo Chaves (72’) and left the public present and the millions following by the TV apprehensive. But Cardozo wanted to have a preponderant paper on the “movie” and scored the second goal of the game. With this goal, the 26th of the League, Tacuara achieved the Silver Ball a trophy given by the Portuguese Sports Newspaper “Abola”, being the better scorer of the Liga Sagres and left the fans start the festivities.

The eagle players received the medals and the Liga Sagres trophy on the end of the game. Now that the 32nd Portuguese Championship is won, it is time to celebrate. A club like Benfica with so many followers all over Portugal and also all over the world, needs to win competitions, always respecting the opponents of course, but it’s in our blood, in our veins, the necessity of winning Trophies. The Club, the players and the fans deserve to keep on winning, with fair play and on an honest way, like we all did on the season that is now coming to an end.

Portuguese Newspapers

Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Portuguese Liga Sagres 2oo9/1o Champion !

To say the truth, it’s a pity that this season is already ending, because it was wonderful to see our heroes playing on the pitch, on each weekend and on each game...

The blogger will now go on holidays hopping to be back soon!

Liga Sagres: Futebol Clube do Porto 3-1 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-05-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

SL Benfica was defeated last Sunday on Dragão Stadium. The Jorge Jesus team could have celebrated the Champioship on the city of Porto, but the FC Porto players orientated by J. Ferreira didn’t allowed it.

The reds started very well the game and could have scored on two chances. The first from Di Maria when he shoot the bar and the other from Javi Garcia when appeared alone in front of Beto, the FC Porto goalkeeper, missing the chance. FC Porto scored on the best moment, just before the end of the first half, by Bruno Alves (42’).

Jorge Jesus knew that a simple point was enough to celebrate the title had the team fell that and scored, by Luisão (56’) just after Fucile the FC Porto defender saw the red card. Few minutes later the game become decided when E. Farias coming from a doubtful outside position scored, just when J. Ferreira was going to take him out of the game. The reds tried to react but Bellushi (82’) “killed” the game making a fantastic goal, on a shot from the left that gave no chance to Quim.

FC Porto played better and deserved the victory, unfortunately for them SC Braga also won their game and removed the possibility of FC Porto achieve the Champions League on the next season. Olegário Benquerença was the referee of the game and his decisions were not determinant on the final result. During the game Di Maria, Fábio Coentrão and Javí Garcia saw yellow cards that won’t allow them to be present on the last decisive game. Negativ was again the posture of some persons on the public inside and ouside the Dragão Stadium.

Now the Eagles will be able to celebrate the conquer of the Portuguese League, but for that they have to play better on the next home game and although not needing a victory, win the game.

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 5-0 Sporting Clube Olhanense

2010-04-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, more than 62000 people assisted to another unquestionable victory from Benfica. The reds received the team from Algarve, SC Olhanense and won the game, a five null victory, was the final result. The game started very well for SLB, making a tremendous pressing over the adversary. The players from SC Olhanense, fighting to avoid the relegation to the other division, revealed some nervousism. The Brazilian player Delson demonstrated precisely that insecurity, and saw two yellow cards on the first ten minutes. Initially touched the ball with his hand on the area and originated a penalty, that was converted by Cardozo (3'). The second yellow card, after committing an unnecessary fault near the midfield. Lucilio Batista the referee of the game couldn't have avoid showing this SC Olhanense player the respective red card. The Algarve become even more fragile when Di Maria (18’) reached the second goal few minutes later.

The second part started and before the 15th minute SL Benfica had already scored two more goals, both from Óscar Cardozo (54’ and 56’). Taquara that is trying to be the player with more goals scored on the Portuguese League this year. For now he is on top but Falcao the FCP player is just behind him. Jorge Costa substituted Djalmir and Ukra for Toy and Yazalde but they also could not avoid one more goal from the eagles, this time scored by Pablo Aimar (79’).

Two games to the Portuguese League terminates and the Champion is not yet reached. Benfica has a tuff challenge next weekend when the Jorge Jesus players play in Dragão against FC Porto. Only one point is needed to achieve the victory in the Championship, but also the Porto players need points to dream with the access to the Champions League. The second place is occupied by the fantastic team of SC Braga that also tries to win the League. The games on the next weekend will all be at the same time on Sunday evening, let’s just ask for Fair Play and emotive games.

Futsal European Champions:

UEFA Futsal Cup » SL Benfica 3-2 Interviú Madrid

This weekend was also important for our Club on other sport, Futsal. In fact, SL Benfica conquered the UEFA Futsal cup, on a final against the Spanish team of Interviú Madrid. The final result was obtains on extra time and the crowd loved it. Playing at home, Pavilhão Atlântico in Lisbon, the public made the difference. 9400 persons assisted to the game enthusiastically and vibrated with the victory. The heroes of were Pedro Costa, Ricardinho, Queiroz, Arnaldo, Davi, Zé maria, Gonçalo Alves, César Paulo, Marinho, Rúben Simões and the goalkeepers Bebé and Zé Carlos, trained by the veteran André Lima.

Liga Sagres: Associação Académica de Coimbra 2–3 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-04-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Last Weekend the reds visited the city of the students, Coimbra to play against the local team. AC Coimbra received SL Benfica on Sunday, 18h and playing at home tried everything to win points.

The first half started with the goal of Benfica, before the 3rd minute of the game. A goal obtained through a header of Weldon on the adversary area. Benfica controlled well the ball but some difficulties appeared, mainly because of the good organization of the team commanded by André Villas Boas. Académica reached the equalize by Diogo Gomes 29’ after receiving the ball had a powerful shot into the nets of our goalkeeper. Quim hardly could have avoid the goal, the ball came with effect and also because it slightly touched the centerback Sidney. Sidney that took the place of Luisão on the game. David Luiz was the captain of the team and helped the team to go looking for the second goal. Before the end of this part Weldon 41’ scored again, this time with his right foot after a brilliant cross from Angel Di Maria. The Argentine once again was in good plan and served the way he knows the reds attackers, Di Maria his one of the best players on the team serving his companions.

On the second half, André Villas Boas wanted to gain strength on the centre of the pitch made some changes. Jorge Jesus rapidly understood the new positions of the students and told Carlos Martins 56’ to enter to substitute O. Cardozo. The team became better on the midfield and, the number twenty of SLB, Di Maria almost reached the goal, but Rui Nereu the AC Coimbra goalkeeper defended well. The student players, Pedrinho, Sougou and Vouho they tried to reach the game equalize but the red defenders were better. On the 64th minute there was a chance for Carlos Martins score, after a tremendous shot, but the ball stopped on the Académica’s post. Alan Kardec entered to the place of Weldon. Jorge Jesus knowing that the result was not comfortable collocated into the pitch the Brazilian Ramires on the Aimar’s place. On the following minute, Di Maria on the left, crossed for the goal of Rúben Amorim 80’. When William Tiero scored 87’ for Académica few believed the 3 points could escape to the eagles.

A deserved victory from SL Benfica on a very tactical game, Jorge Jesus demonstrated why his experience makes our team play a beautiful football, and the most important, that is, helping the Club to occupying the Portuguese League Top position.

There are only 3 games to dispute and some fans feeling that the Portuguese League title is near made the following video. It was recorded in the Lisbon centre Marquês de Pombal, a special place used habitually to celebrate the red victories on the championship.

RESERVED

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 2 - 0 Sporting Clube de Portugal

2010-04-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Benfica returned to internal competition with a marvellous result, two null over the Lisbon rival Sporting CP. Previously to this game the disappointment of Liverpool.

Last Thursday Benfica went to Liverpool to face the local team of Liverpool FC and came with a 4-1 defeat. Rafael Benitez was intelligent and contained his players strengths. The first twenty minutes everyone expected a tuff Liverpool but it didn't appear. Benfica was well during that period but the fatigued started growing after the first half.

Jorge Jesus made some changes on the principal team and Sidney surged as backcenter. The team may have gain on having players taller, but in fact lost velocity and this factor may have been determinant on the defeat. The rapid counterattacks of the UK team and some mistakes of our goalkeeper Julio Cesar were also important. The Liverpool players like, Lucas (34'), Kuyt (28'), Gerrard and especially Fernando Torres (59' and 82') made a great exhibition and took all the hope to Jorge Jesus team. Players like David Luiz, Luisão and Cardozo (70') tried to reach the goals needed to go into the next Europa League round, but their work was not enough. Although the numbers may represent a big difference, in fact, the eliminatory was not so unequal and Benfica could also have passed. The truth is that Liverpool FC has a great team and in fact deserved the victory.

Yesterday, Benfica received the Sporting CP team for the Portuguese League Sagres and won the game. The victory was obtained on the second half, after a first part where Sporting CP played better. Pedro Mendes, Miguel Veloso and Moutinho were some of the better "lion" players on Luz. On a game with few opportunities of goal for both sides, Cardozo, on the 68th minute, had the fortune to score just before his substitution. Few minutes earlier on a ball disputed with the Sporting defenders he became injured and asked to go out. Jorge Jesus left Aimar on the bench and when he entered Benfica gained the midfield. Aimar (78') attitude was determinant for the team achieve the final result of 2-0, after a brilliant pass of the Brazilian Ramires. Also players like Rúben Amorim, Fábio Coentrão, Carlos Martins and Luisão played very well, specially David Luiz who once again demonstrated the mentality of a winner.

The Europa League dream vanished but the conscience of a work well done is present and that's what really counts. When the work is done on a proper way the victories and the titles will appear sooner or later.

Europa League: Liverpool Football Club vs Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-04-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight SL Benfica visits one of the more emblematic Stadium of the football world, Anfield. The stadium belongs to the English team of Liverpool FC. Later more than a football game we hope, we will be able to see a brilliant show, with lots of stars on both sides.

Liverpool FC was formed on the 15th of March 1892. It was at John Houlding's house in Anfield Road that he and his closest friends left from Everton FC, formed a new club. William.E.Barclay, a great football enthusiast, strongly suggested that they should go on with a new name: Liverpool. This historical Club has won along the times, 18 league titles, 7 FA Cups, 7 League Cups, 3 UEFA Cups and 5 European Cups.

Stadium: Anfield (45 000 Spectators)
Local Time: 21:05
Referee: Kuipers (NED)

Rafael Benitez to the Press
We are much stronger than we were few years ago, when Ronald Koeman and his Benfica won here in Anfield. Our team is better and the players feel that here is the oportunity of winning a trophie this season.

Jorge Jesus to the Press
We will make an excelent game tomorrow (today) like we did in Marseilles. Liverpool will initially be very strong but we are aware of that. Our players needed at least more 24 hours to be in better conditions but we intended that the Portuguese League is our main objective. However let’s now focus only on the Europa League game.
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Anfield is mystical for Liverpool FC, the place that already belonged to the “Toffees”, tonight can again be a stage of success for our players, like it was four years ago. Let's all walk with SL Benfica at the end of the game, from Anfield Road till the John Lennon Airport and finally to Portugal, with a smile.

Liga Sagres: Associação Naval 1º de Maio 2-4 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-04-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, SLB went to Figueira do Foz to play against the local team, A. Naval 1º de Maio. The red fans "invaded" the place and the locals appreciated.

A full stadium assisted to a game between a middle table team (10º), A. Naval 1º de Maio and the 1st, SL Benfica. Things started well for the home team and they scored two early goals, by Fábio Junior 2' and by Bolívia 12' . Jorge Jesus jumped near the bench and his energy probably made the defence errors disappear. On the line-up Jorge Jesus had collocated Weldon and his choice could not have been better. This red striker, achieved the equalize scoring two important goals. Inácio had his team well positioned on the pitch, but against the theory a pass from David Luiz that allowed Di Maria to score the third goal of the game.

Weldon was also important on the second half when he insisted on recovering a ball that everyone, but him, thought it was lost and made the fourth goal of the team happen. The referee Elmano Santos and his team did a good job. To register also, the good performances of the goalkeepers, of both teams, Peiser and Quim.Rúben Amorim, Maxi Pereira, Javi Garcia and Carlos Martins made a good game and this last Portuguese player almost scored on a shot to the goalie bar. On Associação Naval, some players wanted more and tried everything for a positive result, like for instance Diego Ângelo, Gomis and Godemeche.

Weldon Santos de Andrade (06/08/1980)

Weldon was born in Brazil in August 1980, in the region of São Paulo, more precisely in Santo André. He soon started playing football and his aptence for the modality made him represent the youth teams of America Futebol Clube. Santos Futebol Clube gave him the oportunity of playing more than ten games on the senior team between 2ooo-02. Later Brasiliense Futebol Clube and Sport Clube Recife had him on their teams before his transference to Associação Atlética Ponte Preta.
The dream of winning abroad appeared and he went to Al-Nasr Sports Club in Asia. One season he stayed 2oo4-05 on the Emirates before returning to Brazil, this time to represent the blue colors of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. On 15 games this striker scored 3 goals, that was considered few for the objectives of the Club and he was loaned to Clubs like Sochaux, Troyes, Sport Recife and also to the Portuguese team of Clube Futebol «Os Belenenses». Here in Lisbon he played in almost thirty games, scoring twelve goals. Jorge Jesus was the Portuguese coach by then and enjoyed the work of Weldon. Before he sign for Benfica he returned to the Brazilian Club Sport Recife. Weldon is becoming a better attacker, but it is not easy for him to play on the reds team when there are other options more qualified. He likes to play for the team and when the chance occurs he scores. A player that can be very usefull to any team. His strong mentality allows his good capacity of adaptation to new companions. Weldon has for sure still much titles to win.

A deserved victory for the reds that are now closer of the main objective.

Europa League: Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Liverpool Football Club

2010-03-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

A full Luz stadium is prepared to receive one of the most important games of the UEFA Europa League night. Liverpool Football Club visits Lisbon and will face one of the best Benfica’s team of the last years. Reds against reds. If this game between this teams, who normal use red colors, occurred on the Hamburg final, no one could would be surprised, because we are talking about two European historical clubs.

SL Benfica receives the Liverpool FC with the physical and physiological indices on top. In fact, occupying the first place of the Portuguese League and being the victorious team on the recent Carlsberg Cup Final helps in a very positive way the moral of the eagle’s players. Jorge Jesus wants the players concentrated and to be focused on the teamwork. Players like Aimar, Saviola, Cardozo, Martins and David Luiz can make the difference. Others like Ramires, Maxi Pereira, Javi Garcia and Luisão turn the group more solid. Every player want to be on that pitch later, but only eleven can be the ones to enter. Jorge Jesus knows that and also that this will be probably decided in Liverpool.

Liverpool FC only arrived to Lisbon yesterday night and they decided not to experiment the Luz “green”. Rafael Benitez worked already with some of the eagle’s players that will face tonight and probably feels that their capacity may decide the eliminatory. Liverpool comes to face Benfica with brilliant players like for instance, Reina, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt, but conscientious that their exhibitions during the current season hasn’t been as good as they wanted to.

A great game is expected, between two teams that, for sure enjoy scoring goals. What better can a spectator want than goals? Off course we hope that those goaaaaals may be scored for our boys. Both teams will never walk alone.

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Swe)

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Sporting Clube de Braga

2010-03-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

SL Benfica gave a enormous step to achieve the season title. Last Saturday night a full Luz Stadium saw the red athletes winning the game against the second place, SC Braga. The tickets had vanished two weeks before and the two better teams playing football in Portugal on the present season were facing each other.

The reds coach, Jorge Jesus, decided that the eleven players starting the game would be: Quim, the goalkeeper, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, David Luiz and Fábio Coentrão on the defensive, helped also by Javi García. On the midfield Ramires, Carlos Martins and Di Maria, while on the attack Cardozo and Saviola tried to reach the goal. In fact the goal was obtained on this first half, more concretely just before it ends, and by the centerback Luisão after a corner kick on the right. D. Paciência, SC Braga’s coach, tried to changes things on the second half, and his players started to appear near the reds area. And some danger occurred mainly by Mossoró, Paulo César and Alan, and many times on the free kicks of Hugo Viana or Luís Aguiar, this last one had entered the game meanwhile. J. Jesus knowing that the most important was to obtain the three points made Rúben Amorim, Pablo Aimar and Kardec substitute C. Martins, Ramitres and Saviola. Pedro Proença, the referee of the game, was very well during the game, although a penalty could had been marked, against SC Braga, when the ball touched Rodriguez’s hand. But, in our opinion Proença decided well and Rodriguez, one of the best centerbacks playing in our championship didn’t deserve that. SC Braga has this year and similar to the previous seasons great players on the team, and two examples of that are Luís Filipe and César Peixoto, the reds defenders who did not had the chance to play on this game.

Luís Filipe Ângelo Rodrigues Fernandes (1979/06/14)

Luís Filipe started playing football in 1996, on the youth teams of Associação Académica de Coimbra and later, in 1999, he went to Spain where he represented the B Team of Club Atlético de Madrid. This experience made him move to SC Braga to play for two years. His experience was good and the games made also brought good results to him and Sporting CP decided to sign him in 2oo1 a contract. This right winger played many times as defender, the results were not so good and the Sporting CP administrators decided to loan L. Filipe to União Desportiva de Leiria. Stability was not a point on his favour and he jumped to the island of Madeira to play for the Club Sport Marítimo. Thirty games later he returned to SC Braga where he participated on more than fifty games. This positive regularity opened the Luz doors and he came to Benfica in 2oo7. He stayed the first season, but on the second (2oo8-o9) he went, for loan, to Vitória SC where he played till he came back. This thirty years old player, hasn’t many chances on this actual Benfica, but Luis Filipe can for sure do much better when he gets his opportunity.

Paulo César Silva Peixoto (1980/05/12)

César Peixoto was born in the same place where Portugal was founded, the beautiful city of Guimarães. He represented a region club when he initiated his career. This northern club was Clube Caçadores das Taipas. Two seasons later in 2oo1 he came to Lisbon to play for Clube de Futebol «Os Belenenses» where he stayed for a year. His performance was so good that José Mourinho moving to FC Porto asked to his pass to be acquired. In the city of Porto and representing the local Club he stayed since 2oo2 till 2oo6. In between, he was loaned to Vitória SC and in last year to RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. Great games he had on one hand but on other some annoying injuries that frustrated his plans. César Peixoto returned to Portugal to play for SC Braga for two seasons and then was bought be SL Benfica. César Peixoto played many times on the left wing of the teams he represented but the necessities of the Clubs made him occupy the left back. His good performances made him got the place. The majority of the titles won by César where in FC Porto, like for instance Uefa Cup and Champions League, but he will for sure win some more while representing the Eagles.

Benfica is now 6 points away from SC Braga and the League is not yet won, but this victory represents a great deal. On the other hand SC Braga needs to look down because the second place and the Champions League access can be loss, this because FC Porto is only 5 points distance. Let’s now buy one of the few tickets available for receiving Liverpool FC for the Uefa Europa League next Thursday.

Glory days: Carlsberg Cup Victory and Europa League Quarter-Finals

2010-03-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Portuguese Sports Newspapers

Yesterdays Frontpage

(ABola,OJogo,Record)

Carlsberg Cup Final: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3-0 Futebol Clube Porto

SL Benfica brings another Carlsberg Liga Cup home. After the previous victory on this competition Benfica went to Algarve Stadium last Sunday to defeat the actual Portuguese Champion FC Porto.

The afternoon started not so well with disturbs caused by hooligans. The police should be more prepared to deal with this kind of situations and the laws should punish the prevaricators. A football game must be a pleasant time for everyone who pay for the tickets, that are not always cheap and easy to buy. The ones who really search for troubles should stay at home or be present to a police station, this independently of the colours they defend.

The game started with both teams well distributed on the pitch and Quim had some troubles to solve. The reds goalkeeper had at least two great defences before the reds goals. Benfica's goal appeared when Rúben Amorin shot the FC Porto's nets and Nuno E. Santo let the ball with a mistake, pass into the nets. Benfica that entered the game with some changes, like for instance the entrance of Alan Kardec, Airton and Carlos Martins. This last player Carlos Martins was preponderant on the game, when he made a fantastic goal on a free kick marked on a distance superior to 30 meters.

When the second half started everyone thought Jesualdo Ferreira would do something important on FC Porto team, but the red players were more than motivated and did not let them. A tremendous game from Luisão and David Luiz dominated Falcão and Cristian Rodriguez. To register on this second half only two things. The first one his the Bruno Alves FC Porto bad attitude, that needs to be more grown up, like for instance Alan Kardec, Pablo Aimar and Óscar Cardozo were dealing with him. The second point was the great performance of Rúben Amorim that gave the third red goal to Cardozo, just before the end of the game. A deserved victory from the best team on the Algarve Stadium.

Before the Liga Cup Victory Benfica went to France were few Believed a victory could be reached.

Europa League: Olympique de Marseille 1-2 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Memorable game for the reds. Olympique de Marseille received Benfica knowing that they were in advantage and made a game of contention and that was their mistake.

Benfica entered the Velodrome Stadium with the wish of scoring goals. The opportunities appeared but the lack of luck made all the chances being missed. On the other hand Olympique de Marseille had a chance and scored. Brandão passed Júlio César and gave Niang (70') the chance to score and he did not missed it. Fortunately for us Maxi Pereira (75') was once again decisive against the French and scored a goal on a long distance kick. Benfica dominated the game and Didier Deschamps had no solutions for the offensive football from the reds.

Ramires and Di Maria were also in good plan on this game on the other hand the referee team (Skomina - Svn) forgot to sanctioned two faults on the French penalty area for Benfica's. Both committed by the same Marselha's player Taye Taiwo. When everyone expected for the final whistle Alan Kardec (90') appeared alone in the area, on a free kick, and scored the winning goal. It's fair to say, that this goal and the eliminatory were more than justified and deserved for the eagles.

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Alan Kardec de Souza Pereira Junior (1989/01/12)

Kardec was born in Barra Mansa near Rio de Janeiro. This young striker made his formation on the Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama "school". There he also played in the youth teams from 2ooo till 2oo7. After it, he was called for the main team and there he stayed during the next two years, playing on more than fifty games. On the Valentines day of 2oo7 he played for the first time on the senior team of Vasco da Gama, on a victory against Nacional Fast Clube (2-1), on a game counting for the Brazilien Cup. Before he sign with the Lisbon team, SL Benfica, he was loaned to the Sport Club Internacional. To register also his participations on the Brazil Youth National Teams.

Alan Kardec his a tall striker who likes to discover spaces on the opponent areas. Kardek shots easily and scores even more if the adversaries give him to much space. He his smart and likes to play for the companions, has team spirit, thinking first on the collective and for last on himself. If he keeps that mentallity and interiorize what the coach needs from him, we will for sure gain respect and his place on the "tuff" European Football.

UEFA Europa League draw

Quarter-finals: 1 & 8 April

1: Fulham FC (ENG) v VfL Wolfsburg (GER)

2: Hamburger SV (GER) v R. Standard de Liège (BEL)

3: Valencia CF (ESP) v Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)

4: SL Benfica (POR) v Liverpool FC (ENG)

Semi-finals: 22 & 29 April

1: Winner quarter-final 2 v Winner quarter-final 1

2: Winner quarter-final 3 v Winner quarter-final 4

Final: 12 May

Hamburg Arena

On the following day (Friday 19 Mar) the UEFA's draw decided that the next Benfica's opponent will be the great team of Liverpool Football Club. One thing is certain the team that goes into the next round to face the winner of the confront between Valencia Club de Futbol and Club Atlético de Madrid, will "Never Walk Alone".

Europa League: Olympique de Marseille vs Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-03-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

This will be the day of decisions in the UEFA Euroa League. After a one goal draw in luz a great game expects Marseilles this afternoon.

A late goal from Ben Arfa gave Marseille the chance to receive the eagles in advantage. We all are aware that away goals are fundamental, so the expectations are at high level to see the stars in the Velodrome pitch later.

Olympique de Marseille is one of the most important French clubs of all times. This historical Club has been Champion of France already ten times, conquered the same number of France Cups. In Europe O. Marseilles was European Champion in 1993.

The Club of Olympique de Marseille was founded in 1899 in the city with the same name located in the famous region of the south of France. The Mediterrean animates the city and gives colour to it. The locals are not very friendly of foreigners but times are changing. In 1924 the first conquer was obtained, the French Cup. This great team achieved the first Championship victory in 1929. After 1986 great success moments took place and victories were obatined with the help of Bernard Tapie. To remember will be the players who played by then, Papin, Waddle, Francescolli, Stojkovic and so many others.

To the Press:

Didier Deschamps

We need to be well organized like we were in Luz. If we defend well for sure it will appear opportunities to our team score. We know that we can’t leave the Benfica players with the ball, because they do have good quality. I think this two teams will make the game like if it was of the Champions league, so we need the public to come to Velodrome to support our team.

Jorge Jesus

Our first objectiv is to win the Portuguese League. But this is another competition and we want to go on through the next round. We know that Marseille scored a goal in Lisbon but we are think we also can score in Velodrome. All my players are well, so let’s try to do even better in Europa League that the team did last year.

Vélodrome Stadium 19.00 (local time) » 60 000 Spectators
Referee: Skomina (Svn)

Olympique de Marseille

Goalkeepers: Mandanda and Andrade;
Defenders: Bonnart, Diawara, Hilton, and Taiwo;
Midfielders: Cissé, Mbia, Be.Cheyrou, Lucho Gonzalez, Abriel, Kaboré, Ben Arfa and Valbuena;
Forwards: Koné, Niang, Morientes and Brandão
Coach: Didier Deschamps.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Júlio César, Quim and Moreira;
Defenders: Maxi Pereira, Luisão, David Luiz, Miguel Vítor and Sidnei;
Midfielders: Airton, Ramires, Ruben Amorim, Javi Garcia, Carlos Martins, Pablo Aimar, Felipe Menezes, Di María, Fábio Coentrão and Éder Luís;
Forwards: Saviola, Cardozo, Nuno Gomes, Kardec and Weldon;
Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Benfica independently of winning or loosing the competitions where still is envolved, the Portuguese League, the Europa League and the Liga Cup, is doing one of the best seasons of the last years and most important of that this team enjoys the game. Somepeople say that the Target Bonus implemented in Luz seem to be the secret of this season success. I personnally agree that money makes people wok better not only in soccer but in other activities. Nevertheless, if there is a main reason for this season perfomance, that reason is Jorge Jesus and his dedication to the football team.

Liga Sagres: Clube Desportivo Nacional 0-1 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-03-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Madeira Island is recovering from the recent and terrible catastrophe occurred, with tremendous material and person losses registered. While life is coming back to normal with its ups and downs, Benfica visited one of the local teams, Nacional. The Madeira team is again well oriented by Manuel Machado, who unfortunately, for health reasons, needed to be away from the pitches for some time.

Both teams entered determination on the game and the goal could have occurred for both sides. Nacional although the recent loss of one of the most influent players on the team, Rúben Micael, who has been sold to FC Porto, continues with a football of high quality level. In their stadium they are even stronger and from the teams who visited them, few took from there the 3 points.

In evidence on the CD Nacional team were the goalkeeper Bracalli, Patacas and Halliche. Also in good plan were Leandro Salino and Thiago Gentil. Saviola and Cardozo tried to reach the goal on the first half without success. On the second part of the game Coentrão missed a chance and Cardozo a Penalty kick. But two minutes later Ruben Amorim gave another possibility to Cardozo score after a tremendous run on the right and a perfect cross to Tacuara score. Who also helped the conquer of the three points was Ramires and Quim, our goalkeeper.

This important victory occurred precisely with few time to rest from the previous game that, had been in Luz on the Thursday before, against the Olympique de Marseille team for the Europa League competition.

The stadium was not full but with many people who wanted to see two great teams. Benfica entered more dinamic and had some chances to score being to register on this first half some missed chances from Pablo Aimar, Saviola, Di Maria, Cardozo and of Brandão and of the Argentine Lucho for Marseille. Deschamps knew that a goal from the French could be important and, after the pause his players were better positionated on the pitch and exerced more pressure over the red players. Fortunately Júlio César, the “eagles” keeper, was in very good plan on two or three shots. Benfica reorganized, Ramires and Maxi Pereira become in evidence and caused terrible headheaches to the French. On the minute 75 SLB reaches the deserved goal by Maxi Pereira after a good pass from Di Maria. Ramires ten minutes later could have scored thw second but the ball did not enter. When everyone looked at their watches Ben Arfa scored for the O. Marseille.

Benfica will try everything now in France, knowing that a goal is needed. Although Niang (Marseille captain) and his companions think they are closer of the next phase, Benfica still have a word to say. On La Ligue things don’t seem to go as Deschamps wanted and in Vélodrome some nervousism may appear. Who are more confident after this weekend victory are the Benfica fans who already bought all the tickets for the game against SC Braga on the 27th March. This game might be the game of the season and the fans know it. For now let’s do our best in the Europa League.

Europa League: Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Olympique de Marseille

2010-03-10T14:18:00.001-08:00

Tonight SL Benfica receives the team of Olympique de Marseille. The French team returns to Portugal to play against the reds twenty years after a polemic game.

The team of O. Marseille comes to Luz, to dispute the first hand of the UEFA Europa League 1/8, after eliminating the Danish team of F.C. Copenhagen and after making a good work in the Champions League, although they didn’t go on through that competition. The team orientated by Didier Deschamps wants to make a different result from the one obtained twenty years ago in Lisbon. There was a full stadium to receive the semi-final of the European Champions Cup in 1990. Marseille had a good team but the eyes of the European were in the red players like for instance Silvino, Veloso, Aldaír, V. Paneira, Valdo and the Swedish player Matts Magnusson. But in that night one Angolan footballer would become the hero, his name Vata. He had entered the game to substitute Jonas Thern and near the end of the game, when there was less than 10’ to end it, Vata sent the ball with a touch of his hand into the French nets, the referee did not see the Vata’s fault and considered the goal valid. The public was so euphoric that was created the perfect ambient in Luz to Benfica go on into the final. The results against O. Marseille were 1-0 and 1-2. That final would be later lost in Vien against the AC Milan of Frank Rijkaard, Gullit and Van Basten.

SL Benfica players are focused on winning the Portuguese League but everyone wants to play this games and most important honouring the Club. Olympique de Marseille comes to Lisbon with very good players like Brandão, Ben Arfa, Niang, Lucho Gonzalez, and Valbuena. Both teams must be concentrated and conscientious that a goal can make the difference. To the Press:

To the Press:

Jorge Jesus
The Portuguese coach said that he wanted a victory. Responding also to a reporter said that a perfect result would be victory of 5-0. In fact, J. Jesus recognised that the French are a very dangerous team and the prove of that is the good performance they had in the Champions League, where they faced teams like Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Didier Deschamps
The French coach considered that Benfica is playing very well and that playing at home are a team that scores easily but that Marseille wants to get a good result.

Referee: Félix Brych (Germany)

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

Olympique de Marseille
Goalkeepers: Mandanda and Andrade; Defenders: Bonnart, Diawara, Hilton, Mbow and Taiwo; Midfielders: Cissé, Mbia, Be.Cheyrou, Lucho Gonzalez, Abriel, Kaboré, Ben Arfa, Valbuena and N´Doumbou;
Forwards: Koné, Niang, Morientes and Brandão;
Coach: Didier Deschamps.

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3-1 Paços de Ferreira Futebol Clube

2010-03-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, Benfica received the northern team of Paços de Ferreira that were coming from seven games without defeats, and obtained 3 more important points.

When the reds entered the Luz pitch knew that the direct rivals had already lost points on their games. The teams of SC Braga and FC Porto had only obtained one point each, this because they both had draws on the games they disputed, against Vitória SC away and Olhanense at home, respectively. The public, near 43000 spectators, felling that our team, the reds, could gain an important, three point distances from the second classified on the Liga Sagres, and eleven from the third, went to Luz Stadium helping the team to win this tuff game.

SL Benfica entered the game with a strong wish of winning the game and scored two early goals. The first goal was obtained, on the twelve minute, by Rúben Amorim. A precious insistence of Cardozo that after a brilliant cross from Di Maria, passed the ball to Amorim. The second goal was scored by “El Conejo”, Saviola. Benfica tried to reach the third goals and almost got it, but the chances were missed. Paços with a good team in Luz had fewer chances but also scored. On the 43’ William reduced scoring the Paços de Ferreira goal.

Julio Coelho the Paços de Ferreira goalkeeper was in evidence on the second half making some notable defences. Also in evidence on Paços team were Candeias and Maykon, fortunately for us Quim, the eagles keeper was in good plan. Quim was helped also by 70’ positive minutes of Airton who played in the place of J. Garcia, in front of Luizão, David Luiz, Maxi Pereira and Fábio Coentrão. Ulisses Morais players tried everything to change things but, Cardozo (58’) scored the third goal of the team and made the fans sing on Luz. Some minutes to show their value had Filipe Menezes, Sidnei and César Peixoto who entered the game on the last twenty minutes.

Airton Ribeiro Santos (1990-02-21)

Airton was born and raised in Nova Iguaçu near one o the most important cities in Brazil and in the world, Rio de Janeiro. When he was thirteen he started playing football at Nova Iguaçu Futebol Clube. He kept playing in youth teams of Mesquita Futebol Clube and later by indication of Adílio (youth coach) in Clube de Regatas do Flamengo when this last club signed him partially.

Airton, on a game (9-7-2oo8) of CR Flamengo against Atlético Mineiro made his first appearance on the Brazilian championship, when the coach Joel Santana called him from the bench.

He became Brazilian Champion with his mates on the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo team, before Benfica opened him the “doors” of Europe, signing with him a five years contract in the last winter market.

This young player may have a brilliant future ahead of him. He his strong physically and tall, but that characteristics don’t turn him slower and that’s important to help the team defending. He wins many balls turning the defence much more solid. He now needs time to meet better his companions and work well on the opportunities given to him by the actual Benfica’s coach Jorge Jesus, to progress rapidly but with his feet firmly on the ground, on this new European experience.

On this “gamesweek”, Benfica reached an important position on the top of the Portuguese League. Let’s believe on Jorge Jesus arguments and on the player’s abilities to win this Championship.

LIGA SAGRES: Leixões Sport Clube 0–4 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-03-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday night SL Benfica went to the northern, on the 21st "gameweek", to visit the team of the city of Matosinhos, Leixões SC. After the brilliant victory against Hertha Berlin SC, on a day where also Eusébio received the UEFA President’s Award from the hands of M. Platini, the reds returned to the League games with a victory for the same result, 4-0.

For the UEFA Europa League the reds received on Thursday afternoon the German team of Hertha Berlin SC and the final result was a great victory. Four goals for Benfica and zero for the Berliner team. Benfica dominated the majority of the game and made a tremendous exhibition. The Hertha Berlin players tried to avoid the Portuguese team goal with their maxim force and expected always to score a goal. Honestly, although the good performance of Drobný, the goalkeeper and from Cícero and Nicu, there was few they could do against this Benfica. Three goals of the game were scored by the Argentine Pablo Aimar (25’) and the other by Cardozo (48’ and 62’). The other goal of the game was obtained by Javi García who once again was very well. Javi that, after the game, told the Portuguese TV cameras that the team had played good football and defended very well, and considered also, that Benfica has good conditions to make good exhibitions in the UEFA Europa League.

On Saturday, when the Eagles entered the pitch of the Estádio do Mar everyone expected that SL Benfica players would be in "trouble". The weather was terrible, a cold night and lots of rain and of course, the home team, Leixões SC normally don't give many chances to the visitors. Nevertheless, a perfect football team entered that game and demonstrated a strong mentality. Benfica dominated the game and reached the first goal near the thirty minutes, when Éder Luís kicked the ball into the opponent nets. Éder Luís and Airton that started the game being part of the first team and responded correctly to what Jorge Jesus wanted from them. A great game also from Maxi Pereira, Ramires and Luisão always very secure. It is expected that Cardozo and Saviola score the team goals, but when on the game appears a players, in this case, like Àngel Di Maria the task is harder. Di Maria made an Hat trick with 3 goals scored. Well to say the truth he scored one more, when the result was still a draw, but it was invalidated for outside, a misjudge decision of the referee team. Also players like Quim, David Luiz, Fábio Coentrão had a great attitude and were later in the game helped by Carlos Martins, César Peixoto and Rúben Amorim that "jumped" from the reds bench.

Three very important points obtained on a difficult Stadium, the experts say that teams win Championships in this games. Well, Benfica isn't Champion yet but is for sure in the good way. Of course SC Braga is just on one point difference and the team needs to be extremely careful.
Also with this victory on the international competitions Benfica aims the next round and will face the French team of Didier Deschamps, Olympique de Marselha a good present to all Benfica lovers on the same week of the 106 anniversary of our glorious club Sport Lisboa and Benfica.

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

2010-02-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-09T02:17:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-02T11:58:00.000-08:00

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!

Carlsberg Cup.Rio Ave Futebol Clube 1-2 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-01-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

Once again in a short period of time, two weeks, SL Benfica went to Vila do Conde and won the game. This time the competition was different, Carlsberg Cup, but the wish to win the same.

Rio Ave FC, received the reds on the cold Sunday night and as usual played a lot to get a victory against SLB. We know that the teams of Carlos Brito are always tuff, and those players who entered on that game were, for sure, no different. Carlos Martins scored the first goal of the game, but few minutes later, Rio Ave FC achieved the goal. A fault committed by David Luiz originated a penalty that was, successfully converted by Bruno Gama. Later and when Rio Ave FC, was showing some tiredness, from another recent game they had for the Portuguese Cup, Di Maria shoot accurately for the second goal of the game.

Maxi Pereira and Moreira were very well on this game, similar work had the new player Alan Kardec, who had the chance to enter the game and send for two times the ball to the posts.

Benfica achieved the first place of the group and will go into the next phase. The adversary was precisely chosen today, and the draw dictated that our glorious team will play against our eternal rivals in there stadium. The game against Sporting CP will be probably on the 9th or on the 10th of February.

Yesterday, the great Portuguese player Eusébio made 68 years old. What better way to celebrate that date than opening a particular game between the old glories of SL Benfica and other Stars, the Zidane friends. Unfortunately, like the king observed, the reasons to join us all here are not the better, and we know that everything we do against poverty or in this concrete case to help the Haiti people, will always seem few. Among the players the public, more than 51.000 spectators, had the pleasure to see Fernando Chalana, Nené, Mats Magnusson, Figo, Kaká and Zidane. The final result was a 3 goals draw but the best result was that amount of money obtained with the Portuguese public collaboration.

Maybe the players who passed yesterday by the Luz Stadium are a bit fatter, with the more white hairs, and also a bit slower, nevertheless we will never forget the ones who so much happy moments gave to us, football lovers. Thank you all for being who you are.

Liga sagres: Club Sport Marítimo 0-5 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-01-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica wins against the CS Maritimo team, in Madeira island, and keeps sharing the top of the Portuguese Liga with SP Braga.

Recently, there were the huge and known celebrations of the new year, in the Madeira Island. One of the most popular places in Portugal and in Europe, to celebrate the entrance in the new year. Probably the Maritimo players were still recovering from that particular night. The mistakes the players orientated by Mitchel van der Gaag were so many that, was difficult not winning that game.

Last Sunday the Lisbon team made one of the most intelligent games on this season. Benfica conceded some ball control to the home team, during half an hour, but on the other hand, the team of Paulo Jorge and Manú had few spaces to play. During this period a lonely chance, created by Cláudio Pittbull, took some danger to the nets protected by Quim. After this, the red forwards demonstrated their great capacities. Di Maria, Aimar and Cardozo helped Saviola (30') scoring the first goal. A brilliant header from "El Conejo" that gave no chance to Peçanha, the CS Maritimo goalkeeper. Peçanha was disappointed with his companions and, more reasons had a few moments later, when Olberdam decided to say something probably nasty and the referee heard and he become expulsed from the game. On the 34' Maxi Pereira appeared on the area and scored the second of the eagles. Before the end of the first half, Robson originates a penalty and sees the red card. Cardozo called to kick the penalty doesn't miss and scores the third goal of the team.

On the second part of the game, Jorge Jesus players controlled even better the match and reached the goal, for two more times. An own goal by R. Sousa and the other from the team captain, the Brazilian Luisão. When Carlos Martins, Nuno Gomes and Éder Luís entered the game, few was left to do.

The referee could have marked two penalties, one against Benfica on an eventual hand from Maxi and the other against CS Marítimo on a eventual fault on Aimar. But in a global way the work of João Ferreira and his team was positive and did not caused any interference on the final result (0-5).

On the thirteen January SLB visited Vitória SC for the Carlsberg Cup and achieved a draw on a terrible pitch. The weather in Guimarães was terrible and both teams suffered a lot to be able to play a decent match. Douglas (56') scored for Vitória SC and Fábio Coentrão (75') equalized the game. Few spectators (4.318) and few more to say besides the titularity given by J. Jesus to Julio César, Roderick and to Éder Luís.

The liga Cup needs to be more attractive, in terms of sport and earnings. It is urgent to rebuild the competition in a way that everybody can be satisfied, the Clubs and of course the fans.

Liga Sagres: Rio Ave Futebol Clube 0-1 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2010-01-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

In one of the most difficult games of this weekend, the reds visited Via da Conde, and brought three precious points back home.

Everyone knew that playing against Rio Ave FC, at their place, is extremely complicated and, if any doubts could be, the results achieved by them on the first half of the Liga Sagres, express perfectly well that: 7 games played – 2 Victories – 4 draws – 1 defeat. Useless to say that the defeat was this Saturday night against Benfica.

Jorge Jesus wanted to win this game, but he couldn’t get to much risks and suffering a goal. The eagle players could have entered better on the first half, but the structure of Rio Ave FC, made by Carlos Brito, didn’t allow that. Players like Fábio Faria, Bruno Gama and also the veteran João Tomás, for instance, consolidate this northern team, making of it one of the most solid on the midfield and mainly on the defence. Fortunately for us the return from the dressing rooms gave the players a different moral, that allowed Benfica reaching the goal. The goal was scored by Saviola on a lucky kick, after a corner kick has been marked and the opponent players stayed mainly worried with the taller guys.

Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández (1981/12/11)

Javier Saviola known also as El Conejo (The Rabbit) was born in, Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1981.

This Argentine player who also detains the Spanish nationality, by the age of sixteen began playing football on River Plate. The excellent performances and the title of the South American Football player of the year 1999 helped his talent being recognized.

The European dream became true, for one of the most important teams of the old Continent, Barcelona FC signed him when he was 19 years old. Louis Van Gaal helped him grew up and he responded with goals. After that fantastic season some ups and downs occurred on Cataluña and ended with the loan to the French team of AS Monaco FC. Later another loan allowed him the conquer of the Uefa Cup, while representing this Spanish team of Sevilla FC, in 2006. The return to Barça was a reality but noticed was the following season when Real Madrid signed with him.

This striker is known by his agility and velocity. He scores easily and likes to appear on the second posts on corner kicks and free kicks. Saviola likes to enter the penalty area with or without the ball to score. A disgrace to the opponent defensives.

Now it is time to represent the reds and play in the Cathedral "Luz". Among his companions, one above all, has many responsabilities for the presence of Javier in Luz, is name P. Aimar. His old River Plate mate told him, how big Benfica is and, how he could once again show his qualities, this time in Portugal.

Everyone can see that the "Rabbit" is happy for being playing with regularity and also for being part of this Benfica team.

Tonight Benfica will visit the city where Portugal became a Nation, Guimarães where we will be facing the local team Vitória Sport Clube. This game is the second one of the Liga Cup Group competition, where we expect another victory.

Carlsberg Cup : Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Clube Desportivo Nacional

2010-01-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

The year started well for the reds. A victory on the 1st round of the Carlsberg Cup 2oo9/1o group phase.

Benfica received the Madeira team, CD Nacional and won. The reds couldn't have had a better result after the holidays period. To return to competition after Xmas and the New Year celebrations is not definitively easy.

The eagles appeared with a bit of apathy on the first half, where Carlos Martins, had a good chance to score for the reds. On the second half Nuno Gomes (78') entered into the game and made an amazing pass to Saviola who once again scored "easily".

A note to the referee O. Benquerença and his team who weren't lucky in Luz, penalizing both teams. For instance, not marking penalties that could have been marked and avoiding to show the red cards on more aggressive disputes between players. Also a goal for National may have been wrongly invalidated. We also think like the Portuguese Liga President hoping that any day in the future technologies may be implemented on football, helping the referee teams make there job even better.

Yesterday Benfica received Centro Desportivo de Fátima for a friendly on Caixa Futebol Campus and lost. The final result was 1-2, and the reds goal, was from the argentine Di Maria. The new acquisitions of SL Benfica, Airton, Alan Kardec and Éder Luís had the chance to show some of their qualities.

This young players demonstrate that the eagles are in the right way to build a even more competitive team. Now it is time to recover the fitness. The harder competition phase is yet to come.

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Futebol Clube Porto

2009-12-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

The eagles dominated the Portuguese Champion FC Porto and demontrated they want the 1st place.

SL Benfica received last Sunday the team of Porto, the night was cold and with lots of rain. The Stadium was full, almost 64 000 spectators did not fear the bad weather, but who suffered the most with those conditions was the pitch and the artists of both teams. SL Benfica had to enter the game with different players, if we consider the usual team. Urreta, Carlos Martins and C. Peixoto demonstrated they are in the first eleven but have the qualities needed to also belong there.

The game was very tactical, maybe because both coaches, Jorge Jesus and Jesualdo Ferreira, knew that a defeat could make some damage on the team prestige and probably be an psichological unadvantage. After the result of FC Porto obtained in Madrid with unexpected numbers, few believed that the reds were going to control the game so well.

Saviola cannot be many games away from the goals, and when Cardozo doesn’t score, there he cames, to show he also makes the difference. El Conejo, or the rabbit, as he his known, made an important goal that consolidates the position of the team in the top of the Portuguese League Sagres near SC Braga. Carlos Martins also made a fantastic 1st half and it was noticed he gave all he could, by his exhaustion on the second part of the game. Porto played a bit better on the second part Another important factor was the lesion of Ramires. Fortunately Luisão and once again David Luiz showed their qualities. Quim responded very well when needed and also the players who entered, Luis Filipe, F. Menezes and Weldon demonstrated that they want other chances. A final word to the habitual good perfomances of Maxi Pereira and Javi Garcia.

A Victory finishing the Europa League Group I

Benfica finishes the Europa League group phase with a victory. The greeks of AEK Athens come to Lisbon wanting to repeat the result obtained in Athens but faced a solid team that did not give them that chance. Angel Di Maria wanted to recover his image and he did it. The argentine football player made an amazing exhibition and obtaining also the two goals of the reds. The Greeks reduced but their lack of motivation was evident, so the game ended with a 2-1 victory for our team.

Uefa Europa League Draw

The draw made today in Nyon, Switzerland, decided that the European SL Benfica, will play, once more, against Hertha BSC Berlin in the next knockout round.

The next obstacle of the reds, the German team of Hertha BSC Berlin, has played earlier in the group phase against another Portuguese team Sporting CP,at the end, the results between them were, one game lost away and other won at home, both with the same final result 1-0.

To be present on the next draw, the Eagles will need to eliminate the German team, knowing that they will want to be present, on a final, that takes place on their own country. In fact, the Final will be on Wednesday 12 May in Hamburg. But the reds want to have the privilege, to be one of the finalists. Let's try to win and thing on the next rounds, step by step, The quarter-finals are played on 1 and 8 April, the semi-finals on 22 and 29 April.

Great victories before Xmas makes the fans dream with Titles. Let’s show our true value in the new and happy year of 2o1o.

Europa League: Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs AEK Athens FC

2009-12-17T01:21:00.000-08:00

Now it is time to receive AEK Athens FC. The Greek team has been the only team, until now, who had won us, for the Europa League group phase. By that time and after a defeat in Greece, on the second group game, few could have expect that by this time Benfica would be the first of the group and AEK, was fighting for avoid the last place of the group. This game, may allow some less used players to show their value and also to let them demonstrate that they deserve more opportunities. Let's hope that, if tonight any other earthquake occurs in Portugal, it will not be 6.0 Richter scale, but on a scale of goals scored: 6 goals for Benfica of course.

Jorge Jesus to the Press:
"Roderick Miranda will play for sure, we can't say yet where he will play but he will be in the eleven for sure. " About the next two games: "I want to win both games, nevertheless if I had to choose one I had to win, I would for sure prefer to win the one counting for the Portuguese League, next Sunday."

Dušan Bajević the Press
Also the coach of Geraldo and Manduka, who dressed before the red colours, rather prefers to win the league match. "It is natural that both teams are now more concentrated on the national Leagues. The group is decided, but of course I think both teams will try to win the game tomorrow (today) and give their best in the Europa League."

Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Goalkeepers: Moreira and Júlio César;
Defenders: Luís Filipe, Maxi Pereira, Roderick Miranda, Luisão, Miguel Vítor, Sidnei, Shaffer and Peixoto;
Midfielders: Javi Garcia, Carlos Martins, Felipe Menezes and Di María;
Forwards: Óscar Cardozo, Nuno Gomes, Weldon and Keirrison;
Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Referee Gianluca Rocchi (ITA) Assistant referee Luca Maggiani (ITA) Nicola Nicoletti (ITA) Additional assistant referee Luca Banti (ITA) Emidio Morganti (ITA) Fourth official Christian Brighi (ITA)

Liga Sagres: Sporting Clube Olhanense 2-2 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-12-16T02:01:00.000-08:00

A terrible nightmare emerged, last weekend, from the adorable nights of Algarve.

SL Benfica went to visit the historic team of Olhanense, but almost everything went wrong. Although the nights of "Allgarve" may be extremely animated and enthusiastic, specially in the summer, this was not one of those. There were no tourists and no hot weather, probably that was the main reason why the red players forgot to play football.

The team of Olhão, SC Olhanense, has been away of the first Portuguese League since 1975, and we gladly appreciate a presence of a team of the South of Portugal among the best teams of our country. The presence of Algarve teams, in the 1st League, is something important and we hope that the presence of this team or of other clubs from the same region becomes more often.

The reds coach Jorge Jesus, who had played, on those remote times, for the Olhanense team knew perfectly well that this would be an important game for the Algarvian team. Knowing this and also that, SC Olhanense team is mainly composed for young players, somehow related to Benfica, Sporting and Porto also trained by an old porto player Jorge Costa, J. Jesus should have prepared better the eagles team to this game.

Before the game has started we lost somehow P. Aimar, injured. The team of Olhão entered well on the game and scored on the 10th minute by C. Fernandes. After the red card been shown to the Olhanense player, Djalmir, Saviola scored for Benfica. But before the end of the first half Toy scored again, for the home team, and things become even worse when Ramires also become injured.

On the second half, many red fans were worried for the booking possibility of David Luiz, an eventual 5th yellow card, that could let him out of the next home game against the Portuguese Champion FC Porto, but Soares Dias, the game referee, avoid to show him that same card. Who did not have the same luck was F. Coentrão with an Yellow card and Di Maria who once again reacted irresponsibly to an opponent and saw the red card. When the game was ending Miguel Garcia intended to do justice with his own hands, or better with is own feet, and went out of the game, sawing a red card, after a displacing aggression to D. Luiz. Nuno Gomes who had taken the place of Coentrão had the chance and scored well, before the final of the game, 92’.

A total disillusion of the red fans, not only for the result but mainly for the lack of dynamic. Also disappointed were the Olhanense coach who deserved a better result and see once again two important points disappear so rapidity.

The question is simple: Who will need more this 2 points at the end of the championship?

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 4-0 Associação Académica de Coimbra

2009-12-07T04:07:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica with this victory is with the same points of SC Braga in the top of the Portuguese League classification.

For the Portuguese League, Liga Sagres, Benfica received last Sunday night the “students” team. The Associação Académica de Coimbra visited Luz with the hope of obtaining a victory. In fact, the last two visits from the Académica team to the eagles nest had similed to them, where they won both games. The game was marked by lots of rain and lots of goals but, this time, for the reds. Óscar Cardozo with 3 goals and Saviola with the most beautiful goal of the night gave a tremendous hapinness to all the fans present in Luz.

Benfica brought from the Belarus cold 3 precious points that guarantee to the reds the 1st place of the Uefa Europa League group I.

The eagles went to play against FC BATE Borisov last Wednesday and obtained a very important victory. Two goals from the eagles against one from the Belarussian team gives us hope at the next knockout stages draw. One of the main advantages of being the group winner is to avoid the teams that are coming from the Champions League.

The game was disputed on the Dinamo stadium in Minsk (10.000), and some changes were operated by Jorge Jesus: Fábio Coentrão took the place of Di Maria and F. Menezes the place of Aimar, Miguel Vitor played instead of Luisão and Júlio César was the goalkeeper. The low temperatures were probably the main reason for the reds apathy, mainly, on the first half, where FC BATE was the only team near the goal, on a Krivets free kick. Fortunately, the second half couldn’t have started better. A brilliant triangular process, between Filipe Menezes and Fábio Coentrão originated the opportunity to Saviola (46’) score and he did it. Saviola again on the left side of the reds attack, had another chance and gave it to Coentrão (63’) that took it, making the second goal for the reds. The players of FC BATE were dangerous on free kicks and on corners and reached the goal on a Miguel Vitor own goal. When Di Maria and Aimar entered the game, could have scored but, the really important thing now is the group position achieved.

Europa League: FC BATE Borisov vs Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-12-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica will play tonight against FC BATE, fighting not only, for a point that gives access to the next round, but for a victory.

The Football Club Borisov Works of Automobile and Tractor Electronic Equipment was founded in 1973. FC BATE is the 2oo8 Champions of the Belarus and also of the last two years. The team also won the Belarus Championship on 1999 and 2002.

The plane took during a 4.30h journey the twenty one players that are available to play later in Minsk. On the other side, Jorge Jesus will no be able to count with Sidnei, Carlos Martins, Luis Filipe and Luisão but for sure other players will be good alternatives.

Although the low temperatures on the Belarus, the players only think on achieving a victory. The cold may be a problem for the reds but never a excuse, like Ramires says and when they enter the pitch to play against the Yellow-blue team of Borisov they will certanly forget it quickly.

www.Weather.com

Jorge Jesus to the Press:
“We will not face this game thinking that a draw gives us the qualification to the next phase. Our idea is to win here, that may allow us to obtain the group first place.”

Viktor Goncharenko to the Press:
“We know very weel the Benfica team. He hope to win the game, although a draw would be satisfatory, and tet’s see what happens on the other group game.”

Town Stadium: Stadion Horodskiy(20h local time)

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.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Goalkeepers: Quim, Moreira, Júlio César;
Defenders: Maxi Pereira, Roderick Miranda, Miguel Vítor, David Luiz, Shaffer, César Peixoto;
Midfielders: Javi Garcia, Ramires, Ruben Amorim, Pablo Aimar, Di María, Fábio Coentrão, Felipe Menezes;
Forwards: Saviola, Cardozo, Nuno Gomes, Weldon, Keirrison;
Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Referee
Thomas Einwaller (AUT)
Assistant referee
Norbert Schwab (AUT) Klaus Strasser (AUT)
Additional assistant referee
Bernhard Brugger (AUT) Dietmar Drabek (AUT)
Thomas Prammer (AUT)

Liga Sagres: Sporting Clube de Portugal 0-0 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-12-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend the eagles visited the lions and a null draw was the final result.

SL Benfica went to a full Alvalade Stadium last Saturday night where our team played against Sporting Clube Portugal. The greens (SCP) were in a difficult period, on the 8th place and with a distance of eleven points from the top. The eagles were in better shape but knewing that in those conditions it wouldn’t be an easy game.

The game turned out very tactical and much miedfield played. Carlos Carvalhal the lions new coach did eveything he could to show a good team on his first derby. Jorge Jesus awaited for a genious to appear on the game like Di Maria or Pablo aimar.

Few oportunities on a good game, where the result made justice to both teams perfomance. On the eagles side Cardozo, Quim and Ramires were in evidence. Also David Luiz and Javi Garcia showed arguments to aniquilate the habilities of some green players like Moutinho, Veloso and Liedson.

After the game Jorge Jesus noticed that SLB had won this game because the team was able to mantain a candidate to the title on a considerable distance. Nevertheless, this will only became a reality if, J. Jesus be able to keep the good team perfomances and of course with good results.

When a high level game like this occurs it is needed to observe two aspects: the pitch and the visitant fans. A Stadium like this one of Alvade deserved a better pitch. The grass was not at the level of the stars and when it is show everyone looses. On the second aspect, about the fans, it is sad to watch more than 1600 young red people treated so badly until they arrive the stadium. In Portugal laws are created to allow, that animals, have to be transported in better conditions. Those 1600 football lovers payed a lot to see the game and deserved better treatment. More sun and more police are for sure not the solution.

When the team can’t win a game, the better thing they can do is: NOT loosing it.

Millennium Cup: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 0-1 Vitória Sport Clube‏

2009-11-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, SL Benfica, was beaten by the team of Guimarães, for the Portuguese Cup.

The possibility of winning the second most important trophy in Portugal, on the present season, vanished last weekend with a defeat from Benfica at Estadio da Luz. The team of Vitória Sport Clube, came to our place and took us away the possibility of accessing Jamor (Final). Paulo Sérgio appeared in Luz with a dynamic team and with guts to win the eliminatory. Players like Nuno Assis, Desmarets, Sereno and the goalkeeper Nilson were in good plan, destroying the creativity of the reds. A lonely goal obtained on a corner kick, by Gustavo Lazzaretti was more than sufficient to give the victory to northern team.

The lack of ideas of the eagle players was in evidence, and the team tried hard, but the goal did not appeared. A poor first half, from the reds demonstrates that not all the games can be resolved on the second part. Players like Moreira, Sidney and Keirrison could have done better, to grab the opportunity given by J. Jesus, but when the rest of the team does not help, things become harder.

A player that wants to demonstrate his value and conquer his space on the team is Felipe Menezes. The young Brazilian played few minutes on this Cup game, but demonstrated once more good qualities that may be useful on a near future.

Game Info:

Stadium: Estádio da Luz – Attendance: 25 000 spectators

Referee: Elmano Santos (Madeira island)

SL Benfica: Moreira, Rúben Amorim (F. Menezes 84'), Sidnei, David Luiz, Fábio Coentrão, Javi Garcia, Ramires, Di Maria, Aimar (Weldon 67'), Saviola, Keirrison (N. Gomes 80').
Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Vitória Sport Clube (Guimarães): Nilson, Andrezinho, Lazzaretti, Moreno, Sereno (Milhazes 69’), Custódio (Alex 80’), Flávio Meireles, João Alves (Douglas 90’), Desmarets, Nuno Assis, Targino.
Coach: Paulo Sérgio.

Goals: 0-1 Lazzaretti (25’).

Robert Enke

2009-11-17T12:24:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica traveled to Açores islands to dispute and win, against Clube Desportivo Santa Clara, the Pauleta’s Trophy. The result was a one goal draw at the end of the 90’. Two of the best players from the Eagles in action were Keirrison who scored the goal in the regulamentary time (35’) and, Jean Silva who scored also with success the last of the 5 penalties.

What better way can be done to demonstrate and elogiate the qualities of a player than a football game. That is precisely what hapened with the portuguese player Pauleta in the last Friday night game and will for sure occur in the Portuguese Cup game coming next where SLB will face Vitória SC (Guimarães) and Robert Enke, who tragiclay died recently, will be remembered.

One week ago, the world football become more poor, Robert Enke died. A train took his life near Hanôver. A possible suicide was annouced by the police. Near friends and family also confirm that possibility.

Enke was born on the 24 August 1977, in Jena. He played for the local team Jena Pharm, then in FC Carl Zeiss. He was representing Borussia VFL 1900 Monchengladbach when SL Benfica decided to sign him.

When R. Enke arrives to Luz, in 1999, he was already the Under-21 goalkeeper of his nation. Robert’s task wasn’t easy he had to do better than Bossio and to try to make the fans forget the Belgian Michael Preud’Homme. Neverthless, he reached the titularity of the reds main team and cativated the public, although the Club was on a results crisis, and on that years the reds were far from obtaining trophies.

Enke is still remembered by his kindness and the Portuguese coach Toni still remembers the abondoned dogs Enke frequently took to his place. A very disciplinated player that could and should have had a different life. Unfortunately to him and to the ones near him things weren’t easy. The Turkish experience in Fenerbahce was so bad that he only played a game. Even, before that, when he left SLB, to sign with Barcelona FC and all the newspapers were after him, things didn’t smiled to him as expected.

The return to Germany in 2oo4, after CD Tenerife, to assume the Hannover 1896 nets, was very positive to his career and he had a new oportunity in his hands to prove his true value. He grabed that chance and reached later in 2oo7 also to the National Team. The access to the German shirt was difficult because of two other big goalkeepers, Kahn and Lehmann.

Health problems were prejudicial to Robert Enke and also to his daughter, who had died ealier. The question Why (Warum?) apears, more than to ask why that train robbed his life, to ask Why can life be, sometimes, so unfair?

http://www.hannover96.de/CDA/top-stories/robert-enke-youtube-fanvideos.html

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Associação Naval 1º de Maio

2009-11-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

Walls do come down.

Yesterday was celebrated the anniversary of the Berlin's wall fall. The majority of the people present on that moment think that it took too much time, near 30 years, to fall down. To commemorate the reunification of the West and Eastern Germanys in 1989, was produced an event watched all over the world, where pieces of Domino fell down. Well, also yesterday our team SL Benfica played for the Portuguese League and the difficulties faced were so much that it seemed that the Eagles were playing against a wall. The similarity of the Berlin wall and the Naval wall cannot be made in terms of suffering, but one thing is coincident, both walls took too long to fall.

Last night, Benfica received the team of Naval, coming from Figueira da Foz. The visitant team disposition proportionate almost 90 minutes of game in only one side of the pitch. The away team coach A. Inácio, probably to honour the Berlin event, told his players to defend with all their forces. The strategy delineated made that the almost every players of Naval hardly passed midfield. When a counter attack occurred only two or three players expected to score benefiting from some mistake of the red defenders.

When a game has this type of characteristics and we do not see many goals, there are only two reasons possible. The first is that the red players are inefficient and the other is that the defenders were much better than our attackers. I frankly believe that this last hypotheses is the most correct and the public also in Luz, more than 40 000 spectators, probably would agree. A strong factor called Peiser, the goalkeeper of Naval avoided the success of the Benfica players for several times. A tremendous actuation from the French goalkeeper almost guaranteed the success of his coach and team. The red players felt on their legs the European game played on the middle of the week before, nevertheless they had plenty of good opportunities to score, unfortunately to us only one, break the wall, but it was worth it. It was almost at the end of the game, 89', when J. Garcia scored a great goal, responding positively with his head to a cross from a free kick marked on the left.

Maxi Pereira told the Press, that they the team needs to get used to difficult victories, like this one against A. Naval 1º Maio. Probably many other teams that will visit Benfica will play like that. We need to adapt to that kind of posture.

Rúben Amorim and Di Maria are two players who were evidently with "low batteries" yesterday. It is strange to say, but they were tired, for a good reason. They made a brilliant game in Liverpool, last Thursday against Everton FC. This two young players, with the rest of their companions, made a very good exhibition which allowed an important victory. Their performance in Goodison Park was so good that they took all the possibilities, of the English team to reach a positive result. Everyone knows that the games of the Portuguese teams in England are not easy and the European home games of the Toffees , are always very difficult to the visitors. It is needed to say that the goalkeepers from both sides, Tim Howard the USA Squad goalkeeper and the Brazilien Júlio César, made a good job. Saviola and Oscar Cardoza scored the two red goals and silenced Goodison Park.

As always the British remembered and honoured our "Black Panther". Eusébio went to the middle of the pitch before the beginning of the game and received a deserved gift from the Everton FC people. A return to a stadium where he scored 6 goals in the 1966 World Cup tournament representing Portugal and where he would have faced England in the semi-finals but the Football Association decided to switch the game to Wembley at the last minute. It is good to know that the star he was, is still remembered by the ones who had the opportunity and the pleasure of seeing him playing in the land of the Beatles.

Europa League: Everton Football Club vs Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-11-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Benfica’s team got the plane, yesterday morning, to UK. After the flight the team took contact with Liverpool, adapted to the Goodison Park pitch and concentrated on a local Hotel.

Today Benfica in a very difficult game against Everton FC on Goodison Park, a Stadium built in 1892 (+ 40,000 spectators), has the opportunity to keep the first group position and give a big step into the next phase. The Europa League game is creating enormous expectations in England, this because the Toffees want to demonstrate that the result obtained by the reds a few days ago, was just an accident. An historical result like that is not obtained on every game, so the time to the Everton players demonstrate that the Lisbon result was totally unfair is reached. Benfica wants on the other hand to control the game and most important of all to gain points.

The historical Everton Football Club was formed in 1878. The St Domingo Methodist Church Sunday School was opened in May 1870 and eight years later the football team using the St Domingo name played its first match in the south-east corner of Stanley Park, with the players carrying the posts from the park lodge on Mill Lane before fixing them into the metal sockets at either end of the crudely marked pitch. St Domingo's FC quickly established a local reputation for them selves and players were recruited from outside of the parish, precipitating a change of name in November 1879 - to EVERTON. Many relevant players took part of the Everton’s history, like for instance Lineker.

Jorge Jesus thinks a draw maybe positive but Benfica will play for the victory. Some journalists asked J. Jesus if he was worried about the fact of on the games SLB did not won Benfica suffered earlier. Jesus”We are not worried with that fact. That is only statistic numbers.” The reds coach thinks that what really matters is the work the team develops.

David Moyes Everton’s coach, that won’t be able to count with John Heitinga and Lucas Neill. L. Saha is also in doubt, told the Press that they don’t want to use the word revenge but it’s is true that their pride is in stake. The defeat in Lisbon, Everton's heaviest loss in UEFA club competition, still hurts.

“We are going to get a good result. Nevertheless a point would not be a bad thing the way the group is going.” “The key is to qualify, that's our objective tomorrow. But we have to play much better than we did in Lisbon.”

The Toffees midfielder Jack Rodwell believes that Everton FC can do better on tonight’s game:
“We want to prove that we are the better team on this group and has I expect the most strong on the competition. Nothing is decided yet. We need to win the next game and hopefully confirm the achievement to the next stage. Some important players recovered and will be able to play so will be better this time.”

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim, Moreira, Júlio César;

Defenders: Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, David Luiz, Luisão, Shaffer;

Midfielders: Javi García, Ramires, R. Amorim, Coentrão, Di María, Felipe Menezes, Aimar; Forwards: Nuno Gomes, Weldon, Saviola, Cardozo and Keirrison;

Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Everton Football Club

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Carlo Nash;

Defenders: Tony Hibbert, Sylvain Distin, Joseph Yobo, Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy;

Midfielders: Dan Gosling, Jack Rodwell, Marouane Fellaini, Hope Akpan, James Wallace, Tim Cahill;

Forwards: Jô, Louis Saha, Jose Baxter, Kieran Agard and Ayegbeni Yakubu;

Coach: David Moyes

Referee

Said Ennjimi (FRA)

Assistant referee

Frédéric Cano (FRA) Djemel Zitouni (FRA)

Additional assistant referee

Hervé Piccirillo (FRA) Ruddy Buquet (FRA)Fourth official Didier Falcone (FRA)

Liga Sagres: Sporting Clube de Braga 2-0 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-11-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica lost several things in the city of Braga.

Last Saturday night Benfica went to Braga to play against the local team, SC Braga. The city was lived the day with an tremendous excitation, this because in Braga many local citizens are Benfica lovers. Both clubs are identified with the red colours, so the city was all dressed in that same colour. In addition to that both Clubs were with the same 22 points in the top of the Portuguese Football League.

The game started well for the home team and they scored soon by Hugo Viana (7') on a direct free kick shot. The public was enthusiastic but Benfica reacted well and could have reached the goal when Ramires missed a chance facing the goalkeeper Eduardo. SL Benfica missed some chances to score and one from Luisão that went into the Braga nets was invalidated by the referee. When the first half was finishing a ball went to the bench of Braga and when Di Maria tried to catch it heard some insults and replied sending the ball back. Nothing strange in a mans game but the worse was yet to come: The referee Jorge Sousa, one of the best nowadays working in Portugal, decided to end the 1st half, but could not imagine that the players of both team would be involved in the tunnel.

On the break time Benfica starts precisely on that moment to loose something more. Initially Cardozo was beaten in front of everyone and also in front of the cameras before entering the Tunnel. Some people say that he was again beaten on the tunnel that gives access to the dressing rooms, but this time by securities. It is strange because these professionals are paid to protect the integrity of the persons present on the Stadium and above all of the players. Well, the result is easy to understand, Leone (SCB) and Óscar Cardozo saw the red Card. Yes, the best scorer of the Portuguese League did not have the chance to return and show his abilities.

On the second half Benfica tried to reach the Braga nets but their defensive, the best until now of the Liga Sagres, was stronger. Players like Hugo Viana, Alan and João Pereira made a tremendous game for the locals and demonstrated that they deserved to win that game. This last player João Pereira is well known of the Benfica followers because he won the last Championship for Benfica when Giovanni Trapattoni was our Coach (2004/05).

Braga defeat well our team, now that we lost the game, lost Cardozo and lost the possibility of being alone on the first place, let's try to avoid loosing more players on the Tunnels. Strangely that Tunnel disagreements had also happened before on the game against CD Nacional.

We may have lost some important things in Braga, but we will all football lovers pray to the Portuguese League 2009/10 be decided on the pitch by the stars, the players, and not on some other places and by some other intervenient.

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 6-1 Clube Desportivo Nacional‏

2009-10-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Luz 2oo3

Two pleasant wins with lots of goals, one last night for the Portuguese Liga Sagres and the other one last Thursday for the Uefa Europa League competition.

Yesterday SL Benfica received and won CD Nacional. It was a night of feast and joy, to begin, the celebrations of the anniversary of the Estádio da Luz. The six years of age had been precisely on the day before, Sunday but, the Club celebrated precisely on the Liga Sagres game with all the Club owners that mean us all Benfiquistas. Of course not all Benfica lovers can dislocate them selves every week to see our SLB playing but last night at least 47011 had that chance. To help the commemorations Benfica players gave all they could to win the home game against the Madeira Island team and, were able to obtain the 3 points.

Jorge Jesus knew that things would not be simple. In fact Nacional has robbed us some points on previous seasons and wanted to make it again. So Benfica’s coach J. Jesus delineated a scheme that allowed him to make what he wanted with the CD Nacional team. But things were also difficult, principally on the first half where the quality of some Nacional players, like Rúben Micael, appeared. On the second half Benfica showed the superiority inside the field and the result become on a five goals difference. Nacional from Madeira demonstrated on this game that has a good team but also fragilities and some the lack of experience, similar to their performance, on the Uefa Europa League. CD Nacional is playing very well on the Europa League but unfortunately for them the results are not as they wanted.

The red goals were obtained by: 1-0 Cardozo (17’), 2-1 Saviola (40’), 3-1 Cardozo (49’), 4-1 Saviola (63’), 5-1 Nuno Gomes (86’), 6-1 Cardozo (92’).

Also an important consideration to make is about the northern referee’s team (Vasco Santos), with two relevant mistakes committed: an irregular goal by E. Costa (27’) for CD National validated and an inexistent penalty marked for SLB. The penalization of this minor work was for both teams and also for the public that is becoming tired of so many errors.

On a fantastic and historical European night Benfica defeated the English team Everton FC. When the first half finished with a lonely goal from Saviola (14’) few believed that the reds would became the winners with a five goals difference. But in fact it happened; the earlier goals from Cardozo (47’ and 48’) on the second part of the game helped the destruction of the English strategy. The other goals were scored by Luisão (52’) and again by Saviola (83’). Some important toffee players missed that Europa League game, one of those was precisely their Captain Phil Neville that told the Press that the game in England would be different and that he is sure that the Everton will do everything to win that game.

For the Portuguese Cup Millennium the reds knew today that we will play against Vitória SC (Guimarães).

The Portuguese Cup competition draws, to be played on 22nd Novenber, is listed below.

FC Tirsense – FC Paços Ferreira

GD Pescadores C Caparica – Sporting CP

Rio Ave FC – CD Santa Clara

CD Nacional – CD Fátima

UD Oliveirense - FC Porto

GD. Chaves - UD Serra

A Naval 1º Maio - Gil Vicente FC
SC Freamunde - UD Leiria

Aliados FC Lordelo - Leixões SC

SC Braga – Vitória FC (Setúbal)

SL Benfica – Vitória SC (Guimarães)

A. Académica Coimbra – SC Beira Mar

AD Camacha - GR Vigor Mocidade

AD Oeiras – CD Pinhalnovense
SC Valenciano – CF Os Belenenses

Vieira SC or CD Mafra – CF União

Europa League: Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Everton Football Club

2009-10-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Everton FC visits Lisbon and, plays later against SL Benfica. After the draw 1-1 obtained against Wolves (Wolverhampton) the Toffees bring to Luz 5000 fans. The Liverpool team came to Portugal without some players like Joseph Yobo and Steven Pienaar. Also injured are the club captain Phil Neville and the defender Phil Jagielka but those two players flew with the rest of the team.

Benfica won’t be able to count with Keirrison, Schaffer and L. Filipe, nevertheless Jorge Jesus told the Press that SLB will do everything to win the game and considers that the team is on a top level force.

“Everton FC is a strong team, with quality players especially on attack. Everton is a typical British team that normally uses direct football, with crosses into the area.”

“Everton is practically into next phase, so the discussion will basically be between SLB and AEK”.

J. Jesus considers also that this game is not fundamental for the reds, although a victory would be important to help our team go on into the next stage.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim, Júlio César;

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

Midfielders: Javi García, Carlos Martins, Fábio Coentrão, Felipe Menezes, Di María, Rúben Amorim, Ramires, Aimar;

Forwards: Saviola, Nuno Gomes, Weldon, Óscar Cardozo;

Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Everton Football Club

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Carlo Nash;

Defenders: Tony Hibbert, Sylvain Distin, Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy, Hope Akpan;

Midfielders: Dan Gosling, Leon Osman, Jack Rodwell, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Tim Cahill;

Forwards: Jô, Louis Saha, Ayegbeni Yakubu, Marouane Fellaini, James Wallace;

Coach: David Moyes

Referee

Nikolay Ivanov (RUS)

Assistant referee

Nikolai Golubev (RUS) Viacheslav Semenov (RUS)

Additional assistant referee

Vladislav Bezborodov (RUS) Vladimir Pettay (RUS)

Fourth official

Alexander Gvardis (RUS)

Millennium Cup: Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo de Monsanto 0-6 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-10-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

For the Millennium Cup, the team Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo de Monsanto received this weekend our SLB. Instead of playing the game on their pitch called Campo do Pião, they decided to dispute the game on the stadium Dr. António Alves Vieira. The decision became in fact positive because Monsanto is a little village and the Stadium chosen located in Torres Novas had better conditions to play and also to be seen by the public.

One of the main advantages of this competition is allowing that players from Clubs like Monsanto playing on secondary leagues have the opportunity of probably making the game of their life. Many of those men have other jobs, so when this occurs normally a celebration is prepared and that’s precisely what happened with those persons located on the centre of Portugal. The festivities took place in Monsanto and in Torres Novas and the fans of both Clubs ate and drunk in great co fraternization.

Obviously the most important to the reds was the magnificent result, six goals obtained without response. But things were not as easy as they seem and the lonely goal of the 1st half scored by Felipe Menezes on the 29’ confirms precisely that. The Benfica team who returned from the dressing rooms was completely different in attitude and five more goals were obtained. Two of those goals belonged to Carlos Martins. Saviola and César Peixoto scored each other one goal. The last goal was from Fábio Coentrão just before the end of the game. Jorge Jesus gave the opportunity to Moreira keep the nets and also to Mantorras play some minutes, fact that gave much enthusiasm to the red fans present. In evidence, besides C. Martins with his goals and Nuno Gomes who was the Captain, was Fábio Coentrão who scored his first official season goal.

Game Info:

Stadium: Dr. Alves Vieira in Torres Novas

Referee: Paulo Costa (O’Porto).

GDR MONSANTO: René; Ruas, Filipe, Bá and Ito; Bruno Matos, João Martins, Gutty (Bruno, 62m) and Dani; Jamerson (Júlio, 81m) and Carlitos (Alex, 62m).

Bench: Nuno Martins, Marçal, Figa and Alexgol.

Coach: Vítor Alves.

SL BENFICA: Moreira; César Peixoto, David Luiz, Sidnei and Ruben Amorim; Javi Garcia, Fábio Coentrão, Felipe Menezes (Saviola, 62m) and Carlos Martins; Nuno Gomes (Mantorras, 68m) and Weldon (Miguel Vítor, 75m).

Bench: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Di María and Urreta.
Coach: Jorge Jesus.

Goals: 0-1, Felipe Menezes (29m); 0-2, Carlos Martins (46m); 0-3, Carlos Martins (59m); 0-4, Saviola (84m); 0-5, César Peixoto (88m); 0-6, Fábio Coentrão (90+1m).

Fábio Alexandre da Silva Coentrão (1988/03/11)

Fábio is natural of Vila do Conde where he was born on March 1988. The Youth Teams of Rio Ave FC made Coentrão the player he is today. Gave him the possibility of achieve the first Rio Ave team in 2oo5. Fábio’s first game on the first league was against Braga when he was only 17th years old. He represented the hometown Club Rio Ave FC from 2004 until 2007 and played so well that called the attention of many Sport Press and International Clubs. During this period his Club participated on the first Portuguese league and on the secondary league also.

The Fifa Under20 World Cup in Canada (2007/06/30 - 2007/07/22) gave him the opportunity to represent Portugal colours. The winger signed contract with the reds on the summer of 2007, but few chances had to show is real value and the result was a loan on January to the Madeira Island team Clube Desportivo Nacional, where he stayed until the end of the season. After his passage for Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. and again for Rio Ave FC he has now an important chance to demonstrate his real value.

Fábio returned to SLB more experience and mature. The result of the work he developed along this time, away from Luz, made him grew up as a man and as a footballer. Perhaps he might become a better player and if well protected, who knows, maybe a world star.

Coentrão likes to see Cristiano Ronaldo play football and enjoyed a lot the way he was received in Santiago Bernabeu. Another great Portuguese player makes part of his life somehow, this because Coentrão was several times called as “Figo of Caxinas”. Caxinas is the local in Vila do Conde where he grew up and Figo because of the player Luís Figo.

F. Coentrão is a great winger who prefers the left side. The velocity and his technical abilities represent two main characteristics. A severe danger to the opponent defences. He surely fascinates the spectators.

The red left winger has the dream of having a boat. He and his brothers always loved the sea, in fact, his father, now retired, was for many years a fisherman. When Fábio goes to the market he easily identifies the fishes. Probably he inherits the courage of the fisherman, passed from his father to him. He feels that in a way or in another the nets take part of his life.

One thing is certain the young Fábio Coentrão loving the ball as he loves the sea has a majestic future in front of him.

Liga Sagres: Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira 1-3 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-10-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Two different games got two different results.

The Greece visit to play against AEK Athens FC confirmed that the European away games can be a problem to our team. It is true that these kinds of games don’t seem to bother, but it is also true that a defeat is always a defeat. This Greek team showed that it was accessible and we could have brought some points from Athens.

On the other hand Benfica returned to the Portuguese League and returned to victories. In fact, it was a great victory, on a hard game, against FC Paços de Ferreira. A team always tuff principally when they play at home. The earlier goal scored by David Luiz proved that when work is done things become easier. With two more goals, one from Carlos Martins that reappeared well after being injured and the other one from the Paraguayan player Cardozo, SLB reached the end of the first half comfortably. Only a well organized Benfica with lots of concentration to gain balls and spaces on the opponent defensive. The pressure our team did was more than sufficient to enervate Paços de Ferreira team and for consequence making their players committing errors. The Brazilian defense Maycon scored for Paços on the 67’ but it was late to change things.

Without some international players Jorge Jesus got an important away victory and also a good performance of other team players and that’s what really counts.

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

2009-09-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-17T03:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Liga Sagres: Vitória Sport Clube 0-1 SL Benfica

2009-08-25T12:06:00.001-07:00

SL Benfica had the most difficult victory till now. The Vitória Sport Clube players, once orientated by Jesus are now well orientated by Prof Nelo Vingada, had more chances to score than our team. The motivated Guimarães players did all they could to defeat Benfica. Cardozo missed a great chance on a penalite shot but he his young and will soon now how to change things for better and present us all with great perfomances on the future games. Fortunately to SLB Ramires scored a great goal on a fault once again brilliantly marked by Fábio Coentrão.

The official games are harder to win and different from the pre-season, that were fantastic. On the day Jorge Jesus was announced as Benfica’s coach, for a two years contract with one more optional, he knew well that those difficulties would appear, but on this Club everyones thoughts are on winning. Jesus wants for sure to win Titles and be a positive mark on the history of the Reds. The words of Jesus saying that wanted to become Portugal Champion on this first year motivated even more the fans

The successor of Quique Flores wants to win everything, but the Spanish coach also dreamed with that, and the final results were not good as expected after months of brilliant work. Jesus wants above all to turn Quique’s team more dynamic. Jorge Jesus appreciates to study the opponent teams almost until exhaustion and ideas will appear when needed to change the positioning of the team. The lack of ideas was one critical point of Quique Flores that in a crucial season phase did not know how to solve similar the problems. Of course there is a big loss, Reyes that doesn’t belong anymore to this group, but other solutions were obtained by Rui Costa and the President LF Vieira.

Jorge Fernando Pinheiro de Jesus (24/07/1954)

Jorge Jesus was born almost 55 years ago, in Amadora, a city near Lisbon that grew tremendously in the last long years. In the local Club, Clube de Futebol Estrela da Amadora, he started playing, but soon changed to Sporting Clube de Portugal, where he stayed for two seasons. Sporting was also Jesus father Club where he played on one of the most kown teams ever. J. Jesus good performances made him wear the shirt of almost twenty Clubs, from the south to the north of Portugal. Later he returned to Amadora and before becoming Coach Jorge played one season for Sport Benfica e Castelo Branco.

Jorge Jesus learnt with the best on the beginning of his Coach career. The times spent on Barcelona with Johan Cruyff he will never forget.

J. Jesus represented, as coach, the following Football Clubs during his career:

Amora Futebol Clube (1989 - 1993);
Futebol Clube de Felgueiras (1993 - 1998);
Clube de Futebol Estrela da Amadora (1998 - 2000 and 2002/03);
Vitória Futebol Clube (2000 - 2002);
Vitória Sport Clube (2003/04);
Moreirense Futebol Clube (2004/05);
União Desportiva de Leiria (2005/06);
Clube de Futebol - «Os Belenenses» (2006 - 2008);
Sporting Clube de Braga (2008/09)

Jesus brought has on his staff, thre following top professionals:

Raul José is a well known coach that will be focalized on the forward players work;
Miguel Quaresma will have the specific job of training the defenders;
Mário Monteiro the third element of the staff will assume the players fitness.
Bruno Mendes works on the reds Lab and will be able to recover enjuried players;
Minervino Pietra the glourious Benfica player will transmite the Mystic to the group;
Luis matos will be the Goal Keepers Coach;
Marco Pedroso the video technician will study the teams.

Jorge Jesus is well known in Portugal by everyone who loves football. He likes discipline and rules. The benefits to the players are enormous although some don’t like initially his methods or probably his words. As a coach he likes detailed explications to the players in entrainments and also to the players on the bench during the games. If the players give their best they will become more discipline and more creative, and a better football model will apear on the team.

Next Thursday SL Benfica will play the second leg of the Europa League play offs. The four goals advantage scored on the home game against Vorskla Poltava allow Jesus the introduction of other players on the team. On the other hand will be able to avoid some fadig on other players.

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-1 Club Sport Marítimo

2009-08-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

I Love Benfica

The slogan “I Love Benfica” is well known in Luz. The fans are proud of Benfica and they prove it going to the Stadium and demanding for a great Benfica. The team is not yet solid but last Sunday, although the result against CS Marítimo has been only a one goal draw, the public was happy with the players, the coach and their performance. So many chances created, with balls on the bar, penalty missed and knowing that the best player on the field was the opponent goalkeeper Peçanha. When things work out, the results will appear, consolidating that huge Love for Benfica.

The insular team Marítimo, scored on the 24th minute of the first half. The goal from Alonso was marked on a penalty shot. Benfica responded on a Weldon header at the 86’. The late goal was above all the result of a well organized Marítimo’s defence. The Madeira team deserved the point they took and proved that to defend a result the players don not need to turn the game boring.

Next Thursday Benfica will receive on Luz Stadium the FC Vorskla Poltava. The squad achieved this phase winning the Ukrainian Cup. Vorskla played in the annual opening game of the season, the Ukrainian Super Cup. FC Vorskla Poltava played against the champions Dynamo Kyiv. After a null draw at full time, Dynamo won the cup on penalties shots.

Some words of the Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, to the Press, about this game:

“The team (Vorskla) is not well known in Europe, but it is a good squad. They got Quality, stood on 4th Position on the Ukraine League, and won the Cup.”
“They play rapidly on offense transitions with two good players. I think the counterattacks are their best weapon.”
“It is important to us, score goals without suffering any. We want to go far on this competition. (…) We want to recover the Glory of other times”

FC Vorskla Poltava

FC Vorskla Poltava, once called Kolgospnyk, was founded on 5th day of January 1955. Vorskla is the name of the river that goes through the city of Poltava.

Achievements:
Owner of the Cup of Ukraine (1956);
Winner of Ukraine First League Championship (1995/96);
Bronze prize winner of the Ukraine Major League Championship (1996/97);
Participant in European Championships:
The Cup of UEFA 1996/97 (second qualifying round); 1999/2000 (first qualifying round);
The Cup of Intertoto 1997/98, (third qualifying round).
Owner of the Cup of Ukraine (2009).

City: Poltava
Country: Ukraine
Site: www.vorskla.com.ua

The Great Gladiator Eusébio

2009-08-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

Benfica won the Eusébio Cup, against AC Milan, on a penalty shoot decision.

The Luz Stadium, with more than 60 000 spectators, watched Benfica players receiving the Trophy from the hands of the “Black Panther”.

The game was well disputed, and the victory deserved and justified, although the good performance of the Italian team.

Our coach Jorge Jesus had asked the players, before the game started, to play at least 50% of what Eusébio normally did. It seems that they heard him and dignified the Club giving the deserved honors to “The King”.

Football is one of the most fantastic sports of our times and certainly one of the most watched all over the world. Fortunately Benfica can sometimes proportionate full stadiums and if well managed this may allow the Club to earn a lot of precious money. On remote times the Romans used to watch several spectacles on the Roman Coliseum. The Emperor was there and tickets were paid. Also by that time a crowd of near 50 000 spectators watched Gladiators fighting on the Arena, sometimes until death. These public spectacles had the duration of all day long. Animals also participated and the crowds enjoyed the shows. The football players are the modern Gladiators also them are considered the heroes and have lots of women following them. If we were asked nowadays to choose an Emperor, we would for sure nominee the great Gladiator Eusébio da Silva Ferreira.

SL Benfica - AC Milan, 1-1 (5-4)

Portuguese League 2oo9/1o starts today

The season will start next weekend and the perfomance Jesus asked the players, will defintely be needed allong the all season. Only the most regular team, will agregatte more points and be the Champion.

God bless Jesus!

2009-08-07T04:22:00.000-07:00

The players are learning the football concepts of the new Benfica’s coach Jorge Jesus, and the results are apearing.

A brilliant perfomance at the tounaments where Benfica participated. Three victories at Guadiana, Amsterdam and Guimarães. Tournaments.

Tomorrow an expected exciting game against a dificult opponent, AC Milan. After the last home defeat against the Spanish team Atheletic Madrid, the team wants a different result now.

The reds receive AC Milan on the second edition of the Eusébio Cup. Last year another Italian team took the Trophy, Inter Milano, but these year the Benfica fans want the victory.

Do not loose these game!

Uefa has a new football competition, Uefa Europa League, replacing Uefa Cup.

The competition started a few weeks ago and now is the time to Benfica catch the “european train” on the play off round.

The Europa League draw placed the ucranians FC Vorskla Poltava on Benfica way.

The games are expected to be played over two legs on 20 and 27 August 2009, home and away respectevely.

Berne, 1961 – European Champions Cup 1960/61

2009-07-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

The first opponent of the Portuguese champion was the Scotish team Heart of Midlothian Football Club. Benfica brought a 2-1 victory from Edinburgh, J. Augusto and J. Águas scored the Portuguese goals. In Lisbon the vitory also smiled to Benfica on a three null victory. The same scorers but these time Águas scored twice.

The next round was against Újpest Football Club and after a large victory, 6-2 (J. Augusto 2, J. Águas, Santana and Cavém) on the first game in Luz, few believed Újpesti FC could do better. The second game in Budapest was a defeat 2-1 (Santana) but the main objectiv was obtained.

The Dannish team AGF - Aarhus Gymnastik Forening tried in vain to do better, but this Benfica was unstopable. Two victories marked the eliminatory, 3-1 in Lisbon (J. Augusto and J. Águas 2) and 4-1 in Denmark (J. Augusto 2, Santana and J. Águas).

The Austrian team, SK Rapid Wien came to Lisbon and suffered 3 goals (J. Águas, M. Coluna and Cavém). The second game had to end 3 minutes before the regulamentar time, this because by then the result was 1-1 (J. Águas) and the referee didn’t mark a supposed penalty fault.

On the 31st May 1961 the Wankdorf Stadium, in Berne, received the European Champions Cup Final. FC Barcelona, that had earlier eliminated Real Madrid CF, would be the other finalist, playing against SL Benfica. FC Barcelona had great players by that time, like for instance, the Hungarians Kubala, Kocsis and Czibor.

Location: Berne, Wankford Stadium (30 000 spectators)

Date: 31/05/1961

Referee: Gottfie Dienst (Switzerland).

Finalist Teams:

SL Benfica: Costa Pereira, Mário João, Ângelo, Neto, Germano, Cruz, José Augusto, Santana, José Águas, Coluna and Cavém.

FC Barcelona: Ramallets, Foncho, Garay, Vergés, Gensana, Garcia, Kubala, Suarez, Evaristo, Kocsis and Czibor.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3-2 Futbol Club Barcelona

The first goal of the game was scored by kocsis (20’) but before the end of the first half Águas scored and Vergés with an own goal, turned the result. Coluna scored soon on the second half, but FC Barcelona players made everything they could to change the result. Fortunately for us only Czibor scored (75’).

The Benfica’s Coach Bella Guttmann knew how, the team who had belonged before to Otto Gloria, could make brilliant exhibitions. The rest was done by, the Portuguese goalkeeper, Costa Pereira, and by his brave companions.

Preliminary round
Hearts FC 1-5 SL Benfica
FC Barcelona 5-0 KS Lierse

First round
Real Madrid CF 3-4 FC Barcelona
SL Benfica 7-4 Újpest FC
Quarter-finals
SL Benfica 7-2 AGF Århus
FC Barcelona 5-1 Hradec Králové

Semi-finals
FC Barcelona 2-2 Hamburg SV
SL Benfica 4-1 Rapid Wien

Final
SL Benfica 3-2 FC Barcelona

Season 2009/10

2009-07-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Club » Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Stadium » Luz
Academy » Caixa Futebol Campus (Seixal)
Foundation » 28 Feb 1904
President » Luís Filipe Vieira
Sports Director » Rui Costa
Head Coach » Jorge Jesus
Coaching Staff » Minervino Pietra and Raul José (Assistant Coaches) Mário Monteiro (Fitness Coach), Márcio Sampaio (Fitness Recovering Coach), Luís Matos (Goalkeeping Coach), Miguel Quaresma e Marco Pedrosa (Observers)
SL Benfica TV » benficatv@slbenfica.pt
Website » www.slbenfica.pt

PRE-SEASON

Caixa Futebol Campus (Seixal)

8 - 15 July » Tour » Switzerland
12th July » Football Club Sion 2-2 SLB
13th July » FC Shakhtar Donetsk 0-2 SLB

Next Games

16 - 18 July » Guadiana Tournament - Vila Real de Santo António (Athletic Club de Bilbao, Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht or Sporting Clube Olhanense)
21st July » Club Atlético de Madrid
24 - 26 July » Amsterdam Tournament (Sunderland Association Football Club, Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax NV, Club Atlético de Madrid)
1 - 2 August » Guimarães Tournament (Vitória Sport Clube and Portsmouth Football Club)
8th August » Eusébio Cup (Associazione Calcio Milan)

Benfica is leaving Switzerland, precisely the country where obtained the first European Champions Cup (1960/61).

Amsterdam, 1962 – European Champions Cup 1961/62

2009-07-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

Cristiano Ronaldo is the new Real Madrid player and was received, in Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, by 85 000 enthusiastic fans. The President, Florentino Pérez and the Real Madrid Marketing team know exactly how to valorise their “galactic” players and CR9 is the most recent example. To the presentation two special guests were invited, Alfredo Di Stéfano and Eusébio. These two football players’ stars played against each other on the Euro Champions Final 1962.

Amsterdam, 1962 – European Champions Cup 1961/62

The first ECC round was played against FC Austria Wien, on 31st October 1961 and the final result was a draw to one goal (J. Águas). Two weeks later, the result would be different for SL Benfica, 5-1 (Santana 2, J. Águas 2, Eusébio) at Luz Stadium.
On the second round the opponent was FC Nürnberg. The snow was present when Benfica visited the German team and the 3-1 (Cavém) defeat almost compomised the chances of the Portuguese players.
Fortunately for us on the night of 22nd February, Benfica won the second leg on the Lisbon game for 6-0 (Eusébio 2, J. Augusto 2, J. Águas and Coluna).
On the semi-finals, came Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from the United Kingdom, whose team lost the game in Luz 3-1. The scorers from the Benfica side were José Augusto with two goals and Simões. Things became harder at the White Hart Lane. On the London game the Spurs won for 2-1 (J. Águas).

On the 2nd May 1962, Amsterdam, received the European Champions Cup Final. Benfica with Eusébio known as the “Black Panther”, José Águas, Mário Coluna and António Simões facing Real Madrid CF of Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskas and Francisco Gento.

Location: Amsterdam, Olympisch Stadium

Date: 02/05/1962

Referee: Léon Horn (Holland).

ECC Final Teams:

SL Benfica: Costa Pereira, Mário João, Ângelo, Cavém, Germano, Cruz, José Augusto, Eusébio, Coluna and Simões.

Real Madrid CF: Araquistain, Casado, Miera, Felo, Santamaria, Pachin, Tejada, Del Sol, Di Stéfano, Puskas and Gento..

Sport Lisboa e Benfica 5-3 Real Madrid Club de Fútbol

Real Madrid CF entered better on the game and Puskas scored two goals (17’ and 23’). The reaction of Benfica was quicly and José Águas scored two minutes later. On the 34th minute Cavém had a chance and made the second Portuguese goal. The “Merengues” tried to achieve again a positive result before half-time and Puskas did it, he scored at the 38th minute.
On the second half, the benfica’s players scored three goals. Coluna initially and latter Eusébio scored twice, helping SL Benfica to bring the second ECC home.

Preliminary round
Budapesti Vasas S Club 1-5 Real Madrid CF

First round
Boldklubben 1913 0-12 Real Madrid CF
FC Austria Wien 2-6 SL Benfica

Quarter-finals
FC Nürnberg 3-7 SL Benfica
Juventus FC (ag) 1-1 Real Madrid CF

Semi-finals
SL Benfica 4-3 Tottenham H.
Real Madrid CF 6-0 Standard de Liège

Final
SL Benfica 5-3 Real Madrid CF

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3-1 Clube de Futebol «Os Belenenses»

2009-05-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

The season ended for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. Now it is time for holidays and above all to study and learn with the mistakes committed. It seems that with so much money invested the results should have been better. In general, it is more than accepted the idea that financially, things are going well. The fans want more and they deserve more. The expectations are always high, winning a Cup and finishing the Portuguese League on a third place is for sure dramatic.

The ghosts on the exterior should not always be responsible for the bad results. We know that talking on the press about the difficulties of the Club gives Television audiences and off course sells newspapers. If Benfica sells the Club cannot fight against it so the better answer is to start feeding the Media, collaborating with them and turning at the same time Benfica Tv on a strong project.

The same occurs for instance with Portuguese Clubs. All clubs want to defeat a Benfica that plays with a lot of foreign players winning a lot of money compared with the salaries their players earn. Above that if they do win they might not do anything more on the rest of the season, but who cares if they have some hours or days of Gloria in the press… Foreign young players are needed and can for sure help the Club playing football and also financially. Young promises, Portuguese or not, are always welcome and needs investments in the times we are living. Our academy is working very well but there are a lot of prospection’s to continue doing around.

Fellipe Bastos scored a great goal on the victory that just confirmed the poor exhibition of the team “Os Belenenses” this season.

Fellipe Ramos Ignez Bastos (1990/02/01)

Fellipe is one of those young kids who can for sure be talked about in this context. Nevertheless he participated only in two games, making 133 minutes of an entire season. Although he is very young and has for sure much to learn it seems that the opportunities to show his value could have been more.

Fellipe is natural from Rio de Janeiro. This brilliant young player played earlier for Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas where he achieved fantastic perfomances. He also was the captain fo the Brazilian Under 17 team playing on Fifa 2007 World Cup held in Korea Republic. Extremely caution deffending and positioning when the team is attacking. Enjoys to have the ball and to play with it. Will for sure have a great future on his feet.

If I played on a Club I would be honoured to see my old team captain or one of the oldest guys playing against me, representing SL Benfica, on the following season. Respect is something beautiful but we most understand how to get it.

Liga Sagres: Sporting Clube de Braga 1-3 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-05-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

3rd Place Achieved

A dynamic game happened last weekend in Braga. Fortunately to Benfica the errors committed by the Braga players opened the doors to the secure the 3rd place in the Portuguese League.

Cardozo scored again and the other two goals belonged to Di Maria and Urreta. It is true that the goals occurred on Braga failures, but if there was no pressing those mistakes wouldn’t have occurred.

Quique Flores must have heard the press rumors about an eventual transfer from the Braga coach Jorge Jesus to Benfica to occupy precisely his place, and decided to mixture some “cards”. One of the options was giving the right side of the defense to Miguel Vitor and Maxi Pereira would play on his natural position in the right wing. That worked well but David Luiz suffered a lesion early and the team changed again not giving the chance to everybody who went to the stadium to watch correctly the players playing on that positions. Nevertheless the opportunity to watch Jorge Ribeiro playing on the left appeared and on a well obtained exhibition.

Some people say that Jorge Jesus will be the next SL Benfica coach. Before the game, J. Jesus guessed witch players would play against Braga. If Jesus take Quique’s place, one thing he should avoid is that, the future opponent coaches he might face, dream with the players and tactics he intends to use.

Jorge Miguel de Oliveira Ribeiro (1981/11/09)

The twenty seven years old, Portuguese defense, Jorge Ribeiro started playing on the Benfica youth teams. His talent made he repeatedly represent the Benfica B team, until 2002, in between aseason representing the Azores island Clube Desportivo Santa Clara.

The experience was positive and he returned but to the first Benfica team on the following season. The fourth place obtained by the Benfica on that League was probably one of the reasons that didn’t let him continue with the team. The northern Varzim Sport Club seemed a good opportunity to show his qualities and Jorge moved there to play on the following two seasons.

The return to Benfica proved that he his now more mature and a more experience player but he had to play for Gil Vicente Futebol Clube, FK Dynamo Moskva, Málaga Club de Fútbol and Clube Desportivo das Aves to achieve that.

Will Jorge Ribeiro have more opportunities?

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 2-2 Clube Desportivo Trofense

2009-05-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

Who is causing more damage to our team?

The present season is ending as many in the last years. Once more and unfortunately, the big objectives are not achieved. Now it is time to see who to blame. The Portuguese Press knows that talking about Benfica is one good way to attract attentions. The press can be very useful to defend the Club interests but there are always another side of the stories.

Saturday Cardozo scored two goals and once again proved that deserves more opportunities. To become even better O. Cardozo needs to keep improving, but when everybody seems so displacing that isn’t noticed. A Trofense team trying to make points to achieve the maintenance in the Portuguese 1st league, surprised only some distracted fans, taking one point from Luz.

If Quique Flores leaves the Club will Benfica benefit with that change?

Marcelo Moretto de Souza (10/05/1978)

Interview given to the Brazilian Press (Globoesporte)

The Benfica’s goalkeeper, who protected the nets against Barça and defended a penalty kick marked by Ronaldinho Gaúcho in that same game, seems happy with the rumors of the Club change him for the goalkeeper Bruno.

Barcelona who won the Champions League in 2006 had to eliminate world teams, like Chelsea, Arsenal and Milan. But it is a mistake to think that the quarter finals game against Benfica has been easy. After loosing many goals, the final result in Lisbon was a null. Barça won 2-0 in Camp Nou and passed to the next round. Before scoring the goals, the Catalan team missed a penalty. Marcelo Moretto stopped the ball and defended well.

- That was the most brilliant moment in my career. I was used to watch the Champions League by the Tv in Brazil and suddenly I was there, earring the Champions Hymn, that was tremendous. I played also very well against the Champions Liverpool, when Benfica eliminated them. After that round came the game against Barcelona in Luz Stadium, that was 0-0 but they could have scored five goals at least.

The goalkeeper had also a good performance in the away game at Camp Nou. Ronaldinho was called to mark a penalty kick, he shot strongly, Moretto flied to the right corner and was lucky.

- I had already seen the last three penalties marked by him. On a previous game he had marked to the other side. I waited a little to jump, to confuse him and it worked.

The performances from the Brazilian were the result of the good work evidenced before in Vitória de Setúbal. The good exhibitions called the attentions of Porto and Benfica, club who signed him.

Moretto, himself says that several pressures damaged his image in Benfica. Among them, the Portuguese press, who wanted Quim defending the Benfica nets to allow the achievement of the Portuguese goalkeeper to the Portuguese National Team.

- Quim was the first goalkeeper of the team and was playing in the Portuguese National Team. When I arrived Quim had played four games without suffering any goals, but I made three entrainments and became the owner of the goalie. That seemed unfair to the fans. By then I had consented only 3 goals in sixteen games. To the press I was the best goalkeeper in Portugal and suddenly I became the worse. The World Cup was coming and the Portuguese Press started to publish articles that damaged my image. The situation was difficult to support and I decided to go to Greece, where I was loaned to AEK.

The days in Athens were very good. AEK almost signed Moretto, but there were no financial agreement between the two Clubs and he had t return to the “reds” on the beginning of the present season. Without possibilities of becoming the nets owner (3rd choice) he wishes to leave Benfica.

- I want to go away from Portugal. There two or three Clubs here interested in me, but I want to leave Portugal. I am so badly marked that if I suffer a goal from a penalty kick it will be also my responsibility. I am here almost for six years and I would rather return to Brazil. My wife and kids also want to go back to Brazil. Now let’s wait for the next months to see want happens.

How about your future in Flamengo? I like the idea.

Moretto, 31 years old, reveals proposals from Clubs in Turkey and Romany. To achieve other important European leagues he needs an Italian passport that he his counting to have in his possession until June.

Moretto confirms that has no official proposals from Brazilian Clubs. Nevertheless there is a rumor in the Portuguese media that makes him dream: playing for Flamengo.

- Some Portuguese Press articles say that there is a possibility of the goalkeeper Bruno move to Benfica. In that case I would be involved on an eventual negotiation. Benfica seems really interested in Bruno and I would be happy to return. Who would not like to play in Flamengo? It is a Club that I admire, a Club that always fights, has fanatic fans and plays always under pressure. That seems marvelous.

One of the Pictures: Marcello Moretto, with his wife Ione, and the daughters Maria Eduarda and Maria Luiza. The third son, Marcelinho, was born few weeks ago.

Liga Sagres: Clube Desportivo Nacional 3-1 SL Benfica

2009-05-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Champions League!

The few chances Benfica had to access the pre-eliminatory of Champions League vanished last Saturday night. The match in the island of Madeira was being well disputed and information’s received before that SCP had lost points in Coimbra were also positive. Unfortunately to us Nacional da Madeira proved why they occupy the 4th place of the Portuguese League and once again made a fantastic game.

Some Portuguese newspapers said that Benfica was interested in two Nacional players. We may ask if that is true or not, but one thing is for sure, they proved that they know how to score goals.

Benfica could and should have done more in this game, but things aren’t so easy. To make things worse the substitutions established didn’t help. Talking about people in the bench, Binya wasn’t used again and is a pity because he has a big heart. The dedication of Binya to the game is so enormous, that he could have helped a lot, our team during the current season, in this tuff Portuguese League.

Gilles Augustin Binya (1984/08/29)

Gilles Binya was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This defensive midfielder started playing in the local clubs like Nassara and Cintra Constellacio. Also marked presence in Coton Sport Football Club de Garoua and Tonnerre Kalara Club de Yaoundé of the Cameroon Premiere Division. The Argelian Club MC Oran was represented for three seasons before signing with Benfica.

Binya may not be an artist with the ball on his feet, but he destroys the opponent offensive like few other players. A player like Binya can be much useful helping our team when the ball is with the opponent players. Very persuasive, dedicated and very good physically needs to improve his agility with the ball and the distribution of it, to avoid damages to the team. His strength is shown in the line thrown in that cause many troubles to the adversaries.

The participation of Binya on the benfica’s team, this season, started reducing, after he saw a second yellow card and went off, on a balls hand fault. Things could be different to Binya if the referee of that game had been the same of this against Nacional…

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 3-2 Club Sport Marítimo‏

2009-04-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Game on 2009-04-26
Stadium of Luz 8 pm

Last Sunday Benfica had a difficult victory against Marítimo. If the game duration was only 45 minutes the result would have been brilliant. Three null at half time was the result. But the game has 90 minutes and the Maritimo players understood the message of Carlos Carvalhal passed on the Dressing Room.

Óscar Cardozo showed once again is qualities and Nuno gomes helped him much with his task. Quique Flores responded well when our team began loosing the midfield, although the first substitution, entering Angel to the place of Aimar, hadn’t caused the effect pretended by the Coach. Katsouranis indeed helped the team recover the control of the games and blocking the good reaction of the Madeira team. Hassan Yebda entered the game a bit late but the only one to blame is Reyes, that contributed much to this victory.

Hassan Yebda (1984/05/14)

Hassam Yebda was born in in Saint-Maurice region, France. He grew up playing in the youth teams of Auxerre. The midfielder with Algerian origin had not many chances in the main team but his talent was yet to be shown.

Yebda represented for several years Auxerre (2004-07). In between, he played one season for Stade Lavallois Mayenne and the year before his acquisition by Benfica played for Le Mans.

Yebda is a great midfielder player that had big difficulties in proving his qualities and value in France. The best qualities of Yebda are his velocity, his capacity of anticipation and his good performance with his header. The good performances of the player in the last two years called the attention of some important European Clubs. We only wish that they don’t come and take him away from us. Let’s allow Hassan Yebda, to know, the true sensation of, winning trophies representing our Club.

Yebda is without any doubt one of the best Benfica acquisitions from the last years. Players with great potential are needed at our Club and we need to make them rentable. Them and of course all the players growing up in our youth teams.

Liga Sagres: Vitória Futebol Clube 0-4 SL Benfica

2009-04-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

A soft Setúbal received a motivated Benfica team.

The way the Benfica team, that visited Setúbal last Sunday, played, surprised many of the spectators present. Our team played so well that made us remember the Glorious Benfica from other seasons.

The players had talked the week before and everybody knew things could be different if they worked together as a team. Of course when balls enter the nets and the goals appear everything seems easier. The sportive goals for the season are getting harder to reach but the better goal is reached this season that is gaining players, coach and a project that can re-launch the Club.

Victorio Maximiliano Pereira Páez (08/06/1984)

Maximiliano was born in Uruguay. The Montevideo player becomes known representing the Defensor Sporting Club. Maxi represented the Uruguayan Club between the years of 2002 and 2007.

Maxi came to Benfica to play in the right side of the midfield. Later he played some games on the same side but on the defence. The results were good and Maxi assumed the place occupied earlier by Nelson on the defence.

The current season demonstrates the great player Maxi can be, he is without any doubt the most regular player of the year in the Club. Maxi Pereira is the typical South American player who we appreciate in Europe giving everything he can during the 90 minutes.

Players like Maxi Pereira probably don’t score the goals that are appreciated by the common fans.

Players like Maxi with their solid, secure and constant way of playing help for sure teams gaining points and conquering victories and titles.

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 0–1 Associação Académica de Coimbra

2009-04-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

An unlucky game may have thrown away the lost hopes of winning the present Portuguese League.

The “students” team, Associação Académica de Coimbra did it again, after the victory obtained last season at Luz stadium, they won again. This time, the victory was completely different, the Benfica players failed goals that could and should have changed the final result.

Many supporters want another coach to the team. Others want some other players, but things are not solved so easily. The organization of the Club is for sure better that in the large years passed. The majority of people inside the Club know exactly what they need to do and what is expected from them.

Here we give some suggestions that may be already implemented but if they exist maybe they should be reworked: offering a target bonus that encourages the players and incentive their productivity; Players with strong Mentality are needed so Psychological experts are fundamental on the modern football. The players are professionals and their costs are elevated for the Club so they must have near them someone defending the Club interests. This science will help the players putting away their ghosts, understanding at the same time in what areas the player can be helped. Good investments must be done to receive later more benefits and incomes.

Sidnei Rechel da Silva Junior (23/06/1989)

Sidnei was born in Alegrete, Brazil. He started playing football in the Sport Club International team from Porto Alegre. He knew he had to catch the chance when God allow it. A companion lesion made him jump to the first team, thrown by the Brazilian coach Abel Braga. Representing International and also Brazil, Sidnei had the companion of Alexandre Pato, also know showing his qualities in Europe.

He is a strong central defender. The way Sidnei plays football is so brilliant that his youth doesn’t matter at all. On the defensive everyone likes to play with him, he acts quickly and with security, giving tranquillity to other players mates. Sidnei frequently helps the team scoring goals when a corner kick or a free kick occurs.

The value of a Central player is demonstrated by a sum of factors like Quality of pass (short/long), Defensive Positioning, Team Spirit, Mentality, Good interpretation of the game. Sidnei already shows these qualities that are improving since the International times. If Sidnei’s career develops as expected he will sooner or later have the Champions League Cup on his hands. The question is: will that moment be while representing SL Benfica?

Liga Sagres: CF Estrela da Amadora 1-2 SL Benfica

2009-04-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Amadora is one of the cities around Lisbon that grew tremendously, in the last 30-40 years. The local Club Estrela da Amadora also became bigger and the importance of it made it a habitué of the first Portuguese League.

Last Sunday the city team received Benfica in one of the games that can bring money to help the Estrela Club Finances. The situation is delicate and the players have difficulties on receiving the salary they earn. Some decisions are hard to take by the players but, when things don’t go the way they should, the entrainment can be canceled. At the end Benfica won the game but all who love the sport cannot be indifferent to this.

When these situations occur, will the Coach and his team be able to give the best on the field?

The Carlsberg Cup is ours!

2009-03-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Benfica won the first season trophy defeating Sporting Clube Portugal on penalty shot.

The game wasn’t as pleasant as expected, but both teams had some good opportunities that made the public who filled Algarve stadium jump.

The goals from Pereirinha and from Reyes, a polemic penalty, made the game into a draw at the end of the 90’. In the Liga Cup games there are no extra time and the penalty in the “lottery” we were luckier.

The referee should not be the center of the attentions after a final of a competition, but some things do not change. The question is: Why don’t they be change?

Joaquim Manuel Sampaio Silva (1975/11/13)

Quim was borm in Vila Nova de Famalicão, on the north of Portugal in 1975.

He played almost eleven years for Sporting Clube de Braga a club located in the Minho region. Quim signed for SL Benfica in 2004, just on time to become champion with Giovanni Trapattoni.

The career of Quim had until know some ups and downs and unfortunately for him, the nets from the Portuguese National Team, as some superstitious persons say, seems to have some negativity.

Some people consider that a good Portuguese football player only is recognized when he plays abroad, in a foreign country. Quim stayed in Portugal playing and we all who love Portuguese football should thank him for that.

Quim is a versatile keeper, that isn’t afraid of jumping to steal the attacker’s balls. Some physical injuries caused some “damage” on his career, but he has a great talent and marveled us with tremendous saves. His presence and agility appear to fill the goal.

Our goalkeeper Joaquim not always was lucky protecting our nets, but one think is for sure he always gave his best for the team.

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 0-1 Vitória Sport Clube

2009-03-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

One benfiquista happy!

SL Benfica had the chance to take the Portuguese League command, but this task proved to be too much heavy to the player’s shoulders. Benfica not only couldn’t reach the first place but also lost the second place to SCP.

The Vitoria de Guimarães coach recognized his sympathy for Benfica, but also recognized he had the dream of winning one day in our stadium. After some defeats against Benfica, this season, Manuel Cajuda’s dream came true.

The public, near 47.000, who dislocated to the “eagles nest” on Saturday, became disappointed with everyone’s work, more then with the result. A strange tension assumed the players, showed on some indecision between the red players on the moment to shot the nets. Normally a team that doesn’t score a goal gives the other team the chance to do it, and that’s just what really happened on this game.

Quique told Urreta to enter the game and he could have changed things, but he wasn’t lucky, although his efforts.

Jonathan Matías Urretaviscaya da Luz (1990/03/19)

Jonathan da Luz, known as Urreta was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. He started playing football in Club Atlético River Plate and there he stayed until his departure to Portugal.

Urreta represents Uruguay, since young kid. When he was 16, went to the 2007 South American U-17 Tournament, to represent his country. There he played very well scoring also important goals. European Clubs began to keep an eye on the young winger and one tried to take him to United Kingdom. Tottenham Hotspur FC invited Urreta to do some tests and stay in the Club but some secretary difficulties occurred and the Uruguayan forward had to return to his homeland.

After excellent contribute to his team on the 2008 Clausura Tounament, SL Benfica managed to sign Urretaviscaya on a five seasons contract.

Urreta is the kind of player who can play without fixed position in the attack. Normally he assumes the wings where his velocity and good cross capacity make more damage on the opposite defenses. A dedicated player, that shots with precision when the chance occurs. Thinks rapidly and opens spaces on the “enemy lines”, making passes that can isolate his companions.

The great exhibitions/performances from Urreta on the last U-20 Fifa’s Tournament consolidated this young player value.

Urreta has the same name “da Luz” as the stadium where he actually plays, and many benfiquistas have many hopes in this genial player.

Liga Sagres: Associação Naval 1º de Maio 1–2 SL Benfica

2009-03-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

Another Benfica short victory.

Benfica visited Naval and gained the three points needed. The home team, Naval 1º Maio, usually creates big difficulties playing at home and this time it was not different. Quique and his players turned a controlled game again in tuff position to our team. Why is it so hard to maintain a two goals difference in a game?

Obviously the referee work could be better but we also could have scored more one or two goals.

Miguel Angelo Leonardo Vítor (1989/06/30)

The defense Miguel was born in Torres Vedras. He grew up for football in Benfica and went throw the several young teams. M. Vitor is what we normally call a “product of our school” and he knows what means wearing that red shirt and representing the club. Miguel had the opportunity in Clube Desportivo das Aves to show he deserved a chance among the Benfica players main team.

The young Miguel likes to do his best on every game. His appetence to understand what the coach wants from him makes his entrance on the principal team much easier. The field positioning and the good anticipation to win dangerous balls are also good characteristics.

Miguel Vitor is without any doubt a promissory young football player and we’ll have to know how to secure him. When times demonstrate that good quality players are expensive we can’t allow that so excellent players will be lost.

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 2–1 Leixões Sport Club

2009-03-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

On Friday night game, Benfica had a brilliant victory.

SL Benfica entered the weekend having the possibility to gain points to 3 direct opponents.

The spectators who went to Luz Stadium had the opportunity to feel the strong mentality of the team. Their demonstration of attitude was above the expectations proving that the red shirt was worth to be dressed.

Benfica made a performance on the first half, that the fans had difficulties to remember similar actuation on the recent home games. It is true that our team benefited from an own goal, but it is also true that the score at the end of the first half could represent a bigger difference.

Leixões that didn’t shot once at the Benfica nets, on the first 45 minutes, proved on the second part of the game why their League classification is deserved. Vitor Oliveira and José Mota joined forces to make a strong group and the result is a good team with guts and value. Benfica had tremendous difficulties to guarantee the 3 points but for own responsibility, because the second goal scored by Nuno Gomes could and should have given the control of the game to our team. Of course, there is one important fact, that was, of playing with only ten players for almost 20 minutes, after C. Martins became injured and with no more alterations to be done. Once again Balboa denoted that is with his head on some other project that is, comprehensible although his performance should not compromise being prejudicial to the team.

To the great attitude from the players on the first half of the game, responded the Benfiquista public later. The more than 30 000 gave the support the team needed in the crucial moments.

Javier Ángel Balboa Osa (1985-05-13)

Javier Osa the benfica’s player known by is middle name Balboa, was born in the Spain Capital, Madrid in 1985. He also belongs to Equatorial Guinean and his double nationality allows him to play for them.
His first appearance representing the Equatorial Guinean was on 2 June 2007, in a 2-0 loss against Rwanda.

Balboa grew up for football in Real Madrid FC and there he evolutes playing in the different Real teams. From 2004 until 2008 he played in almost 70 games for Real Madrid teams C, B and main team. In between he played for Racing Santander team for one year.

Balboa is the traditional player that can be useful in both sides of the attack. He is the typical winger who stays long periods of the game away from it. This kind of player who seems to be thinking in something else during the match can be very irritating to the fans or to the coach when things aren’t going well. On the other side, Balboa is the kind of player who can catch the ball and do magic with it. Mixing up quality of the pass, velocity, short and long crosses and we see the best of Balboa. When these moments appear in the game the enthusiasm of the fans grows up and the game becomes more emotive. The opponent teams feel the danger and the game can be decided. Unfortunately he can disappear from the game so quickly has he appeared. Being more mature will help him to understand what the team and the coach need from him.

This fabulous young player has a so great potential that it’s a crime to throw it away.

Liga Sagres: Sporting Clube de Portugal 3-2 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-02-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

The victory smiled to Sporting on last weekend derby. A well organized team, made one of the best games of the season against Benfica, and at the end they really deserved to get the 3 points. Now the first place is a bit more difficult to reach but above everything if our Club still want to be champion, the team must be already concentrated in the next game. There are not many games to play, but we can for sure benefit from the points the other opponents may eventually loose.

José Antonio Reyes Calderon (1983-09-01)

The spanish Antonio Reyes was born in Utrera a place located 37 minutes distance from Sevilla, in the year of 1983.

Reyes played since young kid for Sevilla FC (1994–99), until he had the chance to play definitely with the principal team.

This left winger stood making a fantastic job in Sevilla FC, scoring 22 goals in 86 appearances, before being transferred to the United Kingdom by an amazing amount of money to Arsenal FC.

The versatile forward arrived to the Gunners in the beginning of 2004 and in February was already playing. Although he had played in near 70 games his performance wasn’t the best. The adaptation to the new country wasn’t easy although the family stood near him.

The Champions League season 2005-06 was amazing for Arsenal FC and Reyes had the chance to show his qualities.

On the last days of the summer transfers Arsenal FC and Real Madrid CF agreed on exchanging Reyes for Julio Baptista on a loan deal. Good performances among the “galatics” called the attentions of the city rivals and Club Atlético de Madrid signed him, but the good days were far way.

Now Reyes is getting another opportunity to make the fans sing his name.

Will he psychological strong? We “reds” do think so.

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 3-2 Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira

2009-02-19T10:44:00.000-08:00

Benfica won last Sunday, on Luz stadium, the team of Paços de Ferreira.
The goals for the reds were scored by O. Cardozo (69’) R. Amorim (73’) and by Di Maria (87’), and they were great goals.
In this game Paços de Ferreira tried always to take one point and made everything they could to leave Lisbon with a draw, but the victory from the eagles team was well deserved.

Everybody is now thinking on the next round., with the eyes on the big Portuguese derby that’s approaching. Sporting C.P. will be receiving S.L. Benfica next weekend.
The fans of both Clubs are with high expectations for this game. The Stadium will probably receive the best assistance of the season, there are no more tickets to sell, that’s for sure.

Many things can be decided then, so let’s hope for a good game, with fair play, with respect inside and outside.

The Football Truth Movement

2009-02-13T04:49:00.000-08:00

The SL Benfica president signed the petition in favour of the introducing of New Technologies in football.

Pedro Proença, the referee from the game FC Porto – SL Benfica, last Sunday, signed a fake penalty by Lisandro Lopes. This fact can be one of the reasons to the Benfica President take this position.

Rui Santos, a known Portuguese Sports reporter, decided to advance with a petition to introduce new technologies in football. The intention of this solicitation is to put, on the dispose of the referees, other advantages and arguments, allowing them to take the right decisions.

The Movement was created only 3 months ago, but already 6 000 people signed it. Several known personalities from different sectors of the Portuguese society also decided to join the movement.

All players I know, independently from the Club he represents and the colours he dresses are surely the first ones to defend this Petition.

A football game should be won by the best players on the pitch.

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

2009-02-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica, after gaining access to the Carlsberg Cup final went to FCP stadium to obtain one precious point.

Last week Benfica defeated Vitória Sport Clube by 2-1 and made the dream, of being in the Carlsberg Cup final for the first time, come true.

After that middle week game everyone expected a tired team to face FC Porto, but the player’s attitude was completely different.

Quique’s players knew that the first half an hour wasn’t going to be easy and in fact that was the best Porto moment in match. As the time was going by, the Benfica’s team was gaining more relaxed and controlling better the game. When the first half was finishing Yebda responded with a goal to a corner kick.

The second half of the game brought a Porto team trying to change things on the pitch but, Jesualdo Ferreira couldn’t do much more with his actual team. Other explication was the correct attitude from the Benfica’s defence and also the good midfield players positioning.

One of the players gaining importance in this Benfica, from game to game, is Aimar.

Pablo César Aimar Giordano (1979-11-03)

Pablito started playing football very young, on the streets of Río Cuarto (Argentina) and later on the Students 6TH Division. Here the coach was his father Ricardo Aimar that gave him some advices, like for instance: “pay attention to those who criticize you and not only to the other who applaud” and “to have success you’ll need to join sacrifice to your talent”.

Once Pablito went to some prospection trainings in Buenos Aires and he was immediately invited to stay with the young players from River Plate AC. By then he knew he could have a prosperous future if he dedicated hard to football. Nevertheless he decided to return to Río Cuarto. The best news was yet to come, Pekerman the Sub-17 National team called him to represent Argentina giving him the number 10. On that World tournament (Malaysia) they achieved the title.

Later Daniel Passarella decided to talk to Ricardo Aimar with the porpoise of inviting Pablo to join Club Atletico River Plate, keeping simultaneously his studies. The answer was positive and Pablo moved to the great city of Buenos Aires. The homesick provoked some sadness on him but fortunately he made some good friends that helped him facing the difficulties. He played for the first team on August 1996.

On the first month of 2000 Valência CF contacted Aimar by an amount near 24 million Euros. He had some troubles on his adaptation to European football. After that period and also when Rafael Benitez took the place of H. Cuper the better perfomances and the titles started to appear.

Real Zaragoça was the last team Aimar represented before coming to SL Benfica. Zaragoça had money and projects but some Club problems and also the athlete injuries made the team made the team loose the maintenance fight.

Aimar has a great opportunity here in Benfica to show all his best qualities and to return to the best exhibitions.

If Aimar achieves his best performance Quique Flores and Diego Armando Maradona will for sure appreciate that.

http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/
http://www.valenciacf.es/
http://www.realzaragoza.com/

Liga Sagres: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Rio Ave Futebol Clube

2009-02-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

Rainy day turn the game against the last from the Portuguese League few attractive.

The bad weather maintained away the spectators from Luz stadium on Saturday afternoon. The field was in poor conditions to practice the game.

The team of Vila do Conde were more habilitated to explain their football and Benfica suffered some difficulties to control the game.

In this game the most important aspects are: the victory and the 3 points obtained, the good performance of Óscar Cardozo, with two balls on the posts, and for last the brilliant return of the Magic Mantorras.

The forward from SLB, Pedro Mantorras, that hadn’t played yet on Sagres League, entered in the game to resolve it. After 66 minutes without goals the public become euphoric when they comprehended Quique was ordering Mantorras to enter. The Benfica fans know Mantorras has something of magic, not only because of the important goals he scores, but also for the lesson of perseveration he gave in the last years. Four minutes after his entrance, Pedro receives the ball in the opposite area and does not missed, scoring the first goal and making the spectators vibrate like if the stadium was full.

Pedro Manuel Torres (1982-03-18)

Pedro was born in Luanda, Angola.

Pedro is known as Mantorras and the provenience of this name comes from the Angolan times. When Pedro was young he burned himself while he was at home. After that episode people started calling him that nickname Mantorras that means the kid (mano) burned (torra).

There in Angola he played for the Club Progresso do Sambizanga. In Portugal, Futebol Clube de Alverca, was his first. The good exhibitions called the attentions of several big Clubs. Benfica took the first step and signed him in 2001.

The striker Pedro Mantorras, his one of the most loved players by the fans. He is very dedicated and enthusiastic and people know that. His knee probably didn’t let him go to other big Clubs in Europe. Some people say the doctors weren’t correct with him and later he had to receive medical attention from a Spanish doctor, Ramon Cugat, specialist in sport injuries.

Nowadays, Mantorras is the striker who resolves games jumping from the bench.

He is much appreciated for us all, because he represents everyone from Benfica. When Pedro enters and scores is like if it was one of us down there scoring that Gooooaaaaaal.

Let Mantorras Play!

Liga Sagres: Clube de Futebol "Os Belenenses" 0-0 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-01-28T10:18:00.000-08:00

The spectators who went to “Restelo” stadium, last Friday had the possibility to assist to a great game.

Benfica won one point against “Os Belenenses” and unfortunately there were no goals on this match. The bad weather may justify why the nets stood inviolate.

The derby from Lisbon is always a pleasant game to be watched. Quique Flores knew that and tried to manage the team the better way possible. Rúben Amorim gave all he could inside the house, where he was so happy. David Suazo needs space to evolutes but that doesn’t mean he should be alone, the team knows that and tries to help many times, working solidly, not only defensively, but also when attacking.

Luisão is one of the most important players in the team. When he is on his best form and when he feels positively he helps his companions a lot. The defence becomes more organized and the team progress in the field with the ball more self confident. Obliviously that helps the team to concentrate on what the coach wants and to focus on what really matters.

Anderson Luís da Silva (1981/02/13)

Anderson da Silva, known as Luisão, was born in Amparo (São Paulo).

Luisão, Alex, Andrei and Andressa grew up breading football. Their father Mário Luís da Silva fortunately gave a big importance to sport. Mr Mário da Silva used to play football also in the defense having nowadays a Football School. Although their happiness sometimes life wasn’t easy, and they passed through some difficulties for instance, when it rained they were always worried with the water drops, falling inside the house.

Rio Branco in Amparo, was the first Club where Luisão and his brother Alex started playing football.

Luisão was signed by Benfica in the summer of 2003. Before that he had played in Juventus - Esporte Clube Juventude (1999-2000) and also, for 3 seasons in Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. There in Minas Gerais he conquered several titles.

This central defender, with 1.92m tall is nowadays one of the best players of Benfica. The European team known for having had several Brazilian great players acting on that position, like for instance, like Mozer, Ricardo Gomes and Aldair, wants to keep the tradition.

The first times were not easy for Luisão and he had some difficulties on his adaptation to our Club. Thank god he started to put the voices of negativity behind his back and showed everybody the reasons why he had convinced the Benfica responsible people who contracted him.

The time goes by and Luisão becomes like the “Port Wine”, better each year. Committing fewer faults, scoring more goals and above all, helping Benfica with his security to achieve the place where it belongs, the Top.

Foundation

After a general assembly in 2oo6 where the Foundation was approved, the documentation was formally signed yesterday. Carlos Móia will be the executive president and near him will have Rui Cunha and Teresa Claudino as vice-presidents and Gonçalo Azevedo as Vogal.

To the Press the President Filipe Veira told:

“This Foundation reflects much of what I’ve imagined and wished when I arrived to Benfica. We want our social investment to make a positive impact near needed children. This kind of work can’t be done only to Benfica fans, must be enlarge to everyone who needs it. Some focus must point to problems of social exclusion, poverty and marginalization. The Foundation is so important for me, that I probably embrace this project after leaving the Presidency of the Club.”

Our Foundation has a main purpose, to combat the Social differences.

Leo returns to Santos Football Club

2009-01-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

One of the best left defences, who represented our Club, returned to Brazil.

Leo ended his connection to SLB, the Santos Club is the next challenge. The regularity of this player and his great heart and personality will be certainly missed by our fans.

Players like Leo contribute to create solid defences and help teams winning games.

To the Press Leo said:

“I’m the same Leo who played here before (2000-05). On my first passage, our team (Santos FC) won several titles, but in football we need to give our best every day. I think I turned a better player and more mature on this last 4 years playing in Portugal representing Benfica. There I was elected, for three times, the best player of the year on my position.”

Carlsberg Cup: Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1-0 Clube de Futebol Os Belenenses

2009-01-20T10:28:00.001-08:00

Benfica gain the first place of the Carlsberg Cup group.

First of all, is important to say that on Saturday the game, for the cup competition was played on the afternoon. This is very important, because it allows the spectators to come more often to enjoy the “show”.

The TV’s have the monopoly and decide when the games must be played. Of course they choose the better days and hours for them, based on their arguments: share and publicity. The afternoons normally represent better weather conditions and also mean that the fans and their families have much more time available to enjoy the spectacle.

The football deciders, that are everyone who have a word to say on this matter, have to find a way to conciliate the several interests.

Secondly, is important to refer that the Benfica’s victories are very important. The routine of games wan allow a marvellous group spirit inside a structure, each time, more and more solid. However is important to say that the most important games are yet to come.

The Quique’s tactics are functioning. Players like Aimar, Katso, once again the public could appreciate another great goal from the Greek and, Maxi can really make the difference. Although Maxi Pereira gives all he cans to the team, and has played a lot of games until now with an extraordinary regularity, he needs to be advised to avoid committing some faults that can, eventually, be dangerous to our nets.

The Belenenses team played well, and the coach Jaime Pacheco wants even more from his players. Pacheco had difficult times on the Club, but it seems that the clouds are leaving. The next Liga game will be precisely against Belenenses in the Stadium of Restelo and it seems that it won’t be an easy game.

On the next Carlsberg Cup round Vitória will be the next opponent.

Sílvio Cervan Told the Press:
“Vitória de Guimarães is a great Club and we are honoured to play against them once again on this competition. The last season League top teams are here represented, so any team would be tuff for us. We wish all the best for all the other Clubs on the competition, SCP and FCP.”

Finally a subject that shouldn’t be talked about, but that is always on the top news, the referees. Many errors are being committed and the football looses with that, although the large amount of money that keeps on entering some pockets, demonstrate the opposite. The public opinion talks about some measures to be introduced like for instance, more two referees behind the nets or, goal-line technology and also referees from other countries or being professionalized the Portuguese referees.

Well, in my opinion something urgent should be done, independently from the international high instances. Portugal has intelligent persons in all the sectors, brilliant people can be found in the smallest village of Portugal, so maybe what the football needs is to join all the suggestions and implement the most important ones. The referees should have the most important paper in this decision because is their future that is on the table here. Euros should not be a problem but perhaps the solution.

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

2009-01-15T08:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday night, Benfica’s stadium “Luz” had a special visit. Maradona came to watch Di Maria playing and to evaluate his performance.

Will Di Maria play for Argentina? I really think that is a strong possibility and more than that this young player as a great future facing him.

If the visits from Diego represent better performances from Di Maria and companions we all wish that he comes more often.

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 1-0 Sporting Clube de Braga

2009-01-13T05:03:00.000-08:00

On Sunday evening SL Benfica reached another victory. This time was a tuff game against the reds, from the city of Braga. Both teams played very well in the midfield, the defensive players did the rest, leaving few “space” for the goalkeepers to demonstrate their qualities.

Nevertheless both goalkeepers, when called, gave the better answer possible, making remarkable saves. Moreira is gaining confidence and that must leave Quim worried. Eduardo is other Quim’s opponent but on the National Team and had once again the opportunity to defend an important penalty kick, that could had put and end to the game.

Unfortunately the referees in Portugal have more attention, on the Media, than the players. Benfica benefited on two referee wrong decisions: the David Luiz goal was scored benefitting of an off side position; Luisão committed an area’s fault that was reason enough to a Penalty kick.

The coach and the Braga’s responsible People, came to the media saying that this referees attitude, was not seen on the last twenty years and that this game turned impossible the access from Braga to the top of the classification.

The reason is without any doubt, on their side, and they should say it very loud. What is not comprehensible is that only now, only on this particular game, they have reached that conclusion. I agree with Jesus when he says that his team should be discussing the championship. Yes they should, but the referee’s authority since the beginning of this season and on the last twenty years are probably preventing that.

Talking about strange things in Portuguese Football, Makukula is probably leaving the Club, without the possibility, to proof his qualities and justifying the money the Club gave for him. Makukula may go to the Premiership where Cristiano Ronaldo had the chance to reach the Top.

Football is a world of money.

Carlsberg Cup: Vitória Sport Clube 0-2 Sport Lisboa e Benfica

2009-01-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

Positive night for SLB team, one away victory at the Victoria’s Futebol Clube stadium, Dom Afonso Henriques, brought some tranquillity for the benfica’s family.

A good game to observe on a cold night, in a city where Portugal was “born”, two teams gave their best to make a pleasant spectacle.

The early goal scored by the Greek, Katsouranis that gave the best response to an Aimar’s corner kick, made Vitória de Guimarães “run” after other result.

The all benfica’s team demonstrated good capacities, although in particular Moretto had few work to do, so had few chances to demonstrate, if he deserves to be the man of the nets. Balboa was once again with many problems to finally be able to exhibit his qualities.

Carlos Martins jumped from the bench and made the difference scoring the second goal and putting an end to Cajuda’s team pretensions.

Carlos Jorge Neto Martins (1982/04/29)

Carlos Martins was born in Gavinhos de Cima, near Oliveira do Hospital.

The midfield player, very young started showing his qualities and with eleven years old he jumped from Grupo Desportivo Tourizense to Sporting Clube Portugal, The familiar impact was so big that he returned to Oliviera but now to play for the Futebol Clube Oliveira do Hospital.

In 1995 the doors of Alvalade were opened again and there he payed for the young teams achieving also the Portuguese National Team. In the “Lions house” he grew up and became a man, learning with some of the best Portuguese Formation men all about football.

The majority of games Carlos Martins played were representing the Lisbon rival Sporting Clube de Portugal. Since the year 2000 he had only for three times played in other Clubs than Sporting. These teams were Sporting Clube Campomaiorense, Associação Académica de Coimbra and before coming to Sport Lisboa e Benfica he represented the Spanish Real Club Recreativo de Huelva.

Carlos Martins is without any doubt one of the best Portuguese Liga players acting on the midfield. Unfortunately some injuries and some physical problems are causing some difficulties on his best performances.

The Benfica team will gain accuracy on the ball distribution, being more astute and also more dangerous with a player like Carlos in good shape.

Liga Sagres: Clube Desportivo Trofense 2-0 SL Benfica

2009-01-05T04:42:00.000-08:00

The benfiquista nation is asking: why did SLB loose the game in Trofa?

Several answers appear in the air, the first one is because the Trofa players knew that this was the game of their lives and that probably in the next following years will not play again at home against Benfica. Other eventual answer is that at half time, the SLB players were informed that, a rival Club had achieved the victory, in the last minute of the game, with the help of an opponent team player hand.

The last possibility for this disaster is that all the Benfica players, and not only Binya or Moreira, did not play enough to win, and Quique did not find the best solutions to exit the Trofense well designed net.

Rui Costa knows perfectly that Benfica has now an excellent structure, quality players complemented with a promissory coach. Rui Costa, having many years of football understands better than many, that the team can not be exposed and that the players must be protected.

A strong mentality to pass all difficulties, till the season’s end, is needed and that is only possible to achieve inside our house. What is the better place? The Dressing Room!

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 0-0 Clube Desportivo Nacional

2008-12-26T04:52:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica said goodbye to Uefa CUP with a home defeat.

In the championship, nothing is won yet, although, it feels extremely good to achieve Xmas being the first, of the Portuguese League.

The game against the Madeira’s island team CD Nacional, hasn’t brought anything new. The other opponent teams had lost points and probably because of that SLB decided to share Xmas points as well.

SL Benfica needs a man of the match, a player who decides how the team must attack. When players like, Carlos Martins and Pablo Aimar, aren’t playing the efforts are bigger and the practical results aren’t the same. Some players try to assume that same position, during the game, but they can’t forget their main tasks.

To talk about the goal scored, about the referee work and his arguments, is useless and we would be giving importance to something that really doesn’t deserve it.

Let’s see if the New Year can bring us all, better referees, more spectator, less violence and genuine football.

Goodbye Portuguese Cup

2008-12-16T04:16:00.000-08:00

SL Benfica lost on penalties shots (5-4) the eliminatory against Leixões Sport Club.

The Matosinhos team is making a season above all expectations and so everyone knew it wouldn’t be an easy game.

The Saturday night game, was well controlled by Benfica, in a different game from the other one, played some weeks ago for the League, where the result was also a draw, this time a null after the 120’.

Vitor Oliveira and José Mota are doing a good job and the home team is very consistent and well organized and evitated very well the shots from SLB. Although that doesn’t mean that we couldn’t have done better ….

In some games there are goals scored that people would not believe in, but one thing is for sure, if the Benfica players don’t try to shot the nets, they will not score for sure.

Liga Sagres: Club Sport Marítimo 0-6 SL Benfica

2008-12-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

Spectacular game and result on the Maritimo’s stadium, “Barreiros”.

SL Benfica made an historical performance on the beautiful island of Madeira. The local Club had few chances to brake down this Benfica, however the red card (18’) shown to the Maritimo’s goalkeeper helped a lot.

Goals scored: Reyes 20’ (Penalty shot); Suazo 42' and 79'; Luisão 66'; Nuno Gomes 86' and 92'.

The importance of this result must be seen not only by the many goals scored, but principally by the vital victory on this always difficult pitch.

Every games are difficult to Benfica, but it will depend on our players and managers to do all they can to transform it. The team needed this result to gain back important self-esteem.

The team spirit must be on high levels, to allow the players, to work together, in all places of the football field, helping each other on every ball dispute and to achieve solid victories, giving them the needed tranquillity to achieve the goals proposed.

Óscar David Suazo Velasquez (05/11/1979)

The Honduran forward David Suazo was born in San Pedro Sula in 1979.

Suazo played his first games at the Club Olimpia reserves, after that period he experienced the Bankers League. Some good exhibitions and connections opened the door to 1999 to represent the Honduran National Team in the Nigerian under 20 Championship. The player was rapidly contracted by Club Olimpia Deportivo. The professionally contract for the Club’s Capital wasn’t long, because an Italian team, Cagliari Cálcio decided to sign a contract with him. So, after ten games played and 5 goals scored for the Honduran team, he flies to Italy. Many games played in Serie A and B until FC Internazionale contracted him.

Suazo is an extraordinary player, very good physically allowing amazing runs between the opponent defenses. David shots easily, with both feet, to the nets and makes fantastic passes to other companions score. His good vision of the game allows him, to take fast decisions and the creation of new spaces on the “enemy lines”.

Before the Internazionale Football Club (FC Internazionale Milano – Italy) loan to SL Benfica, Suazo represented the following clubs: Club Olimpia Deportivo from 1996 till 1999 and Cagliari Cálcio from season 1999/00 until 2006/07.

To the press Nicolas Suazo, the player’s father told:

“I am very proud of my son. I couldn’t watch the game but I already know he made a great exhibition. To all the fans I ask them to have faith in what Suazo can do for the Benfica’s team.”

“Suazo is enjoying very much being in Portugal. He says that everybody treats him very well and that he likes the place where he lives and the food also.”

“I do believe Benfica will keep the first place and be at the end the Portuguese Champion.”

Stability is required to gain success. Success for the team and that’s, what we also wish for, the Benfica TV channel, that is starting today.

Graecum est, non legitur (Greek to me)

2008-12-03T04:28:00.000-08:00

The result of the Uefa Cup game, Olympiacos 5 – 1 Benfica, was a complete desolation for the reds and Greek to me.

The Greek’s first half was fantastic and the final result represented well how terrible it was. The game seemed like a nightmare and the Benfica players and also the Coach took to much time to realize what was going on.

There are not many words to say about this game, but there are many things for sure to learn and correct.

Everybody knows how difficult games are in Greece but, this numbers defeat, represent a horrible way of being in the international competitions.

Greece is very beautiful and a marvellous Greek midfielder can be seen at SLB, his name Katsouranis. Katso played already one hundred games, with the Benfica’s red shirt.

On Monday, the night was cold, Katsouranis was the Captain and the game was going well for SLB against Vitória Futebol Clube (Vitória de Setúbal). Several chances were created but unfortunately failed.

Dauto Faquirá, Vitória de Setúbal coach had the lesson well studied and his team scored firstly. The final of the first half came with the “Sadinos” winning.

On the second part of the game, the goal arrived soon, scored by the Greek Katsouranis. SL Benfica was controlling the game and the second goal appeared naturally scored by Suazo.

The game was ending, Benfica could achieve the top of the Portuguese League, but on the 90Th minute Vitória scored again and the victory ran away.

Concentration is needed and in few games everything done until now can easily be thrown out.

Konstantinos Katsouranis (21/06/1979)

Katsouranis was born in Patras, at 215 Km distance from Athenas Greece in 1979. Here in Patras Katso started playing in Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi when he was seventeen. In 2002 AEK Athens (Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoleos) President convinced the midfielder to sign for the Club. The good performance of the Greek player between 2002 and 2006 made him dream with European Clubs and Benfica emerged by that time.

Lately, the he hasn’t scored many goals. Usually he scores goals responding with his head to balls coming from corner kicks.

Katso is without any doubt one great quality player. The excellent midfielder needs all encouragement in this phase of his career to keep high skills and the best performances.

With a player like Katsouranis motivated Benfica can more easily achieve the objectives proposed.

2008-11-27T02:06:00.000-08:00

Tonight SL Benfica will play in Greece, in a very difficult visit to Olympiacos C.F.P..

Hellenic Republic known as Greece is a south-eastern Europe country that belongs to European Union and to NATO. Greece lies at the juncture of Europe, Asia and Africa. Athens is the capital and not very far is the Piraeus, a Greek port, where Olympiacos C.F.P. a largest multi-athletic organization, was founded in 1925.

At the stadium Georgios Karaiskakis, Luisão and Aimar will not be able to give their contribution, to the team, as some other players, but like Nuno Gomes says, Benfica as other solutions.

Nuno Gomes said to the Press:
“A good result for us will be the victory. We will face a hard ambient in the stadium. The Greek fans are well known, but they won’t play.”

Goup B - Previous Uefa Cup games:
Hertha BSC Berlin 1-1 SL BenficaGalatasaray AŞ 1-0 Olympiacos CFP
FC Metalist Kharkiv 0-0 Hertha BSC Berlin
SL Benfica 0-2 Galatasaray AŞ
Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim, Moretto and Moreira;

Defenders: Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, David Luiz, Jorge Ribeiro and Miguel Vítor;

Midfileders: Binya, Carlos Martins, Katsouranis, Balboa, Felipe Bastos, Reyes, Ruben Amorim, Urreta and Yebda;

Forwards: Suazo, Nuno Gomes and Cardozo;

Coach: Quique Flores.

Referee

Stéphane Lannoy (FRA)

Assistant referee

Frédéric Cano (FRA) Christoph Capelli (FRA)

Liga Sagres: Associação Académica de Coimbra 0-2 SL Benfica

2008-11-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

Benfica won at the “students” home.
To remember the last game the club Associação Académica de Coimbra lost at home, we need to go back almost a year, and that defeat was precisely against SLB. So the team knew that it wouldn’t be an easy game, although Benfica has no defeats here in the last 35 years. Some alterations were made in the team and David Luiz appeared at the left side of the defense, while Binya and Ruben occupied the midfield. Also Cardozo initiated the game.

The game was being difficult and Benfica, couldn’t find someone more creative to resolve it. The “students” could have scored, but they didn’t and a bit later Ruben Amorim after a tremendous pass from Nuno Gomes scored. Quique spoke, about Ruben before this game and the good things he told had a positive effect on the player.

At the beginning of the second half the Benfica scored the second goal, on a penalty kick converted by Cardozo. Reyes was one of the best in the field and Suazo jumped from the bench and almost scored another goal for the team.

Ruben Filipe Marques Amorim (27/01/1985)

Ruben Amorim was born in Lisbon in the year of 1985. Very young Ruben gained interest for sports and soon started playing roller hockey on quad skates. He’s brother played for Benfica and decided to bring him along and Ruben’s vocation was found.

Ruben started playing for the Glorious Sport Lisboa e Benfica, and soon showed good qualities. After that experience, he went to play for Clube Atlético e Cultural and for Ginásio Clube de Corroios (number 7) also. Before returning to Benfica, he made a splendid work at Clube de Futebol «Os Belenenses». Fourteen proposals were received, to sign in with Clubs, from Germany, Italy, Spain and England but Ruben always knew which shirt he wanted to dress.

Ruben plays in the midfield with the number 15 on his shirt and it is here where he likes to play. The control of the opponents attack is his first job and he makes all he can to avoid it. Ruben makes very good transitions movements with or without the ball. The team becomes more consistent and confident with him on the field. He is a smart players that very easily can read the game and decide what to do.

Ruben Amorim is a Sport Lisboa e Benfica member. The membership number 18.301 was asquired when he was born. Ruben is the typical example of someone, who while opening his eyes for the first times was already “Benfiquista”.

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 1–0 Clube de Futebol Estrela da Amadora

2008-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday our team gathered more 3 important points. The victory against Clube de Futebol Estrela da Amadora was very important and also difficult because of the terrible financial problems E. Amadora is facing. The players from E. Amadora as any other professionals deserve to receive their money at the end of each month as agreed.

Claque No Name Boys (NN)

The word CLAQUE comes from the french and means clapping. The men from Politic or from showbizz always knew along the centuries how important was to receive applauds.

Many years ago, the claques become so important that people were hired to make part of it. A french poet, Jean Daurat decided to apply this system to one of his Teather plays. Daurat bought several ticket one night and gave them to the people who promissed to applaud, among the audience.

The positive results attracted more audience, better critics and more financial gains and off course importance. It become so important that the Claques started to be more organized. The final result was more or less similar to this: a manager of the show could send orders to the leader of the claque and the restant participants would start to applaude.

Nowadays, the group of supporters from a certain Club are designated Claques. The Claques in Portugal have good and bad things and NN are no exception.

I rather prefer to correct what is not as we wish and to see what’s good in a Claque.

The supporters belonging to the Claque are the one’s who normally attend to the entrainements, other modalities and to almost every football games of the team. Also the away games are here included. These supporters sing for the team and applaud the players like no one else. The members of NN like any other great Benfica’s fan really do not care if it rains or if it is cold, they only want to see the team play. Some words of a song express that feeling: “ if Benfica looses I do not want to have dinner…”

The Claques will never terminate and Sport Lisboa e Benfica with good organization should have much more things to gain than to loose in this process.

Can we Believe? Yes we Can!

2008-11-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

Benfica lost an important game last thurday. The turkish Club left our Stadium with a brilliant victory, they studied well the way Benfica plays and prepared evan better. A great perfomance of the Galatasaray AS miedfielders allowed them the control of the game. The final result was 0-2 defeat and there was nothing more our team could do, at least in that specific game. That’s probably why the Benfica supporters among the 46 676 spectators accepted so well the final result.

To the question: Can we believe?
The answer is obvious: Yes we can!

The players are giving their best, altough we all feel they can do better. The couch Quique Flores fortunately loves football and probably studies the games until exhaustion. As good coach he is, he knows exactly the best tactic to use, with the players he has at his service in the group. The team is improving the habitual tactic and that allows experiences of another players and of other field positions. Against Desportivo das Aves, last monday in our Stadium, for the Millenium Cup, some things changed and that permited an important victory (3-0).

Aimar made other brilliant pass, Yebda scored an amazing goal and David Luiz is back.

David Luiz Moreira Marinho (22/04/1987)

David was born in São Paulo, Brazil. At the age of sixteen he was playing for the Brazilian football team, Esporte Clube Vitória. His good physical condition and his ability to play the ball in the air helped him to achieve his goals.

In 2007 David Luiz joined SL Benfica initially for loan but a few months later he was already signing a contract with the “Eagles”.

http://davidluiz-23.blogspot.com/

2008-11-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Tonight SL Benfica will play against Galatasaray AŞ, in the first visit from the Turkish team to Portugal.

The Benfica supporters will probably be able to see Fernando Meira playing once again in the “Estádio da Luz”. Meira is a brilliant player and his mates recognize him has a leader. His voice of command, the good positions he occupies in the field, the sense of responsibility for doing what the coach wants are positive aspects for the teams where he plays football.

Fernando José da Silva Freitas Meira (1978-06-05)

Meira was born in June 5th 1978, in Guimarães. In the city Club he started playing professionally. After the first season 1998-99, he went to play in FC Felgueiras where he improved and soon returned to Vitória FC. In the year 2000 SL Benfica signed with F. Meira and here he stayed playing almost 50 league matches. The good exhibitions alerted foreign attentions and VFB Stuttgart contracted him in 2002. Know he his at Michael Skibbe German coach orders and we all Benfica fans desire him and his team the best of the lucks on the Uefa Cup, but not for tonight, because in the today’s game we only expect that the victory smiles to us.

Previous Uefa Cup games:
Hertha BSC Berlin 1-1 SL Benfica
Galatasaray AŞ 1-0 Olympiacos CFP

The Spanish Coach Quique Flores said to the Press:

“The match against Galatasaray SC will be different from the last one we played against Vitória FC. I will not talk about our strategy because than I would be probably giving some cards to our opponents. The most important thing now, is that we need to have a clear idea of what is needed to be done, during the game. We will need to have the ball on our side to have the control of the game I think you’ll see a different Benfica.”

Meira told the Press:
“This will be a special game to me. I’ll feel good entering that stadium again. The game won’t be easy for us, Benfica is a great team, but we will try to keep at least one point.”

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim and Moreira;

Defenders: Luisão, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Jorge Ribeiro and Miguel Vítor;
Midfileders: Binya, Aimar, Carlos Martins, Di María, Katsouranis, Reyes, Rúben Amorim, Urreta and Yebda;
Forwards: Suazo, Nuno Gomes and Cardozo;
Coach: Quique Flores.

Referee
Martin Atkinson (ENG)
Assistant referee
Peter Kirkup (ENG) Mo Matadar (ENG)

Miklós Fehér (1979-2004)

2008-11-04T04:49:00.000-08:00

In that day, I decided to stay at home watching the dislocation of SL Benfica to Guimarães.

The game against Vitória Sport Clube was developing normally until the fatidic moment, when the referee showed the yellow card to a Benfica’s player. The player smiled to that decision, but the worst was yet to come. He felt bad and fall down like loosing completely is vitality.

Everybody tried to help him. An ambulance came, entered the stadium and stayed there for an eternity. We all expected that the ambulance’s door would be opened and that someone could give us a good new. But that moment never occurred …

The young player name was, Miklós Fehér and God decided to take him away from us all and away from the pitches where he loved to play.

Last Sunday the SL Benfica’s Club representation left flowers, in the place where Fehér died.

Miki’s smile will be forever in everyone’s heart.

http://www.slbenfica.pt/Adeptos/GaleriaFotos/Memorial/miklosfeher.asp

http://www.fehermiklos.hu/

Liga Sagres: SL Benfica 2–1 Associação Naval 1º de Maio

2008-10-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Encarnados beat Naval 2-1 on Sunday. Quique’s squad opened the score with a goal from Luisão. Then there were a few missed chances. The visitors were dangerous in two or three chances and scored near the end. Fortunately the tall Cardozo responded well to a ball crossed from the left and scored the second goal.

Óscar René Cardozo Marin (20/05/1983)

Óscar Cardozo, also known as “Tacuara” was born in Paraguay. People used to call him “Tacuara” because it is the guarani word for bamboo tree, a common nickame for tall people (Cardozo is 1.92cm tall) in Paraguay.

The Republic of Paraguay has the following neighbors: Argentina on South and Southwest, Brazil on the East and Northeast, and Bolivia to the Northwest. The territory consisted of Guarani-speaking tribes, who were recognized for their warrior traditions. Spaniards arrived in the early sixteenth century and the settlement of Asunción was founded on 1537 by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar y Espinoza. On 1811, Paraguay declared its independence after overthrowing the local Spanish administration.

Cardozo first football Clubs were Club 24 de Junio and the Club Atlético 3 de Febrero of Ciudad del Este. Later in 2005 and in Asunción, Cardozo was already the Top scorer of the Club Nacional. The brilliant player signed then for Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys from Argentine and soon revealed his appetence for the goals, scoring eleven goals in 16 games played in the Apertura Tournament 2006.

The good work resulted well and he was awarded, in 2006, the Paraguayan Footballer of the year by the Sport reporters and by the public. This award is given every year, by the newspaper Diario ABC Color.

The prize and the good performance in the beginning of the 2007 season, called the attention of several Clubs and of course, of the Administration of SL Benfica, so after the negotiations he signed for our Club, Sport Lisboa e Benfica on June of that same year.

UEFA CUP Group Stage

2008-10-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hertha Berliner Sport Club von 1892 vs Sport Lisboa e Benfica

On the 25th of July 1892, two sets of brothers Fritz and Max Linder and Otto and Willi Lorenz, founded the club BFC Hertha 92. Somewhere in the districts of Wedding or Prenzlauer Berg, between where the Berlin Wall would run, they played their matches.

The name Hertha comes from the fact that Fritz Linder decided to name the club after a steam boat, which he and his father had made a day trip on. On the funnel of the “Hertha” was the shipping company’s colours, white with blue stripes, which are to this day also the colours of Hertha BSC. A blue cap was worn by the players in order for them to be distinguished from the other team. The team did not wear club jerseys until the turn of the century.

In 1901 Hertha became a member of the German Association of Ball Playing Clubs (VDB). In the first season Hertha took their place in the two second league and finished in second place.

The Portuguese Cup competition started well for the reds.

2008-10-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, SL Benfica beat Futebol Clube Penafiel, on penalties. After 90 minutes and an extra time without goals, the game went to the penalties lottery and the final result was 5 -3. Two players were in evidence Makukula, demonstrating that he could be very important during the present season and Moreira. The goalkeeper had a very good performance after so much time far from the principal team.

José Filipe da Silva Moreira (20/03/1982)

Moreira was born in Massarelos in 1982 and soon become a Benfica fan. His grandparents liked very much the Club and probably influenced his choice. With the age of ten he started playing for a northern team, known as the northern Benfica, the Sport Comércio e Salgueiros. By that time he used to play in the midfield and wanted to be seen. But he did not take much time to realize that he played better as goalkeeper.

Several Clubs were following the young goalkeeper, but Moreira decided to sign contract with SL Benfica and two years later he was travelling to Lisbon, we were in 1999 and he was by that time 17een years old. The big city scared him but he was rapidly integrated with his fellow mates, like Nuno Gomes and Karel Poborsky for instance. He was missing his family a lot, but the dream was starting to become real and when he saw 90.000 supporters in the game against FC Bayern Munchen, he decided to wait for his opportunity.

Now, the Clube Desportivo das Aves is the next opponent of our team, on the Portuguese Cup.

Federação Portuguesa de Futebol

Benfica TV Gains Life

2008-10-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Benfica TV already gains life. For the first time in Portugal, appears a TV Channel that goes to make the difference. This Channel will allow the divulgation of the Sport Lisboa e Benfica Brand.

The workers of Benfica TV will have their own space in our Stadium. The job redaction and the Studies will also be there and a great panoramic view to the pitch is guaranteed.

The new channel will soon become a splendid investment, so many TV Companies will be interested on having the Benfica Channel on their offer. Clix Smart and AR Telecom made the first moves, but the first transmission belonged to Meo. This experience took place in the “Estádio da Luz” in the game of SLB against Napoli.

The Thursday test gave important information of what needs to be improved. In the stadium there were 15 cameras and one of them made the difference, the “spider-cam”. This “spider-cam” was in the pitch center at 62 meters high. Almost all African Countries of Portuguese Language could watch this important game. The partnership between Benfica and Portugal Telecom allowed the game transmission also to France, Albania, Italy, Malt, United States, Canada, Brazil and some others, like those who, have access to watch the Al Jazeera TV.

Ricardo Palacin was invited to be the Director of this innovating project and his experience will be vital now.

To the Press Ricardo Palacin said:

“We want to be an agency of communication serving Sport Lisboa e Benfica, betting in directs and in fresh news. On the other hand, we want to stimulate the public participation and to bet in talk-shows and documentaries, without forgetting the past of the Club. Other sports, formation and the football entrainments in the “Caixa Futebol Campus” will also be contemplated.

The Marketing wasn’t forgotten and the result can already be seen in the beautiful Logo. The first letter of the word Benfica in the Logo looks like an eagle flying giving the sensation of nobility and independence.

The Benfica TV begins working on the first days of November, promising amazing on time information and lots of entertainment to everybody.

So, do not miss!

Uefa Group Stage Draw

2008-10-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

After the brilliant victory on thursday night against the Italian team of Napoli, now becomes known the teams SL Benfica will face in the groups stage.

On last thurday Benfica received SSC Napoli and needed to win the game. After a first half where both teams were trying to know each other and trying to controll the game, came an enthusiastic second half. Quique knew then was the right time to resolve the game, so passed that message to the players. Benfica started playing good football, and the goal would appear sooner or later and it really occurred on the 57th minute. Reyes scored another great goal and left the 56500 spectators atonished. When Carlos Martins made the pass to Nuno Gomes score the second goal, on the 84th minute a sensation of relieve appeared in the Benfica players and in the red fans among the public.

Although the International great exibithion, last night Benfica returned to the Portuguese League making the habitual errors of the last long years. Every portuguese football lover kows that, there are only two main objectives in certain Clubs, Coaches and Teams from the Liga Sagres. The first one is to maintain their Football Team between the best Portuguese Clubs, in the first league. The second one, is that they all know, that unfortunately, the only moment they will be talked about seriously in the press is, when they play against 3 or 4 teams in Portugal. In this occasions the Stadiums are full, altough the ticket prices in these games become high and the TVs with their audiences and shares make the rest.

These are some of the reasons, why Quique Flores should know, that these opponent players will want to make their best perfomance in these moments. Respecting these Clubs and avoiding draws to one goal, like that occurred yesterday in Estádio do Mar agains Leixões Sport Club, the easiest solution is to make, as soon as possible, a two goals difference. After that our team will certanly become more solid, more strong and less tired. Probably the team will also have more spaces to explore in the opposit deffense. This may not be the solution for getting the 3 points, but one thing is for sure, the fans would enjoy watching the game.

Uefa Group Stage

23 October: Hertha BSC Berlin – SL Benfica;
6 November: SL Benfica - Galatasaray AS;
27 November: Olympiacos CFP – SL Benfica;
3 December: Rest;
18 December: SL Benfica – FC Metalist.Kharkiv.

The Union of European Football Associations: UEFA CUP » Second Leg

2008-10-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Sporting Clube Portugal

On Saturday night our glorious team defeated the Lisbon rivals Sporting C.P. on a tactical match.

Quique Flores decided to leave Katsouranis and Aimar on the bench during the first half and they became the key to solve the game. Both teams were very similar on this first part and the null was the correct result.

On the second half, the “Encarnados” Coach decided to give more dynamic to the game, and launched these two players that made the difference. Katso helped the team to gain control of the midfield and Aimar opened spaces on the frontline, making also a brilliant pass to Reyes who scored the 1st goal. From one defender came the second goal of the night, five minutes after the first one. Sidnei who was part of the central defenders, with Miguel Vitor, responded accurately with his head to a Carlos Martins free-kick.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli S.p.A.

Now after the last Saturday brilliant victory against Sporting Clube Portugal, Benfica returns to the Uefa International Competitions.

After a 3-2 defeat on the San Paolo in Naples a victory is needed. One goal difference win, can be enough, to achieve the next round. Napoli will certainly make the things difficult to the reds. S.L. Benfica will not be able to count with Cardozo, Makukula and Suazo for different reasons, so Nuno Gomes will need the support of all the team to be able to score the dreamed goal.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim and Moreira;

Defenders: Léo, Luisão, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Jorge Ribeiro and Miguel Vítor;

Midfileders: Balboa, Binya, Aimar, Carlos Martins, Di María, Katsouranis, Reyes, Rúben Amorim, Urreta and Yebda;

Forwards: Nuno Gomes and Nélson Oliveira;

Coach: Quique Flores.

Liga Sagres: Paços de Ferreira 3 – SL Benfica 4

2008-09-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday SL Benfica won the away game against Paços de Ferreira, the striker Nuno Gomes scored the first goal.

The Captain with a good performance commanded the Encarnados team to the victory in an extremely difficult field. The home team was loosing in three occasions, but never gave up. Both teams were better attacking than defending and the result was uncertain till the end.

Quique Flores must be glad with the performance of some players like Sidney, Yebda and Carlos Martins. Reyes and Aimar are knowing better their companions and that helps their improvement. Léo did not play and Jorge Ribeiro demonstrated that will work hard to have other chances.

Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro (05-07-1976)

The Striker Nuno was born in Amarante, a beautiful region in the North of Portugal. When he was younger he used to watch Fernando Gomes play and he appreciated him a lot. Nuno wanted to score many goals like Fernando Gomes used to score, so he decided to use the last name, of this great striker.

Nuno Gomes soon called the press attentions while representing Boavista FC and was transferred to our Club in 2000.

The good games attracted the international attentions and ACF Fiorentina took him to Italy. The financial problems of Fiorentina took Nuno back to Lisbon and back to Glorioso.

After lots of important goals scored and some sad injuries, Nuno seems to be ready for an Amazing season.

The Union of European Football Associations: UEFA CUP » First Leg

2008-09-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli S.p.A. vs Sport Lisboa e Benfica

The Italian team known as Napoli will receive tomorrow night S.L. Benfica. The first round of the Uefa Cup will take place in Stadio San Paolo in Naples, where are expected to be more than 40.000 spectators.

Napoli was founded in 1904, won 2 Italian Championships, one Super Cup and 3 Italian Cups. The Naples team won also the Uefa Cup in a two legs final, in the season of 1988/89.

Very good players represented the Club along the years, but one name comes always in the front line, Diego Armando Maradona. This magic player is considered to be, the best player, who ever represented Napoli. Other two known players, Careca and Alemão, helped Maradona to make a team of champions.

Tomorrow the coach Edoardo Reja, will not count with Maradona. Perhaps another argentine player may do the difference, his name Ezequiel Lavezzi. We hope Quique Flores has the “magical potion” to stop him and his mates.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Goalkeepers: Quim, Moreira and Moretto;

Defenders: Léo, Luisão, Maxi Pereira, Sidnei, Jorge Ribeiro and Miguel Vítor;

Midfileders: Balboa, Binya, Carlos Martins, Di María, Katsouranis, Reyes, Rúben Amorim, Urreta and Yebda;

Forwards: Nuno Gomes and Suazo;

Coach: Quique Flores.

Are we ready to win?

2008-09-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

Quique Flores inherited a dispirited team who consistently failed to break FC Porto domination in the last years. A fourth place in last Portuguese League is obviously not enough to the supporters.

Rui Costa and Quique Flores understood that, and before they sign with any great players, they decided to sign in, with an experienced Coaching Staff.

To join Fernando Chalana, who already was in SL Benfica, and that had been promoted, after the difficult decision of Camacho to exit the Club, came Diamantino Miranda. Both man had played for several years in the main SL Benfica football team.

The two Portuguese Coaches know, better that anyone, in the Coaching Staff, the way the teams in the “Liga Sagres“ intend to play. They won’t need to study much, to be able to communicate to Quique Flores, how defensive certain teams are or, what kind of difficulties, our team will face in several stadiums, apart from the number of the supporters Benfica may have.

Fran Escribá seems to have a similar function of the two Portuguese Coaches, but he has a specific work to do. Escribá will have to study the way the opponent teams will act in the fields. Tactics, offensive and defensive processes will need to be studied. Observe and analyse the other team will be fundamental.

Emílio Alvarez, who also worked before with Quique, in Getafe and in Valência, as the important task, to train the goalkeepers. Quim, Moreira and Moretto, the Benfica goalkeepers’, will for sure be in great shape and ready to play when Quique intends to.

Finally comes one of the most important names in the Staff, Pako Ayestarán. This amazing fitness trainer, wanted by many Club’s., made part of his recent career with Rafael Benitez in Liverpool and before that in Spain. Ayestarán is doing an essential work with the Benfica players.

The best Coaches now how important is to have a team physically and psychology in good shape. To be winners the players need to be ready for winning.

Enrique Sanchez Flores (02/02/1965) – The first Classic

2008-09-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

Quique Flores was born in Madrid. His father Isidro Sanchez played in Real Madrid CF football team, during the sixties. Quique’s mother, Cármen Flores, is known as actress and also as singer.

Quique Flores played for Valencia CF more than two hundred matches, scoring 14 goals. He also played for Real Madrid CF and for Real Zaragoza, S.A.D.. Quique also joined the Spanish National Team during the 1990 Fifa World Cup, held in Italy.

The career as Coach started with the young Real Madrid CF players, like Balboa. They wan the Championship Title. After that experience went to a new team on the “Primera División”, Getafe CF, in the year of 2004. The good work was recognised by the Spanish critic and he moved to Valencia CF. Here he obtained the access to the Champions League in two years, achieving a third and a fourth place in the Spanish League.

Quique is now facing new targets in Rui Costa’s Benfica. He has the clear perception that when things aren’t well enough, something needs to be changed. That is the main reason why he wanted so much some new players for SL Benfica. New players for the team, but not for the coach, Quique needed them to make a positive revolution in the Club.

Although some new players have participated in the last Saturday match against Porto FC, some realities do not change easily: SL Benfica did not win, the final result was one equal; two players (Leo and Aimar) left the field injured before the end of the game; one player (Katsouranis) was sent off with a red card and another one (Luisão) was now punished and won’t be able to play, in the next one or two games of the Portuguese League.

To make a better SL Benfica, Quique needs more than the help from the players. Everybody in the Benfica structure have to work together to make the dream come true. That includes naturally, not only his technical staff (F. Escribá, E. Alvarez, P. Ayestaran, D. Miranda and F. Chalana) but also L.F. Vieira, R. Costa, all fans/supporters and above all every single person inside the organization.

Only with a very strong and solid group, Quique’s Benfica will be able to resist here in Portugal.

The Football Competition “Liga Sagres” started

2008-08-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Portuguese league began on the past weekend. Now all Benfica’s fans hope to win the championship.

The Mystic from Benfica begins when we are born. No one can teach us, how to be from SL Benfica, we simply start belonging to this Club.

As a child I grew up, feeling Benfica everywhere I would go. The few Media Portugal had by that time, always gave most justified relevance to our Club. I remember that all the family stayed in front of the Black and White Television watching the Lisbon team playing. Some people, like my Grandfather, preferred to ear the match on the radio.

If my Grandfather was alive, he wouldn’t understand why I am so expectant on, the kick off, of this new season. On Sunday Benfica played in Rio Ave’s field and the result was a draw. Both teams scored one goal. When my Grandpa lived, Benfica had seasons, where we could count by the fingers, of our hands, the number of points that the Club had lost during that same Championship.

Times have changed, nowadays the Club’s Management with the precious collaboration of Rui Costa, invited the Spanish Coach, Quique Flores, to reformulate the team.

A victorious team is being created, and the players will certainly feel the Mystic. That’s the reason why, Grandpa, I have so much faith.

Ángel Di María (14/02/1988) – Beijing 2008 Gold Medal

2008-08-26T04:33:00.001-07:00

Di Maria helped, on the past Saturday, Argentina revalidating the Men’s Football Olympic Title. Argentina had won the Gold Medals before in Athens 2004. On these Olympic Games, the young player had a preponderant work on the team, and also scored the victory goal.

The Beijing National Stadium received the final match, Argentina played against Nigeria. The National Team of Nigeria was giving a good replica, until the 58th minute when, Di Maria that received a great pass from Messi, ran along the left side and made the ball go over the Nigerian goalkeeper, scoring a beautiful goal.

Ángel had already scored a goal earlier on this tournament, while playing on the match against Holland.

To the Press he said:

“I didn’t expect to score the goal. The few seconds, while the ball was passing over the Keeper, took to long.”

“We have the Gold Medals and that’s what really matters.”

1. Argentina
2. Nigeria
3. Brazil

Di Maria arrived to SL Benfica on the Year of 2007, since then has demonstrated his abilities. The new Benfica’s coach, Quique Flores, will certainly appreciate his talent on the team.

Nélson Évora (20/04/1984) - When a star jumps to the Gold in Beijing

2008-08-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Portuguese Athlete Nélson Évora, won yesterday the Olympic Gold medal, in the Men's Triple Jump.

Nélson came to Portugal very young and soon started to get interested by Athletics.

The first results on High Jumping were amazing, but he became injured on his knee, so he had to change to the disciplines of triple and long jump.

On the World Championships, the medals and the broken records appeared with work, dedication and of course with the help of João Ganço, his couch.
To the Press he said:

“I am very happy for winning this Gold Medal. I cried a lot when I realized I had won and made my dream come true. Although I had already won the medal I tried to improve in the last jump, but the forces weren’t the same”

“After the victory I stayed a long time inside the stadium, taking pictures and giving autographs. I also took some of the sand from the box. The Portuguese flag I had around my body was written, by my friends and family to encourage me.”

“I would like to dedicate this victory to my family, in particular to my father to whom I have made a promise.”

1. Nélson Évora (POR), 17,67 m

2. Philips Idowu (GB), 17,62 m

3. Leevan Sands (Bah), 17,59 m

Today Nélson received his deserved Olympic Gold Medal.

Vanessa de Sousa Fernandes (14/09/1985) – Beijing 2008 Silver Medal

2008-08-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Fernandes won yesterday the Olympic silver medal in the Women's Triathlon.

To the Press she said:

“Winning this silver medal is very important. I feel a fantastic sensation, like if I had won the Gold medal.

It was very difficult to me because I hadn’t any Portuguese colleague with me. To compete in the Triathlon alone is very hard. I tried to take the lead but I didn’t feel well on the first cycle laps. Fortunately I was able to recover and get the second place.

Representing our country in this kind of event is not a piece of cake. We athletes must be proud and aware of how important these competitions are. If we don’t understand that and don’s take it serious, the better option is not to come. It is my responsibility and of each one of us athletes to be at the top, on the day we are going to compete, being ready to give our best.

I want to dedicate this medal to my family, friends and to all the Portuguese people who stayed awake watching me.”

1. Emma Snowsill (Australia), 1:58:27.66

2. Vanessa Fernandes (Portugal), +1:06.97

3. Emma Moffatt (Australia), +1:28.18

The coach Sérgio Santos considers that, the winning of the Silver Medal, is a big moment for the Portuguese Sport. To the press he also said:

”Vanessa worked a lot to achieve this goal. She deserves all the best and also much respect for everything she has been doing for the Portuguese Sport. Now let’s leave her celebrate with her team and family.”

The Women's Triathlon is divided in 3 competitions: swimming – 1500 m; Cycling - 40 km and running - 10 km. This is a continuous competition with no stop between the legs.

Eusébio Cup – Tribute to a “King”

2008-08-12T04:56:00.001-07:00

There is a new pre-season tournament in Portugal. It’s name Eusébio Cup.

The event is a tribute to the “King” Eusébio and will occur every year at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. On this first year, there will be only a single match, SL Benfica will face the FC Internazionale Milano.

Eusébio, who could have joined Angelo Moratti’s Inter in 1966 but the Italian football banned foreign players after the national team defeat against North Korea in the World Cup. In March Eusébio was a guest of Inter centenary celebrations at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Eusébio also known as the “Black Panther” said to the Press:

“I was already honored for having a statue in the Estádio da Luz and now the creation of this tournament, exceeds all my expectations. I hope to live for many and long years, now I know for sure, that the future generations will remember me. I think that the Internazionale Milano team was well chosen, I played against them and I remember they wanted me playing on their side. Nowadays the Inter’s team has a great coach José Mourinho and we can’t forget Portuguese players like Figo and Pelé that also play there. I expect a good match and I hope the Trophy stays here at home.”

Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was born in 1943 in the Portuguese ex-colony Mozambique.

The city of Lourenço Marques (Maputo) watched the young Eusébio growing in the streets of Mafalala, playing football with any kind of ball he could found.

Eusébio tried to enter the Club “O Desportivo”, after playing in a kids team called “Os Brasileiros”, but they refused him. He wanted so much to play that decided to go to the rival team, Sporting Lourenço Marques where he was accepted.

This was just the beginning ….

After that, Benfica signed him and there he made his dreams and of all Benfica fans come true. All over the world the football lovers who saw him also in the Portuguese National Team were amazed with the player who became a legend.

An extraordinary player was born and the space for his trophies was never enough. Never enough will be also any tribute to the “Black Panther”.

Eusébio is the best Portuguese player of all times, being also between the 10 better players of the world.