Benfica - porto - Classico Preview

After a shaky start last weekend, Benfica faces their first real test this season when they host porto this Saturday. The Portuguese holders come into Estadio da Luz still trying to find the midfield consistency they had last season. With the losses of Assuncao and now Quaresma, porto is missing two important pieces of their successful unit from last year.
Benfica on the other hand, will have Reyes and DiMaria at Quique’s disposal, which will make the team a lot stronger than the one we saw against Rio Ave. Benfica has gone down 2 points to their rivals, and Saturday’s game is the perfect opportunity to get back those 2 points from porto.


Here’s Quique’s game call up list:

Keepers : Quim and Moreira.

Defenders – Katsouranis, Leo, Luisao, Maxi and Sidnei.

Midfielders – Binya, Carlos Martins, Ruben Amorim, Yebda, DiMaria, Aimar, Urreta and Balboa.

Forwards - Cardozo, Makukula, Nuno Gomes, Reyes and Suazo.

20 players in all, only 18 will be able to suit up. Suazo, whose international certificate was sent by Inter, but not in time to be processed by the Portuguese League, made Quique's first draft, but will not be able to play this weekend.
The other candidate to not suit up is Makukula, who is rumored to be on his way to the Barclay’s premiere ( Hull City or Sunderland)

Missing from this list are: David Luiz who continues to evolve into the optimal physical shape. Quique has expressed that he would like for David Luiz to make a full recovery, before taking any chances. Jorge Ribeiro is left out the game list yet again. Missing from the midfield is Fellipe Bastos, who had come off the bench against Rio Ave, but now sees himself watching the game from the stands.
With Reyes and DiMaria making their way into the game call up list, and most likely the starting line up, Fellipe Bastos takes a back seat to being Martins' back up, losing that spot to Amorim, who will be on the bench. Mantorras continues to follow a specific recuperation program, and at this time is not part of Quique’s plans.

Here’s my projected line up:



There shouldn’t be any changes to the back four. In the midfield Yebda and Martins will be in the middle. The big doubt remains on the more attacking trio - Reyes, DiMaria, and Aimar. With Suazo still not being able to play, Aimar will most likely play behind Cardozo, but there’s a chance that Reyes can also play in that position.
With Aimar up front, Reyes should start on the left and DiMaria on the right, but expect these to change up often.
In case Reyes goes up front, Aimar should go to the right and DiMaria to the left. This last option is perhaps the option that makes Benfica more dangerous. Last weekend Aimar’s productivity shot up when he dropped to the midfield, there's a remote possibility he starts the game in the midfield. DiMaria exudes confidence, as a result of his Olympic tournament performances, but I think putting him on the right would be detrimental to what he can contribute.

Quique is faced with a big dilemma here… To have Reyes and DiMaria on the field at the same time, means that one of them will have to play out of their natural position. With Reyes being a more experienced player, I would sacrifice Reyes to a position that is not his natural position – right mid.
Quique should start DiMaria on the left, as that is the position in which he feels the most comfortable in. His difficulties on the right side were apparent last season, to start him back on the right will not only deflate his confidence balloon, it’ll also put a damper on his production. That’s just my opinion, but I’m sure you can follow the logic.
I think Reyes and Aimar can be interchangeable up front, the big question is how influential can Aimar be in the second forward position? Throughout the pre-season and the first game of the season, I got the impression that Aimar is being underused in that position. With Suazo's arrival, Benfica will once again change their starting 11.

As I have written here many times before, championships are not won against the big teams, but against the small teams. However, going 5 points back of the defending champions, and with only one more head to head match between them, will leave Benfica in a less than desirable position.
A win at home will also establish a "not in my house" tonic for Benfica, whose points lost at home last season, seriously hurt their title chances.

Expect Benfica to come out strong and establish early dominance of the game. Benfica will have to control the midfield, where Martins and and Yebda will battle Lucho and Meireles. Benfica's success will also lie on wing play, and how they will be able to penetrate the porto defense.
Porto will hold their position and let Benfica come at them, while they will try to get into the game little by little. Expect a "wonderful" welcome for Rodriguez. I don't expect Rodriguez to be much of a factor in this game as the psychological edge of playing against a former team, usually falls on the player that was abandoned by the team and not by the player who abandoned the team. porto does not have any intentions of losing the game, but will be happy with the away tie. Expect a compact game from their part, not too adventurous from a defensive standpoint and patient going forward.

Nothing's lost with a loss, but the team will be in a considerable hole this early in the season.

If you live in the North American continent you will have to resort to either your usual P2P sources or a local Portuguese bar, that usually shows the games, to watch the game live, as SPT will have the game on tape delay.
Read more about the "blackout" here

I will try to put up links to P2P streams on the morning of the game.

P.S. Benfica has announced on their website that Edcarlos will be going out on loan to Fluminense until next May.