Leixoes - Benfica Portuguese Cup Preview

The Portuguese Cup round of 16 will get underway this weekend, and Benfica will have the toughest game of this round when they meet Leixoes. Leixoes, who up until last week led the league, will try to to prove that their current ranking is no fluke as they will play hosts to Benfica who stole first place from them.
The two teams have already met this season in the fifth round, and Benfica came away from Estadio do Mar with the tie, but did not play an impressive game. Leixoes has only lost once at home for the Liga Sagres, while splitting the other 4 games between wins and losses. Playing away is where Leixoes' excels, having only lost 1 game and won the other 5, a league leading stat. Nonetheless, having surrendered first place to Benfica this past weekend, Leixoes will try not to lose another spot to Benfica, this one in the next round.


For this game Quique has called on the following players:

Keepers: Moretto and Moreira.

Defenders: Luisão, Maxi, Miguel Vítor, David Luiz and Sidnei;

Midfielders: Reyes, Balboa, Katsouranis, Aimar, Ruben Amorim, Binya, Yebda and Urreta.

Forwards: Cardozo, Suazo, Makukula and Nuno Gomes.

Typically a Portuguese Cup game roster would include some players that haven't played all that much, but not this one, which shows the seriousness in which Benfica is approaching this game.
Quim continues to be left out. Nothing new in the defensive unit, Jorge Ribeiro has entered the final stages of his recuperation and Leo is still in Brazil. No changes in the midfield either, as DiMaria and Martins continue to recuperate from their injuries also. Up front, Makukula is the new face from last game's game roster, although it must be said that Quique called on 19 players, which will mean one player will watch the game from the stands.

The starting 11 should not deviate much from what we saw against Maritimo, however the one big doubt will fall on who will start in goal, Moreira or Moretto? In other circumstances(had Quim not lost his job to Moreira) Moreira would start this game being the number 2 keeper, but now that he is number 1, and Moretto number 2 there's a possibility that Moretto might get the start. But that will all depend on whether Quique will want go give Moreira more minutes, now that he is the starter, in order for Moreira to get more routine in the starting spot.
In the defense, Maxi, Luisao, Sidnei and David Luiz should round out the back four. In the midfield, Katsouranis and Binya should be in the middle, while Reyes and Amorim on the flanks. Up front Aimar and Suazo should repeat last weekend's start.

If this is to be the team that Quique fields, it'll be a very different team from the team that Quique fielded back in the 5th round. Miguel Vitor played on the right of defense as Maxi had to report early to the Uruguayn national team. Jorge Ribeiro was on the left. In the midfield Yebda and Martins were in the middle, Katsouranis on the right, Reyes on the left. Nuno Gomes supported Cardozo up front. As you can see, a very distinct team from the probable team that will play today. With Aimar, Suazo, Amorim, Maxi and Katsouranis - this last one in clear ascendant - Benfica has everything to make the difference this time around.

With the UEFA Cup a distant mirage, Benfica will need to focus on one of the 3 objectives at hand, and will take this game very seriously. In the news conference before the game, Quique's assistant Fran Escriba, stressed the importance of the game and how the Portuguese Cup final game is perhaps the most "beautiful" game of the whole season.
Expect the team to come out strong and firm in its wishes to win the game. This Thursday's game has lost importance, so there will be no danger for the team to be thinking ahead.
Benfica will try to break its tendency of the past two seasons, where every time they have gone away from Estadio da Luz, they have been eliminated from the Portuguese Cup. It's been a year of breaking tendencies, and returns to old ones, let's hope today's game will prove to be just that.

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Benfica - D.Aves Portuguese Cup Preview

After squeezing by 3rd flight Penafiel in the last round of the Portuguese Cup, Benfica faces another lower flight team in the next round of the competition when they meet Desportivo das Aves. Desportivo das Aves is currently 10th in the Liga Vitalis(2nd flight) and has two Benfica players in their ranks. Romeu Ribeiro and Ruben Lima have been on loan at Aves since last year. If you recall, Ribeiro was used by Camacho in the beggining of last season, but was shipped up north during the winter break last season and has remained at Aves. The same applies to Ruben Lima, except he has not yet made is official debut for Benfica. Despite the good relations between the two clubs don't expect any let up by Aves, who sees this game against Benfica as the game of the year for them.


Quique called on the following players:

Keepers: Moreira and Moretto.
Defenders: Luisão, Léo, Maxi Pereira, David Luiz, Sidnei and Miguel Vítor
Midfielders: Katsouranis, Aimar, Balboa, Binya, Carlos Martins and
Yebda.
Forwards: Urreta, Cardozo, Nuno Gomes and Suazo.

Portuguese cup and league cup games are always occasions for the fringe players to get some playing time, and that is evident by the list that Quique as put together.
Quim and Jorge Ribeiro get the rest in from the defensive unit, David Luiz is the biggest piece of news for this game. The young Brazilian has yet to make his official 08/09 debut, after logging 30 minutes in the Liga Intercalar, Luiz seems to be out of his recuperation phase and has joined the team in full training with no restrictions. In the midfield, Balboa returns after being absent from the past game roster sheets, the Guinean has struggled to adapt and is quickly turning into the biggest disappointment of the season, considering Benfica paid 4m for him.
Reyes, DiMaria and Amorim did not make the list, the first is currently serving a 1 game ban for a double yellow against Guimaraes. Amorim and DiMaria are affected by slight injuries and will not be available. Up front, Makukula, who started in the last Portuguese Cup game, has been left out, while Urreta sees himself part of Quique's choices.
All of the big guns are also part of the forward choices, as Quique will not let the same thing happen that happened against Penafiel.

It's hard to speculate on the chosen 11 by Quique, but here it goes.

Moreira in goal. Maxi, Luisao, Sidnei and Leo in the back. Katsouranis and Martins in the middle, Urreta on the left Balboa on the right. Nuno Gomes will support Cardozo.
Other alternatives can include Miguel Vitor on the right of the defense. I am not expecting David Luiz to start but it's possible he can get a few minutes if the game goes out of reach, this off course following the same logical approach that Quique used with Aimar, slow integration. There's also a possibility that Binya and Martins will form the center midfield tandem, the latter one can also be one of the alternatives to the right of the midfield. Up front I'm expecting Suazo and Aimar to be Quique's aces in the hole, Cardozo should get the start and Nuno gomes will most likely support him, with Aimar being the alternative.

Figuring out the starting 11 for this game is as difficult as guessing the final score.
One thing is for sure, whoever the 11 are, you can be sure that they will be prepared to play as Quique does not want another Penafiel repeat.

It's another chance for the team to show their progress. It's also a chance to show that this past Thursday's defeat has been digested, whether it's a second line Benfica or not.
The players who are getting a chance can't look at the opportunity as a just reward for their hard working in training, they should be looking at this opportunity to show Quique that they are ready to be called on. With Quique being a coach that likes to rotate players in and out of the line up, being in the front line is always a plus.

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Benfica - Penafiel - Portuguese Cup Preview

Benfica starts their Portuguese Cup campaign this Sunday against Penafiel at Estadio da Luz. It is the first round of the Portuguese Cup for the Liga Sagres teams and the drawing dictated that Benfica play Penafiel. Penafiel are current co-leaders of II Division B (Portuguese 3rd flight), and will come to the Estadio da Luz trying to take advantage of the extra motivation a game like this usually brings. Benfica comes back to action after 10 days of rest, and will try to get a new winning streak going, after tying their last game against Leixoes. The Portuguese Cup has eluded Benfica for the past 5 years. despite being the Portuguese Club who has raised the silverware the most.

As it is customary, Portuguese Cup games, especially the early ones, are usually a chance for players who don't play much to get their chance. Here's the game roster that Quique selected for this game:

Keepers: Moreira and Moretto.
Defenders: Luisão, Miguel Vítor, Sidnei, Léo and Jorge Ribeiro.
Midfielders: Bynia, Katsouranis, Fellipe Bastos, Ruben Amorim, Balboa, Reyes and Di Maria.
Forwards: Cardozo, Makukula, Suazo and Urreta.

As expected, Quim will get his day off, as Moretto will sit on the bench for the first time this season. In the defense, Maxi also gets a day off. In the midfield, Fellipe Bastos returns while both Yebda and Carlos Martins take a valuable rest. Reyes who had suffered an injury against Leixoes, has recuperated in full and is once again an option for Quique. Up front, it's the return of David Suazo, who had been injured since Benfica's first leg UEFA Cup game against Napoli. Nuno Gomes will do the same as his national teammates and rest. Pablo Aimar and David Luiz are the only one's that weren't part of Quique's selection pool, as they are still recovering from their injuries.

Here's the probable line up

Moreira
Miguel Vitor, Luisao, Sidnei and Leo
Binya, Ruben Amorim
Balboa and DiMaria on the flanks
Cardozo and Suazo up front.

Moreira is more than a "shoe in" in goal. In the defense, with Maxi being out, Miguel Vitor seems the most certain for the right side. Luisao and Sidnei will continue to be the central defender tandem, and Leo should get another chance to show Quique if he has assimilated the proper movements required by Quique for the position. In the midfield, Binya should get his first start of the season. Next to Binya there are a few choices, Amorim seems like a logical choice as the central midfielder position is his natural one. There's also the possibility of Fellipe Bastos starting next to Binya, to give him his first minutes of the season.
On the flanks, DiMaria should make his return to the left, as Quique will most likely keep Reyes on the bench as a precaution. The right side should belong to Balboa, as he will get another chance to show his progress. Up front, Cardozo will most likely be up top, while the supporter should probably fall on Suazo. There's a possibility that Makukula will start, but i don't see him along side Oscar Cardozo, as they occupy the same areas of the attack. There's also the possibility of Suazo starting on the bench, but it makes more sense for him to start along side with Cardozo, in what could be a "dress rehearsal" for Thursday.

Although a somewhat different team from what we are used to seeing, don't expect the desire to win to be any different. A good performance here will earn some of these players points and will keep them in the book of options for Quique. The most important thing for these players, is to show Quique that they are in tune with his game model, and understand it well enough that they can carry it onto the field. Benfica has a very busy schedule until the end of the year, this is a great chance for these players to put themselves in a spot where they can be rotated into the squad to keep it healthy and fresh.

There isn't a team that comes into Estadio da Luz without the ambition to win and extra motivation, Penafiel should be no different. Benfica needs to get to work early and put the game away fast. On paper, it's a very easy game, but it can be one of those trap games. The players will certainly be forbidden to think about the UEFA Cup game on Thursday, and need to have respect for Penafiel, regardless what division they are from.



A little more about the trophy itself

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