We're Ready

62,342 came out to watch Benfica against A.C. Milan in Benfica's final exhibition match, a match that was part of the 2nd annual Eusebio Cup. More than just an exhibition match, the Eusebio cup is an homage to what is the best Portuguese futebol player of all time. A man that put Portugal on the map, and that is the most important Benfica symbol alive today.
The game itself, was a marquee match up , it's not everyday that you get a European giant in your stadium, or seeing the likes of Pirlo, Zambrotta, Pato, Nesta, and Ronaldinho among others, up close.
But above all that, is the current wave of confidence that Benfica fans are being swept by.
The attractive playing style, and the many glimpses of potential this team has shown throughout this pre-season, have brought out many dreams and many illusions as to what this team will be capable of.


While the past games have all shown to be competitive in one way or another, Benfica has managed to dispatch their adversaries with a certain degree of ease. AC Milan was definitely the hardest test of the season, and the right team for the final dress rehearsal for the battle that is coming up this weekend.

JJ's final 11 of the pre-season was the following:


Quim in goal. Ruben Amorim, Luisão, Sidnei and David Luiz from right to left. Javi Garcia as the midfielder closes to the defense, Ramires and Di María on the sides of the midfield. Aimar as the orchestrator. Up front, Cardozo and Saviola.

This will most likely be Benfica's starting 11 to open up the season. In goal, it looks like Quim will once again start the year as Benfica's #1 keeper. I don't believe JJ will make the switch this weekend, especially after Quim's performance.

Maxi's absence forced Amorim to the right back position, and that is perhaps the biggest doubt as far as the team that will start the season. There are other options for right back, but i believe Amorim is the best candidate for the spot. On the left, we will most likely see David Luiz, while Shaffer continues to adapt.
One thing is for sure, Shaffer gives a different dynamic to Benfica's left side, and while he adapts, his inclusion in the starting 11 will be based on what JJ wants the team to do. Consistent defense will favor David Luiz, while verticality will favor Shaffer. Besides, Let's not forget that Luiz is Benfica's #2 center back, while JJ is taking advantage of his polyvalency, Sidney gets the spot, but once a rightful owner of the position comes through, David Luiz will very well be in the middle.

The rest of the team is no surprise, the usual suspects, Ramires who is the player with the most games in his legs, might not be at 100%, but he will start. DiMaria seems to have found his calling, while Aimar is a very different Aimar from last season all for the best off course. Up front, there is no denying Benfica's top scorer of the past two years. With 8 goals in 10 games this pre-season, Cardozo is on fire and has shown that he can be a great complement to the Argentinean trio.

On to the game....
Benfica started the game in the best way, energized by a jam packed stadium, Benfica hit the ground running, and inside the very first minute of the game had their first big occasion to go up the game. The combinations between the three men in the midfield and the smart movements of the men up front, leave you with a sense that at anytime something magical can happen when Benfica has the ball in the final third.
One touch futebol, with emphasis on every touch being aimed at advancing on the field, kept ACM with their backs against he ropes and for the first 20 minutes Benfica was the team that controlled the game creating several chances. AC Milan without some of their main pieces, still proved to be AC Milan, and inched back into the game little by little, by putting on a different game speed.
While Benfica pressured high and looked to go forwards with every stolen ball, Milan played a more patient game, and slowed the game down to their liking taking away some of Benfica's initial initiative. Despite losing some of their domination, Benfica still went into the locker room with a lopsided stat sheet when it came to chances, as they could have very well have been up a couple, while Milan had one real good chance to silence the stadium.

The second half brought one change, as Martins came in for Ramires, who as I wrote above, is the squad member most prevy to fatigue. The second half brought a very forward Benfica, just like the beginning of the first, Benfica entered the game looking for the goal, a goal they would eventually get, after the recently entered Shaffer found Cardozo in the box between the 2 center backs. The milimetric pass couldn't have come out any better, and Cardozo didn't waste the opportunity.
JJ who had subbed in Shaffer for David Luiz(who was not not playing bad) 7 minutes into the half, read the game perfectly, as Shaffer added depth to the left wing, and provided a more direct way to get the ball into box.
The Milan men were now coming out to close the spaces that Saviola and Aimar were using and Shaffer took advantage of that by changing the way the team was finding Cardozo.
The 63rd minute brought 3 changes as Aimar, Saviola and Cardozo came out, for Patric, Weldon and Keirrison. Martins moved from the right to Aimar's spot, while Patric bumped up Amorim in the right mid position. With these 3 influential players gone, the game changed yet again, and Benficwas now playing at a much slower pace, yet, Weldon found room to get two shots off, and show that for him there's only one way to turn, and that is to goal.
DiMaria and Garcia would make their exit at the 72nd minute, as Coentrao and Yebda took their places. The game seemed controlled, but with the individual talents that Milan has, you have to keep your focus, and play to the whistle, as any of these players can decide a game with one play. If there's any player that can do that on the Milan side, that player is Pato, who after losing Patric on a quick feet change, crossed the ball to find a sliding Sidnei, who put the ball into his own goal. It was perhaps the end of what could have been a memorable game, a play that left a sour taste in fans' mouth, regardless of the team having won the game in the pk shootout.
In the PK shootout, Quim saved not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 Milan pk's to give Benfica Eusebio's Cup, their 4th cup of the pre-season.

Another interesting performance by Benfica, with clear ideas, intentions and solutions to complete these ideas and intentions. There is no doubt in my mind the team is ready to go, there is a huge anticipation on how the team will start off the season, while we have breezed through the pre-seaosn, the real challenge lies ahead. Shady refereeing, ultra defensive teams, and teams willing to leave their all on the field to beat Benfica, all await Benfica, nothing that can prepare you for what's ahead, even though there were a couple refereeing debacles during this pre-season.

It's a good thing that we have a man in front of our team that is very well aware of the realities of the Portuguese league and the challenges that will presented week in week out, I trust that the team is prepared for the challenges ahead.

I'm ready, are you?


# Photo Credit - Getty Images