SL BENFICA latest news -Uefa Cup bound

[TO DEVILS]

Bwin Report (Rd.10): Benfica Bashed By Braga

Benfica seem set for one of ‘those’ seasons where fans need to stock up on beta blockers to keep their blood pressure under control. The Encarnados were left with red faces as Sporting Braga pumped three past the visitors and left Coach Fernando Santos back in the position he’s occupied since arriving at Luz this summer: between a rock and a hard place.


This shouldn’t minimise the merits that Braga showed throughout the game, the team responding well to new tactician Rogério Gonçalves. The defeat makes it twice in a row that Benfica have left the town of Braga with their collective tail between their legs, losing out last year in a five-goal battle that the Arsenalistas shaded in a 3-2 match.

Usually solid keeper Quim gave Sp. Braga a helping hand early on as a fluffed pass ended up in front of Zé Carlos (7 min) the local boy connecting a vicious strike that soared into the back of the Benfica net. The self same Zé Carlos had two more chances in the 22nd and 23rd minutes but lucked out on both attempts.

Benfica woke from their somnambulistic stupor 25 minutes into play, finally pushing forward with precision until Ricardo Rocha (31 min) lapped up the leftover from an incomplete Paulo Santos save after a Katsouranis header. The goal reanimated Fernando Santos’ side and Nuno Gomes almost turned the match around with a 38th minute header.

Santos swapped Katsouranis for Karagounis in an attempt to inject more forward momentum into the Encarnados irregular game and the change did pep the guests up visibly. Rogério Gonçalves flipped the switch on the Arsenalistas, moving to a closed catenaccio system with a keen eye for the counter-attack.

Brazilian striker Maciel was perfectly at home in such a scenario and started to hassle Benfica with nippy runs forward. This was rewarded four minutes from time as the alert Maciel (42 min) buried the ball in the back of Benfica’s net to local delight, putting Braga ahead and leaving the Encarnados punch-drunk and clinging onto the metaphorical ropes.

The second half saw Benfica without any real ideas on how to puncture the hosts’ watertight rearguard and the sparring continued in a strangely half-hearted manner. Ten minutes from time Benfica wasted a key chance to snatch an equaliser as Karagounis slapped a cross in that Simão nodded over. Almost as a punishment Paulo Jorge (82 min) soared up and nodded past Quim.

Venue: Braga municipal stadium, Braga

Referee: Olegário Benquerença (Leiria)

SP. BRAGA (3): Paulo Santos; Luís Filipe, Paulo Jorge, Irineu and Carlos Fernandes; Ricardo Chaves (Frechaut, 86m), Madrid and João Pinto (Wender, 53m); Maciel, José Carlos (Castanheira, 71m) and Cesinha

BENFICA (1): Quim; Nélson, Anderson, Ricardo Rocha and Miguelito; Petit, Katsouranis (Karagounis), Simão and Nuno Assis Paulo Jorge (71m); Nuno Gomes and Miccoli

Half Time Score: 2-1

Yellow Cards: Maciel (20m), Carlos Fernandes (44m), Cesinha (56m), Petit (66m), Paulo Jorge (81m), Ricardo Chaves (78m), Miccoli (84m) e Anderson, 90m)

Goals: 1-0, Zé Carlos (7m); 1-1, Ricardo Rocha (31m); 2-1, Maciel (41m); 3-1, Paulo Jorge (82m);

Final Score: 3-1.

http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.a...enutoId=171815

[Oliver_Kahn]

He won't play in the CL ?

[Oliver_Kahn]

Great game!

[TO DEVILS]

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

He won't play in the CL ?

Nope. He is out for the Copenhagen game.

[Oliver_Kahn]

That sucks, he is very important for Benfica, offensively, since he scored alot from corners.

[TO DEVILS]

Luisao may only be back against Sporting.

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/notici...15&div_id=1456

[TO DEVILS]

LFV had a meeting with the captains to talk about the poor showing at Braga.

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-272/Artigo592963.htm

[TO DEVILS]

We have lost 11 points away from home so far this season, worst only in 2000/01.

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-272/artigo592960.htm

[TO DEVILS]

Players didn't like the words from the President after the Braga game.
http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=727282&idCanal=11

Tuff luck, you play like shit, you should just shut up and listen......

[TO DEVILS]

José Veiga foi detido e está a ser ouvido no TIC, acaba de avançar a SIC Notícias.

De acordo com o site da SIC, o ex-director-geral do Benfica foi detido esta manhã em Cascais, suspeito de ter ficado com uma verba considerável (5 milhões de euros) no processo de saída de João Pinto do Benfica para o Sporting.

Recorde-se que José Veiga deixou o Benfica na última semana na sequência do arresto de bens por causa de uma dívida ao banco do Luxemburgo Dexia.

Ainda hoje, Petit se pronunciou com a saída de Veiga do Benfica. "Faz falta a este clube. Todos sentem a falta dele. Acredito que vai voltar, pois faz parte desta família", referiu.

http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=727315&idCanal=11

[Oliver_Kahn]

Jose Veiga Arrested

[TO DEVILS]

Coluna é peremptório: «O Benfica precisa de um treinador inglês»
Mário Coluna, antigo «internacional» do Benfica e actual presidente da Federação Moçambicana de futebol, foi hoje muito crítico à forma como a equipa vem actuando ao longo desta temporada.



ASF
Nem sequer o treinador Fernando Santos é poupado. «Face à indisciplina que existe, o Benfica necessita de um treinador inglês», declara Coluna, lembrando-se, talvez, e por exemplo, do exigente Jimmy Hagan.

O «grande capitão», um dos melhores médios da Europa e sem dúvida uma «velha glória» do Benfica, revela à Antena 1 não gostar do que tem visto no actual futebol do clube da águia: «Não gostava de falar mal do treinador mas o Benfica neste momento precisa de um técnico estrangeiro para impor a disciplina e um futebol diferente. Para mim, o Benfica precisa de contratar um treinador inglês por causa da disciplina e para impor um tipo de futebol diferente».

Mário Coluna, que diz apoiar as declarações de LF Vieira, assegura que falta disciplina a este Benfica. «Falta disciplina dentro e fora do campo, aquilo que nos meus tempos existia e agora parece não haver. O que falta neste momento à equipa do Benfica é disciplina tanto dentro das quatro linhas como fora delas», vinca aquele que nos anos sessenta foi considerado o «monstro do futebol português», tal a sua categoria e profissionalismo colocados em jogo.

From www.abola.pt

FS needs to take some of that blame....when Camacho was coaching this was not an issue.

[TO DEVILS]

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

I am sure PDC is laughing as well........

[Oliver_Kahn]

You can bet he is, because he knows that will never happen to him even though he might be more corrupt than Veiga.

[TO DEVILS]

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

You can bet he is, because he knows that will never happen to him even though he might be more corrupt than Veiga.

So true......Veiga should have taken some classes.