He initially moved on to the Champions League playoffs.
Roger Schmidt was perfect for Portuguese
After Bayer, the former Salzburg coach left for China. He earned some money, he went back to Europe. Trained PSV, handed over the command to van Nistelrooy, and he himself went south. Benfica have not won the Portuguese league since 2019. Unsurprisingly, Jesus, who did not repeat Rui Vitoria’s league result, left his post and his replacement did not stay long. Lisbon saw Conceição’s enemy dance in the locker room with a cigar, celebrating Porto’s championship. Benfica finished with a modest third place, well behind Sporting too.
Schmidt had to qualify for the group Champions League. Last year, the Eagles defeated Spartak and have now sent Dynamo Kiev to the Europa League. Unlike Shakhtar, Lucescu’s current team did not show zeal in the match against the favorite. But Benfica joined the group with PSG and Juventus, decided not to create idols, but systematically destroyed Allegri’s hopes of a successful season in European competitions. Schmidt, after defeating Turtsy with a score of 4: 3, collected 16 victories with four world victories in the season. Furthermore, it is important to clarify that two draws were against PSG.
Messi, Neymar and Mbappe have upset many of the Parisian rivals this season but have failed twice against Benfica. Juventus have lost both times to the Eagles. In the first case one could talk about the fact that the guests were lucky, but the last match showed which of the teams is developing correctly. Allegri left stories in which the performances of the great Italian Champions League it cannot be called a failure.
Benfica are led by the former Lokomotiv player
The key person for Schmidt is João Mario. At one time a Sporting student fell victim to greedy agents. In 2016 he was thrown away at Inter for 41 million euros. They didn’t think if the new club and the league were right for him, if the manager would trust him. The lease at West Ham also did not change anything, and only at Lokomotiv, in a new temporary link, the young footballer finally played as before. Joao has always been a smart winger, but even returning to his native Sporting did not lead him to a multi-year contract. Last year, Mario left for Benfica as a free agent and this deal predetermined the current success. We have a key person at the cost of a personal contract.
Joao plays solidly: he clearly gives the last steps, competently converts the penalty. It is clear that there are a lot of great players of different ages in the environment, not one person plays for everyone. Rafa has shown himself against Juventus – attacking midfielder and striker, usually underestimated, like Mario, but for one reason only – now the Portuguese have Ronaldo, Felix, Bernardo, Fernandes and Leau, you can also put in place masters like Jota or the boys of the Benfica. By the way, he appreciates the uniqueness of the situation. Having lost Yaremchuk and Nunez, the Eagles don’t care about performance. Neres and Gonzalo Ramos complement experts Rafa and Mario, the team doesn’t always score four goals, but Szczesny has overturned many times.
Juventus could have lost 1-7, but the Portuguese stopped on four precise shots, not taking advantage of some good opportunities, and Allegri’s substitutions brought motivated youngsters and Milik to the field. And even if the Italians exchanged a terrible first half, for the first time in the history of Juventus Champions League scored three goals before half-time, for a militant 4: 3 defeat, the score does not change the essence of the matter at all. Benfica led the game, it was better, and that Allegri has a better formation than tactics, physical preparation and play: the problems of the Italians, not the Portuguese.
The Portuguese supported “little Europe”
Although a small country has given the world so many great players – from Eusebio to Xalana and Figo to Ronaldo, Portugal has Spain by its side. Shaking the successes of Benfica and Porto in European competitions as the only ones does not work, because the Royal Cups and Barcelona will be the answer. Germans, English, Italians and French hold even higher, so much so that Portuguese football is a neighbor of the Dutch in the prestigious second line. Ajax and Benfica have given the continent’s top leagues the best of their students. And while it’s not always the bet on the local kid – even though Joao Felix managed to sell for a record 127 million euros, and for that money they’ll grow a crowd of new talent, there are still cool legionaries.
Like Club Brugge, Porto, Sporting CP, Salzburg and Shakhtar, the Eagles are among those likely to be in the Champions League playoffs this spring. So many non-top 5 reps have never been there. And even if it is clear that not everyone on this list is already in the decisive round earlier than expected, Benfica have made it: Juventus will certainly not be in the Champions League playoffs. Nothing new can be said about the global problems of the Agnelli club, all their cards have been revealed in advance. The utter stubbornness of the management and the coach has created a team whose games are often unpleasant to watch. This does not mean that another manager will not do anything sensible with this group of players, but some only dream of a restructuring, while for others it has already happened.
Benfica’s success is by no means accidental. We have analyzed the past season ambiguous, due to the third place in the league, where they are now in the lead, having lost points in only one game out of nine. The team is a bit lucky, not without it, because Vlachimos himself is not a great goalkeeper and Otamendi is not an ideal defender. But 18-year-old Antonio Silva appeared nearby: he is expecting a transfer for 50 million euros. Grimaldo kept to the left. Mario and Rafa have already been praised and in addition we will add a candidate for the role of Busquets – Barcelona looks to Argentina’s Fernandez. Enzo has been pointed out, although we will refrain from categorical evaluations. The boy is only 21 years old, and not all of Benfica’s talents then flies as high as the great Angel Di Maria.
But it is clear that the Eagles have the taste, the class and the continuity that any team outside the rich top 5 should dream of. It is the culture of tactical idea transfer, pedagogical approaches in academies, and wise scouting that makes grassroots clubs great when there is no eternal flow of money. The “Eagles” fly high and proud from the first time. And that Juventus organized itself in such a ridiculous way, e PSG failed to snatch all points from the Portuguese, the fault of the Galtier and Allegri teams. And the merit of Schmidt’s Benfica, which does not spend all its strength in a reckless way. The team does not have that safety margin that will surely lead to the Champions League final, but they deserve compliments and respect after five Champions League rounds and the start of the season as a whole.
Benfica is definitely not a team where you wonder how they do it during matches. But they have a sense of beauty. This is a team that works so clearly and competently, but at the same time freely, cruelly and honestly, that you want to organize such a crooked, but sincere ovation, as Benzema received in Paris with the Golden Ball in his hands. . At first there were screams in the hall, then liquid applause began, then stormy applause, after which Karim modestly thanked everyone once again. This is so much better than a layered soundtrack with cheers. Benfica will not beat everyone and everyone, the first defeat is not far off. But Schmidt beat Juventus, Porto and did not lose PSGand all this in two weeks. The fans stood out: there is a wonderful atmosphere in the stands and the players did not disappoint.
