Benfica News 3/18/08

Benfica will have a long layoff before next game, as this weekend there are no games scheduled for the bwin. Sporting and Setubal will play the final of the League Cup this saturday down in Algarve and sunday is Easter Sunday.

In the meantime, click on the link below for a few tidbits of news:

- Today's "A Bola" Confirms that Chalano will remain at the helm of Benfica until the end of the season. After meeting with Luis Felipe Vieira yesterday, it was decided that Chalana, Sheu Han and Rui Aguas continue until the end of the season.
As far as a new coach, it's rumoured that, there's already a name and that preliminary negotiations stages have been initiated, although the name is being kept as secret as Osama's whereabouts.
The club had previously defined a coaching profile they would like to have, and apparently have found the right person, although that name will remain a secret until the end of the season.

- Benfica Juniors - If you have been following my posts about Benfica's Juniors in the Dallas cup then you'd know that Benfica has already qualified for the Semifinals where they will most likely meet Liverpool, who has just been killing every team they have faced so far.
Benfica has one more game in the group stage, a game which will see them face Mexico's Guadalajara Wednesday, March 19. The semifinal match will take place friday March 21st.
Keep your eyes on this Blog for updates. Information coming out of the Dallas Cup is limited so if you run accross any information please email me - afumacas at msn.com.
We also have a reader in the Fort Worth area, if there's anyone out there who is local to Dallas and is able to go and watch the games live it would be great to have a review.

- Brazilian press reveals that Benfica has shown interest in Fluminense's Thiago Neves. Neves is a center attacking midfielder and is being referenced as Rui Costa's possible successor. The 23 year old, is currently under contract with Fluminense until 2011, with a buy out clause of 30mm.
It is not the first time that Benfica has shown interest in Thiago Neves, last year Benfica initiated an approach to sign the player but it fizzled out. Thiago Neves is currently one of the best players playing in Brazil, he won the "Bola de Ouro" last year, an award that is given to the best player in the league, which is based on the player's performances throughout the season.

- It's back to white for Benfica. Benfica will be going back to their traditional all white alternative uniform for next season. After going through a myriad of colors for their alternative kit(pink, beige, silver, orange, black, gray)in the past few years, with the exception being their centenary year 3 years ago, Benfica will go back to their roots with the all white.
Also new for next season will be 3 stars above the teams emblem, the 3 stars will symbolize the number of domestic leagues won, with each one of them representing 10 league titles. Benfica's current tally is 31.

- Freddy Adu will be in action again this upcoming thursday, march 20th, when the US plays Canada for a place in the finals of the Concacaf Olympic tournament and subsequent Olympic Games qualification. The two finalists of the tournament will automatically qualify, although the winner of the tournament will earn a higher seeding for the Olympic Tournament draw.

- Still on the Olympic topic, DiMaria has made the preliminary 30 man roster for Argentina's Olympic squad. A squad that includes Lionel Messi, Juan Roman Riquelme, Javier Mascherano, Cambiasso, Julio Cruz, Demichelis and Diego Milito. if you recall, each team is allowed to take a limited amount of players above the age of 23. With those names Argentina will surely be the heavy favorite.

- Oscar Cardozo has also been called on by his national team for a friendly match. The match will take place on the 26th of March in South Africa against the 2010 World Cup host country, South Africa.