Benfica 4 PSV 1

Last nights result for Benfica in the Europa League was proof that Portuguese football is steadily getting back to its best.

The dominance of the decades past are starting to be seen.  Clubs like SC Braga reaching the quarters, FC Porto totally outclassing their opponents from Moscow can only show why Portugal will have the opportunity to have 3 teams in the Champions League from 2012/13 season.

Benfica’s game against one of Europe’s top teams gave the team much to think about, after the loss in the domestic league against their fiercest rivals FC Porto, a small number started to question the approach to Europe.

But Benfica seem to have a different approach to Europe, a much more attacking flow to their game. They seem to be able to find spaces and penetrate through gaps that come hard to find domestically.

The display from the whole squad was astonishing, the full backs constantly pumping up the pitch, the central and attacking midfielders seemed to connect well most of the time.

The danger from Benfica started earlier on and carried on, and with four really special goals, it will be a feat only worth repeating in Dublin for the final.

On the night it was the Opener from Pablito Aimar which came from a much hard fought play by Fabio Coentrao and Nico Gaitan to cross and find Cardozo, only for the ball to come off him and into the oncoming Aimar to smash it with great power for 1-0.

Salvio went on to score 2 further goals, the first with the hard work from Coentrao on to Salvio to back heel it into the net.

His second was another great work, this time from the right, he goes inside, and with a bit of skill manages to get past in-between two players to hit the inside side net on the far post.

PSV managed to get an away goal which may or may not be important in the return leg in Holland, after a ball from the by line is crossed low, Roberto fails to get hold and Ladyad stick a foot at it to make it 3-1.

Saviola Made it 4-1 on the 93^rd minute, Maxi Pereira gets the ball on the right, passes inside to Saviola, who turns his man and hits the top left for the final kick of the game.

This result will be comfortable to take into the Philips Stadion on the 14^th of April.

Bayern Munich Stars ''Europa League is worthless''

Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery have both recently claimed that the Europa League is not worth playing in, and it should be avoided.

With Bayern 4th in the Bundesliga, they will need to get their act together in the remaining eight games or face the humiliation of having to eat their own words.

Robben says 'I can't imagine playing in the EL competition' and that 'It would be the worst thing that could happen, and would be better not to play in it at all'

the flying dutchman also added "Even winning the Europa League would not mean anything for me," ending with "That is not the title you want to win and it is not something I want."


Robben seems to be more used to Champions League football, and playing in the Europa League seems to be bellow his standards.

Ribery's comments came a week after commenting;

"The Champions League is incredibly important for the team, the club and the fans,'' the French man also added. "The Europa League is rubbish and we have got to avoid that'' and also said "The best way is not to even think about that. Playing in the Europa League is no fun at all''
"Once you know the Champions League, then you always want to play in the Champions League.''

With this i am sure their team will really have to sell 2 players should they fail to qualify for the Champions League, or perhaps the two superstars are already paving their way out of the club should they not finish third at least.

But one thing is for sure.. I now want Bayern Munich to end up in the Europa League, keep both players, this way I can point at the TV and laugh... and should they end up playing an English side I will gladly pay to point at them and laugh... so look out for a banner ''HOW SHIT ARE YOU? ARJE & FRANCK''

Benfica 2 v 1 PSG

Benfica 2 v 1PSG

After having witnessed Braga beat Liverpool 1-0 and their fiercest rivals FC Porto grab a 0-1 victory in Moscow against CSKA, Benfica needed a win to complete the Portuguese hat-trick in the Europa League.

The French side PSG were in no mood to let Benfica play their all out attacking football, with Manager Kombouare stating that the team would be happy top defend and catch Benfica on the counter attack.

The eagles got the game well underway when Gaitan tested Edel with a shot just outside the area, calling for an acrobatic save.

Benfica then went on a defending duty with Erdnic twisting and turning the defence in and out and requiring Roberto do pull a save out of the blue.

But it was PSG that on the 15^th minute found the defence out of shape, with Sidnei having drifted away from his man, allowed Luyindula to slip in between Coentrao and beat Roberto on his Left side.

Benfica kept the constant attack towards PSG goal, with mainly the final pass failing them, it was a night where the ball was put on the right and the attacker went left, and what looked like a real misunderstanding between all.

At the back for the duo of Sidnei and Luisao, it was also to be a case of mistaken partnership and communication. With both going for the same ball and failing to header it on the 16^th minute, Ednic was found at the far post and from the cross, he had a shot, which hit the post  and Sidnei magaged to to just get his head on the ball for a corner.

Benfica were tested and frustrated for a long periods of time and their constant attack meant that the back four was usually left bare.  PSG seemed to find the easy pass in between and over Luisao and Sidnei, with Coentrao usually tracking back from his trips forward.

Benfica went on a better run, going over the bar with shots from Cardozo and Carlos Martins. The equalizer came on the 42^nd minute when Carlos Martins chipped the ball over, Maxi Pereira slipped in behind Armand and placed it over the out coming Edel for the 1-1.

The second half was a similar affair, but Benfica seemed more on top of the game, but still finding it hard to convert the passing football into goals.

Saviola was brought down in the area by Makonda but the official waved it off.

But it was to be 10 minutes from the end, when Aimar played Jara, who opened up his body, and from just inside the D beat Edel to seal a victory.

 

A night that the entire Portuguese entry all came away with a win, and according to my fellow Twitter @PaulSeery, such results mean Portugal will have 3 teams in the European Champions League f9r the 12/13 season.

On another note, Benfica looked a team with a good attacking squad, but the likes of Luisao and Sidnei will need to sort themselves out, with the latter needing to step up on all occasions not the odd one. The forward players in Cardozo and Saviola, although two different players in size and technique, could benefit the squad if only they actually played off each other with a better understanding of their movements.