With the light at the end of the tunnel dimming for second place, Benfica is still very much alive in the Portuguese Cup, where they will play Sporting for a place in the final this wednesday.
It'll be the fourth time Benfica plays Sporting this season. Benfica beat Sporting in pre-season, during the Guadiana Tournament, and both teams have played to a deadlocks on the two games for the Bwin. This time around there will be a winner, and that winner will have a chance to play for the Portuguese Cup, one of the objectives for the season.
Benfica comes off one of the worst defeats at home, a defeat that saw them fall from 2nd to 4th, and out of any type of chance of entering the Champions League.
Sporting who has already lost the League Cup final this season, will be looking to get back into another final.
For this game, Chalana has called the following players:
Keepers: Quim and Butt;
Defenders: Luís Filipe, Nelson, Léo, Luisão, Maxi Pereira, Edcarlos and Sepsi;
Midfielders: Petit, Katsouranis, Rui Costa, Rodriguez, Binya and Di María;
Forwards: Nuno Gomes, Cardozo and Mantorras.
A repeat from the game roster he called for the Boavista game. Left out were Makukula and Assis, who were in this past weekend's game roster. Freddy Adu continues to not be part of Chalana's plans, a decision that continues to raise a lot of questions on the fan's minds. At this point, there's no explanation from Chalana as to why he continues to ommit Freddy, and no one in the media has really asked why. There are a couple of rumours going around about Freddy, but at this time i will chose to not air them out.
Probable starting 11 will be:
Quim in goal, Nelson, Luisao, Katsouranis and Leo. Petit in the defensive midfield, Rui Costa, Maxi and Rodriguez as the attacking midfielders, Nuno Gomes and Cardozo up front. Nothing new, the same line up that played against Boavista, after trying and failing to substitute Binya in Maxi's position, Chalana will take it back to a system that worked. It worked agains Boavista, will it work against Sporting?
Personally i'd go with 4-2-2-2 for this game, which would allow for a better chance of controlling midfield. Binya and Petit side by side in the midfield, and Rodriguez and Rui Costa completing the top half of the square in midfield, supporting Nuno Gomes and Cardozo, with Nuno Gomes dropping into the 10 slot when it comes time to transition.
You can expect a hard fought game in the midfield, with the difference coming from set pieces. Sporting might have a little bit of an edge playing home, but not by much, as Benfica has had a lot more success playing away this season.
Benfica who feels the season slipping away, will be up for this game, as the Portuguese Cup might turn out to be the highlight of the season.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sporting - Benfica - Portuguese Cup Preview
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Benfica - Moreirense - Portuguese Cup Preview
This Wednesday Benfica plays Moreirense for a spot in the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup. Moreirense is currently 8th in the Portuguese II Division(Portugal's 3rd flight), and should be a very accesible adversary for Benfica. Benfica on the other hand, will look to rest some players ahead of this weekend's clash with Sporting, and give the less used players some valuable playing time.
Camacho has called the following players:
Keepers: Butt and Moreira;
Defenders: Luís Filipe, Zoro, Nélson, Edcarlos and Sepsi;
Midfielders: Katsouranis, Rui Costa, Bynia, David Simão, Nuno Assis, Maxi Pereira and Di Maria;
Forwards: Cardozo, Mantorras, Adu and Makukula
Notable absences - Luisao, Quim, Leo and Petit. The first 2 will be given a rest, while Leo and Petit will try to recuperate from minor injuries that have been affecting them. Also in the injured list are: Rodriguez, David Luiz and Nuno Gomes, who will also not be available for this game. Making returns to the game roster are, Zoro and David Simao the junior.
Camacho will surely present many changes in the usual starting line up, but the doubt will remain as to what formation he will use, having gone back to the 4-2-3-1 this past weekend, Camacho should return to the 4-1-3-2, as Moreirense is a much weaker team, it makes sense to play with 2 forwards.
Taking this into consideration, here's the probable starting 11.
Butt will once again be in goal, as it is customary that he plays the Cup games ahead of any other keeper. In defense, Nelson should be on the right, while in the middle, Edcarlos will most likely partner with Katsouranis. On the left, Sepsi will make his starting debut. In the midfield, Bynia will take on the sole role of defensive midfielder while ahead of him we should see, DiMaria on the left, Maxi on the right and Assis in the middle. Up front, Cardozo will be supported by either Mantorras or Freddy Adu.
It would be the perfect situation for Freddy Adu, in a position that is not foreign to him, as that was the position he played in the U-20 WC. Freddy is very mobile and would be perfect to play right behind Cardozo. Camacho has already stated that neither Makukula, nor Rui Costa will be starting. So perhaps an opportunity here for Freddy.
Shouldn't be a very hard game for Benfica, who will need to assert themselves early and quickly. Despite not having a dominating home record, Benfica should beat Moreirense.
Close attention will be given to Sepsi, who gets his first start, after a couple games of coming in as a sub and having interesting performances in short minutes, the Romanian will be in the eyes of every Benfica fan as he will have a lot more time to demonstrate his quality.
As of right now the game doesn't look like it will be televised, not even to Portugal, so your best bet to catch the game will be on the radio.
radio link
http://www.rtp.pt/antena1/
click on the link "emissao online"
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Benfica - P. Ferreira Preview
This Sunday, Benfica plays another round of the Portuguese Cup. The game is against P.Ferreira, another team from the Bwin, who is currently next to last in the table. But you can throw that out the window, as the Portuguese cup is often a different competition than the Bwin. For some teams, the Portuguese Cup is often a competition that is taken seriously, as there is a better chance of being Cup winners than League winners per say.
Benfica comes into this game from a bad result and performance against Nacional, they will try to rebound and obtain a good result, as the Portuguese Cup is currently one of the team's remaining objectives.
Game Roster:
Keepers: Butt and Moreira
Defenders:David Luiz, Luís Filipe, Luisão, Nelson, Edcarlos, Léo and Sepsi
Midfielders:Katsouranis, Rui Costa, Maxi Pereira, Cristian Rodríguez, Di Maria and Nuno Assis;
Forwards:Mantorras, Adu, Cardozo and Makukula.
Petit and Nuno Gomes, both hurt, did not make the list. Petit came back from international duty hurt, and Nuno Gomes is out for a minimum of 3 weeks as a result of an injury suffered during the game against Nacional, this past weekend. Also absent is Quim, who will give his place to a less used keeper.
David Luiz returns, fully recuperated. Rui Costa returns from serving a 1 game suspension, and Makukula makes his game Roster debut.
Projected line up:
Moreira in goal. In the back, Nelson, Edcarlos, David Luiz and Leo, from right to left. Katsouranis, Rui Costa, Maxi and Rodriguez will most likely be in the midfield, their positioning will depend on the tactical formation. Up front, Makukula will start, the doubt rests on who will support him if Camacho goes with the 4-4-2 - Mantorras is a serious candidate, as well as DiMaria. If he uses the preferred 4-2-3-1, We will see Maxi drop into d-mid while either Assis or DiMaria will play on the right wing, Freddy Adu should also get significant playing time, although, I highly doubt he will get the start.
Butt played poorly in the last cup game, i wouldn't be surprised if Moreira got the start. In defense, i think Camacho will sit Luisao, as he played this past Wednesday for Brazil. Edcarlos hasn't been playing bad and David Luiz is fully recuperated they will most likely be in the center of defense. The other factor to be considered is the fact that the South American players, and Adu, had long flights back and only got back to training yesterday with the exception of DiMaria, who landed in Portugal last night. How this affects the line up remains to be seen, Cardozo has already been given the rest, as Makukula is the alternative and the Uefa Cup is right around the corner.
If the week on, week off, performance tendency is anything of an indicator, we will see Benfica play well and win convincingly. But that remains to be seen, as most of the players in the starting 11 were involved in matches midweek and fatigue can definitely be a factor. In any case, Benfica needs to come out strong and put this game away quick.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Benfica - Feirense - Portuguese Cup Preview
The fifth round of the Portuguese Cup will be played this weekend. After having played another Bwin team in the 4th round, Benfica has an easier task this time, they will play against Feirense, a team from the Vitalis league ( Portugal's second division). it is the perfect game to "shakeoff" the negative moment that the team is currently going through. After 2 consecutive ties for the Bwin, Benfica will look to get back on the winning track against a considerably weaker team.
Camacho called the following players for this game:
Keepers: Butt and Moreira;
Defenders: Luisão, Luís Filipe, Nélson, Edcarlos, David Luiz and Ruben Lima;
Midfielders: Katsouranis, David Simão, Rui Costa, Maxi Pereira and Assis;
Forwards: Nuno Gomes, Mantorras, Di Maria, Adu and Cardozo.
Notable absences are the ones of Leo, Quim, Petit and Rodriguez.
Leo is currently suffering from a back injury and will not be available to play. Also out with injuries are Petit and Rodriguez, both with muscular ailments. Quim on the other hand, was left out by Camacho's choice. It is customary that second keepers get the start on domestic cup games, so Camacho has chosen Butt and Moreira for this match.
David Simao and Ruben Lima are juniors that have earned a call up, with the first one being his first ever call up.
Camacho has already confirmed that Nelson will be on the left, Edcarlos in the center of the defense with Luisao, and Katsouranis will start in the defensive midfield slot.
The rest of the starting 11 won't be much of a mistery, with the chance of 1 or 2 new faces in the starting 11.
Here is my projected line up:
Butt in goal, although Moreira wouldn't be a surprise. In defense, Luis Felipe, Luisao, Edcarlos and Nelson on the left. Katsouranis will play in front of the defense, as Camacho manifested that Katso is in conditions to play. DiMaria, Maxi and most likely Rui Costa will play in the midfield. I say most likely Rui Costa, because there is a chance Nuno Assis might get the start in the playmaker role. Up front, I'm expecting Cardozo and Nuno Gomes.
Don't be surprised if either Adu or Mantorras surprise everyone and get a start, it would be the perfect game for one of them to get the minutes.
It shouldn't be a hard game for Benfica, who despite playing a much weaker team, have the added pressure of having to deliver in front of their fans. Benfica's fan base is growing restless with the team's recent lackluster performances, and the team feels that a good result could silence some of the critics that are coming out every day.
So, easy game, but imperative win.
The game will not be televised, i am currently exploring the possibility of liveblogging the game so that you have an opportunity to follow the game. The game is @ 16.00 (local time) 11.00 if you are in the US' east coast(EST).
At this time there is a strong chance i will liveblog the game, so check back later on for confirmation or tomorrow before the game starts.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Benfica - Academica - Portuguese Cup Preview
It's the 4th round of the Portuguese Cup, and all of the teams from Portugal's top flight will make their debut in the cup this weekend, except Boavista and Maritimo who have a bye. Benfica drew Academica de Coimbra, a team they played and beat 3-1 almost 3 weeks ago in Coimbra. Not a very good initial draw for Benfica, drawing another Bwin team, but, for a team that has its sights on their 25th Portuguese Cup, Benfica has to beat every team in their path, no matter who they are.
Camacho has called the following players:
Keepers: Butt and Quim;
Defenders: Luisão, Léo, Luis Filipe, Edcarlos, Nelson, David Luiz;
Midfielders: Binya, Rui Costa, Di Maria, Petit, Nuno Assis;
Forwards: Adu, Mantorras, Nuno Gomes, Cardozo and Bergessio.
Looking at the call up list 3 obvious absences pop up - Rodriguez, Maxi and Katsouranis. Rodriguez has not yet fully recuperated from his injury, Maxi and Katsouranis get the well needed rest. The Greek did some light jogging in practice this morning, in what it seems to be an effort to recuperate strenght.
It's tough to say whether Camacho will give more playing time to the less used players, but i would bet on a few fresh faces in the starting 11. I am almost positive that Butt will start in goal, as far as the rest of the squad, the defensive back 4 should stay the same, the more reps the same 4 get together the better it is for them as a unit. Nelson will be at right back. Binya will be next to Petit. It'll be the first time Binya and Petit play together, this will give Camacho an idea on how Binya and Petit play together and what spaces they will occupy during the game. In order for 2 defensive midfielders to form a good tandem, they must complement each other, they can't be covering the same areas of the field, and they must function in a teeter toter sort of way - one up, one down during Benfica's offensive transition. While Katsouranis and Petit know each other's tendencies, Binya and Petit only know each other from practice. I'd be curious to see what kind of results it produces and how they distinguish themselves from each other. Binya can provide more stamina and more physical strength in the midfield. I'd be curious on how this will affect the team's game, for one thing, with Binya in the midfield, Petit won't have to cover as much ground, letting him be more supportive of Rui Costa. The other thing to be seen is whether they line up side by side or if Petit will play in front of Binya. In the attacking third, it would be nice to see Rui Costa get a rest, but that's not going to happen against Academica. Rodriguez's did not fully recover yet, so it'll be Di Maria on the left wing, on the right wing, Assis seems to be the strongest candidate for the spot , while upfront we will most likely see Cardozo again. With the 2 goals on Tuesday, Oscar seems to be gaining confidence towards hitting full stride, It would make no sense to halt his momentum. I'm also hoping for Freddy Adu to get some more playing time, he scored the 3rd goal in the previous meeting between Benfica and Academica. One can make an argument for his start on the right wing, but despite Freddy's willingness to play anytime, anywhere, this is not a position he feels the most comfortable with, although it would be interesting to see. For one thing with Binya and Petit in the midfield, the 2 wingers have more freedom to attack. Di Maria on the left and Freddy on the right, now that's crystal ball a sight, if you ask me.
With Benfica having finished their very busy cycle of 2 games a week, you have to wonder how much gas does this team have in the tank, and how well has Camacho recuperated the team, mentally and physically. Benfica can't afford to come out flat, they need to take control of the game from the get go. After a hard fought, emotional win against Shakhtar, the team must continue to work hard and build up on the progress they have made so far. They need to have a balanced, high level performance and put away the chances that are created, the earlier the better. Academica felt that they could have come away with a tie in the previous match, they will surely be moralized to have another go at Benfica. Despite the doubts on what starting 11 Camacho will field, the biggest question is - who will start for Academica in goal?
A quick look at the starting 11 that played Academica back on the 24th of November
Quim - Luis Felipe, Luisao, David Luiz and Leo - Binya and Katsouranis - Assis, Rui Costa and Di Maria - Nuno Gomes. If Benfica plays with the line up i'm anticipating, it'll be 4 new faces, how different will it be from the last time these two team met?
