Setubal - Benfica Preview

After last weekends' virtual goodbye to the title, Benfica will now have to set their sights on a more realistic second place, and for that they will need to win the remaining six games, and hope that Sporting will slip up, not once, but twice. Today Benfica will face Setubal, who is currently in thirteen and is fighting to remain out of the relegation zone. At home, Setubal is the team who as scored the least amount of goals with 10, they are also the only team who have yet to concede a tie at home.

For this game Quique as called on the following players:

Keepers: Quim and Moreira;

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

Midfielders: Katsouranis, Aimar, Ruben Amorim, Carlos Martins and Yebda.

Forwards: Reyes, Urreta, Di María, Nuno Gomes, Cardozo and Mantorras.


Not much of a change for last game's list, with the only change coming with Yebda returning in detriment of Balboa. Yebda's exclusion from last game's roster was justified by Benfica's medical department earlier in the week, despite no announcement being made before the game. Also apparently not at 100% for last week's game was Katsouranis, hence explaining the debutant duo of Martins/Amorim in the middle.
Quique should line up the following 11 - Quim in goal, Maxi, Sidnei, miguel Vitor and David Luiz. In the middle, Katsouranis should be back and Amorim should be at his side, despite Yebda's return, who only trained without restrictions on friday. The rest of the midfield should be composed with Aimar and Reyes. Nuno Gomes and Cardozo, will repeat last week's start.

6 games left and all 6 need to be regarded as finals, if we are to have any chance at the Champions league, which will bring a significant financial gain.

Last time Benfica faced Setubal, they tied 2-2, with Quim allowing a goal in the 90th minute, a goal that dictated his bench relegation spell. At that time(9th round) Benfica was 2nd, 1 point off the lead, and 4 points on current leaders porto.