January Transfers, Benfica B Squad, Winning in Porto?

 

 

With only 6 days left in the January 2013 transfer window, many feel that more changes are inevitable at the Benfica camp. Bruno Cesar (or Xuta Xuta) has departed to a team in Saudi Arabia that I cannot fatham to pronounce for 5.5M. This is considered a bonus at Benfica for a guy who although talented lacked minutes throughout the 2012/13 season.

Sir Alex Ferguson has offered 15M for the services of Ezequiel Garay whom in my opinion has carried the defensive line all season due to a missing captain Luisao. Benfica has declined and wants 30 and considering this guy is a working horse in the back and rarely gets hurt consider it a good deal for Manchester United. If Garay is sold this transfer season it clearly proves that Benfica are not interested in winning titles but just qualifying for UEFA champions league and happy with a third year as runner up in the Portuguese league.

Matic, Oscar Cardozo, Jardel, Fabio Cardoso, Leandro Pimenta have all locked in to Benfica some until 2018 and even 2019 with reidiculously high recession clauses. This just shows that President LFV is commited to continue his promise of rebuiling SLB for the future. And while we are discussing the future of SLB, although struggling in sixth place (only one win since t he beginning of 2013) the Benfica B team continues to show real depth and a brigh future for not only Benfica but Portugal. The Benfica B team is evident in the U19 and U21 and U23 teams whom mainly conist of young, bright talent in the B team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With 12 goals in 17 games this season alone fans are demanding that B squad captain Miguel Rosa begin making an appearance in the main squad. Bruno Cesar has left and Pablo Aimar will be leaving at the end of the season and perhaps a few others may be leaving before the end of the month which means someone has to replace these guys.

Although many players have been rumoured to arrive at Benfica this month, no one doubts that these players will not be able to contribute and make a difference for Benfica, we should continue to promote from within. For example any of the following:

Domestic

Mika
Roderick
Fabio Cardoso
Joao Cancelo
Leandro Pimenta
Miguel Rosa
Ivan Cavaleiro

Foreign

Urreta
Carlos Ascues
Sidnei
Lionel Carole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 year old Leroy Fer midfielder from FC Twente 6'2"is nicknamed De Uitsmijter (The Bouncer) by his youth club Feyenoord. He is on the Dutch u21 and has been compared to Patrick Viera. Fer is an old team mate of Ola John and If he is anything  like John I'm sure he's a good player and will be a lethal force playing with John. I have never seen Fer play but he sounds like a 6 which we don't need because we have Matić, and Almeida or if he is an 8 then we have Enzo, Gomes, Rosa.

Gonçalo Santos 26 mid Estoril Praia is contracted until 2015 and I can't see benfica wanting to break the contract unless he comes cheap. Again we have tons of 6's and 8's at least Fer has history with Ola John and would adapt well.

Vitor from Paços De Ferreira is a center mid and is 29 years old. For some strange reason I can see this guy making the move especially since PDF may end up in that ever important third spot in the league this season. He has 2 league goals and 3 Taça goals. Played all league games so far this season

Ricardo is a 19 year old striker from Guimaraes. With the amount of strikers Benfica has on loan we don't need this guy. If you want to give a young kid a chance then look at Ivan Cavaleiro who plays on the B Team and has 7 goals this season. Although he is a winger he can adapt in the striker/ forward position. JJ loves adapting players.

Finally, Luis Fariña,and Ricardo Centurion from Racing Avellaneda, Argentina. Centurion has been offered 7.5M to Anzhi in Russia and is rumoured to begin there at the beginning of the summer. Whereas 19 year old midfielder Luis Fariña can very well make the move to Benfica. Unless of course FC Porto lure him away (Alex Sandro, James were ours)

LFV promised us a surprise after winning the Presidential elections in November. It is now January and we're still waiting. The ultimate surprise is breaking FC Porto's 3 year winning streak by doing it at the Dragao stadium and winning a Taca De Portugal or EUROPA League wouldn't hurt either.

Força Benfica.

O Classico

 

 

 

As important as The Lisbon Derby is for Benfica fans, this weekends Classico at the Luz against Porto is even more important because both head-to-head matches will determine the outcome of this season's champion. In the past seasons, Benfica was threatened by both Porto and Sporting however, as we have noticed this season Sporting are in shambles. This does not mean that Porto is the only threat to a very confident SLB. (We always have a hard time against Academica and Braga is not an easy team either. )

There is a lot at stake in this Sundays Classico. Regardless of the final outcome, someone will drop in points. Ideally a tie would mean both teams remain in first place but the 2 points potentially lost may make a difference towards the end of the season.

According to the statistics in the last ten years Benfica have played Porto 23 times in all competitions. Benfica have won 5 times (3 times at home) tied 6 times (3 at home) and lost 12 times (6 times at home). Since this game is at luz the odds of them winning are slightly greater then losing or ending in a tie.

 

It was only since 1994 that FC Porto began dominating the Portuguese League. (Part of this was because of Benfica's financial situation) Statistics show the following:

International Competition

FC Porto -  SL Benfica
European Champion Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions League 2 -  2
Intercontinental Cup 2 -
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup / UEFA Cup / Europe League 2 -
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup - -
UEFA Super Cup 1 -

National Competition

FC Porto -  SL Benfica
Portuguese Championships 26 -  32
Championship of Portugal/Portuguese Cup 20 -  27
Portuguese League Cup - 4
Portuguese SuperCup 19 -  4

Total: FC Porto  72 - SL Benfica 69

Porto has excelled in the Portuguese Super Cup which although is still silverware, is not as impressive as 32 Portuguese Championships and 2 back to back UEFA champions league.

In December of 2007 I witnessed the Classico in person at the luz. A few of us went over and had a "Soccer Week." A week in which I will always remember for the rest of my life. It was that week in which I went from becoming a Benfica fan to becoming a passionate Benfica fan. I was fortunate to see Benfica draw 1-1 to AC Milan in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. We traveled to the Braga stadium to witness one of our Benfica heroes João Pinto play with Braga against Bayern Munich in the Europa League. Although all of that was spectacular the main purpose of our trip as was to watch the Classico.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEMQtwIwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Drm34oPusLYE&ei=23bvUIPAC-Ol2AW0x4G4BA&usg=AFQjCNGiPIBrdrjDF-ASuV1LSy5d5PZMDQ&sig2=JNUN0GPuJ3JOviU6qqwD-Q
 

The intensity of the 60,000 + at the Luz was incredible. 5,000 Porto fans were at the game and at times they cheered louder then the Benfica fans especially in the 41' when Quaresma scored the only goal in the game. Porto were victorious this day at Luz 1-0. Fights broke out, the GNR were there to calm the crowd with batons. As we left the Benfica Megastore there were 3 of us and 5,000 Porto fans headed our way. The GNR immediately told us to leave and directed us out of the sea of blue. We knew that if that angry mob of blue got a hold us that we probably would not make it out alive.

Was it worth it? You better believe it and I will do it again someday.Here was the match lineups and information regarding that game.

http://www.planetbenfica.co.uk/news.php?item.204.1

My prediction; Benfica is confident and are still undefeated this season. Porto will lose points this weekend as Benfica will be victorious 2-1 with goals from Cardozo and Lima.

I wish JJ will play a 4-2-2-2

Artur, Maxi, Luisão, Garay, Luisinho (more likely Melgarejo) Matic, Gomes or Enzo complementing Matic, Salvio, John on wings ( Gaitan also looking good, don't know about Nolito) Cardozo, Lima and at some point Aimar will show up.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX3Rj-pm-tA

Benfica Still Without A Left -Back

Is SLB flying away with the title in 2013 or will they need to find a proper Left - Back to replace an ok Melgarejo?

 

It is now day 3 of the January transfer window and there is not much going on yet at the Benfica camp. We know that centre- back Roderick Miranda is back from his brief loan at Deportivo De La Corunha (Nelson Oliveira still on loan, bring him back also) According to Abola, JJ has come out and said that he will not make any additional changes to the current squad.

It was only this past summer's transfer window that we saw Benfica sell Garcia and Witsel for a near 60 million € I'm aware that they also bought Ola John, Eduardo Salvio, and Lima in the range of 25-30 million €. That leaves you with 30 million € and that leaves you with the potential to buy a proper left- back which is why Benfica should buy back Fabio Coentrão.

Coentrao has always expressed that his heart will always be with Benfica. The reality is fir him to leave Real Madrid and return to SLB, there is an issue with wages and JJ is trying to make Melgarejo the next Coentrão. Melga is not a LB he is a striker but I must admit he has done a decent job as Benfica's adopted left- back as Benfica have allowed fewer goals this season as opposed to last season when Emerson took over for a departed Coentrão.

Although we all wish his return , and SLB did win the 09/10 season with him I highly doubt at his young age that Coentrão will come back.

But then you look at centre-back Ezequiel Garay who was on Real Madrid and came to Benfica as part of the Coentrão trade, he has been given another chance to shine as Manchester United have expressed interest in the Argentine defender. Perhaps Coentrão coming back would help out his career as he has not been the same player since he left Benfica. Benfica has also not been the same team since he left as they have not had a proper left-back since.

Benfica recently defeated Desportivo Das Aves 6-0 in a Taça De Portugal game. In this game Benfica started Luisinho in the LB role. The Portuguese winger has had little game time this season but has managed to score 1 goal and 6 assists this season. something in which Melga has not done. To his credit Melga had more challenging games then Luisinho including Braga, Sporting, and Barcelona.

JJ has done a better job rotating his squad. Personally, I would like to see Luisinho challenged more and perhaps he can get a start for the Classico against Porto.

But for now let's imagine this all star line-up in the back.

Maxi Perreira
Luisão
Ezequiel Garay
Fabio Coentrão

Not only would we win the league this year but this healthy back 4 would make teams like Manchester United, and Barcelona cry in next season UEFA Champions League.

All one can do is dream or set it up on their FIFA 13 game.