Getafe - Benfica - Uefa Cup 2nd Leg preview

This wednesday, Benfica plays perhaps the most important 90 minutes of their 07/08 season. With an unfavorable aggregate of 1-2 obtained at home, Benfica has a very tough game playing against Getafe in Madrid for a place in the Uefa Cup quarter finals. On the other side, Getafe hopes they can hold on to the aggregate and make club history.


Here's the list of Players that traveled to Madrid this afternoon ahead of wednesday's Getafe clash.

Keepers - Quim, Butt and Moreira;
Defenders - Luís Filipe, Nélson, Edcarlos, Léo and Sepsi;
Midfielders - Petit, Maxi Pereira, Katsouranis, Cristián Rodríguez, Rui Costa, Di María, David Simão and André Carvalhas;
Forwards - Makukula, Mantorras and Nuno Gomes.


Edcarlos is the only true center back, as the only other one available, Zoro, was injured during Sunday's game. Petit and Maxi are back, as is Makukula, Nuno Assis continues to suffer from muscular problems and did not make the trip.

After Camacho's resignation, it'll be up to Chalana to lead the team, Chalana will be at the helm until the end of the season at least.
What can we expect from Chalana? Not much change for now, but we will most likely see a 4-4-2 rather than the usual 4-2-3-1, and not because that is Chalana's preferred system, but because the game situation calls for 2 men upfront. Having to score 2 goals to win on aggregate, it makes no sense to play with 1 forward.

Here's my projected line up:

Quim in goal; Nelson, Edcarlos, Katsouranis and Leo will make up the back four. Petit will most likely be the the defensive midfielder, although his physical condition remains unknown. Dimaria, Rodriguez and Rui Costa will make up the midfield trident, while up front it'll be Nuno Gomes and Makulula, whose physical condition is also a mystery. If Makukula can't go, there's a strong possibility of either Dimaria or Rodriguez supporting Nuno Gomes, with Maxi, whose physical condition is also a mystery, jumping in midfield.

The starting 11 will depend a lot on how, Petit, Makukula and Maxi will feel, they are the big variables. And then, there's the outside shot of junior Andre Carvalhas starting on one of the wings.
Getafe is also suffering from the same problems as Benfica as they will have 9 players unavailable to play this wednesday - Esteban Granero, Daniel 'Cata' Díaz, Mario Álvarez, David Sousa, Miguel Pallardó, Ikechukwu Uche and Manu del Moral, all hurt. Braulio Nóbrega and Pablo Hernández will serve suspensions.

Benfica will need to come out hard from the start, there's nothing to it. Needing to score 2 goals, the team will have to push forward. Getafe is expecting that and will be prepared, while setting up for quick counters. Getafe is quick on the transition and can very well be at the other end with 5 quick touches.
Edcarlos hasn't inspired much confidence in me, but he will have to have a good game, if Benfica are to have any success, the same can be said for the whole defensive unit as a whole. The home crowd will try to push the home side into an historical feat, so Benfica will need to go up early in order to take the crowd a little bit out of the game.
Benfica should be optimistic about this game, after last week's game, most of the squad felt that they could have beaten Getafe, they will surely carry that confidence into the match. Also of note, is Benfica's performances away from home this season, playing away has been Benfica's home, naturally the players will also be aware of that and will play a more calm relaxed type of soccer, as they have in many away games. I also think the Camacho factor will play into the team's performance, after hearing Camacho tell the media he could no longer motivate the players, or find a way to motivate them, the team will come out and try to prove Camacho wrong. I don't believe there was any type of an underground movement against Camacho, but if there was we will see a different mentality in the players.

I hold a certain optimism in Benfica's advancement, but that will depend on what Benfica will show up. If Benfica plays well, they can beat Getafe easily, off course 2 goals is no easy task, but i think Benfica is capable of that. The realist in me has to wonder what Benfica can do with so many crucial players missing, especially Cardozo, who seems to be a big game player.
Many factors and circumstances surround the game, i just hope that the players can take a hold of the positive energy and run with it, and get through. Despite all the problems and the shortcomings, I would consider elimination at this stage to be a failure, as Getafe is very much within reach of Benfica.

Let's all hope for a good game and a positive result in the end.