Benfica go to Germany for free shot at Champions League glory

Sometimes it’s the small steps rather than the grand gestures that count, and it certainly felt that way in this weekend’s Liga NOS action. Just as they did a fortnight previously, Porto shot first at the top, and shot successfully, enjoying a brief stay at the summit of the table thanks to their 7-0 hammering of ailing Nacional. 

When we say brief, we mean brief; Benfica were back on their throne two-and-a-quarter hours later after eking out a difficult success at lower-midtable Feirense. It wouldn’t have won many points for artistic merit, even if Pizzi’s winning goal was taken with laudable, and not unexpected, poise. It was his ninth of the Liga season.  

It was not, however, representative of the game as a whole. This was uncomfortable for Rui Vitória’s side throughout. Despite only having 30.7% of possession, Feirense managed more efforts at goal than Benfica - 10 to the visitors’ nine. The visitors were forced to match their hosts tackle for tackle (18 each) and generally used the physical side of their game more than they are habitually used to. Benfica also won 13 aerial challenges to Feirense’s nine, which was an interesting mark of their versatility given that no team in the Portuguese top flight wins fewer aerial duels per game (12.1) than them.  

Vitória could be satisfied going into Wednesday’s Champions League last 16, second leg at Borussia Dortmund that his players are in decent shape. Juventus’ draw at Udinese, and Sevilla’s stalemate at Alaves, means that Benfica now have the longest active competitive winning run of any team in Europe’s biggest leagues. They have won six straight in all competitions, while rarely playing with much of the dazzle that we’ve become accustomed to ever since Jorge Jesus began to turn the club around upon arrival in 2009. 

The tougher, less showtime side of Benfica’s personality that was on display this weekend is every bit as important to them and their aspirations as the clichés of freewheeling flair, though. In the context of Saturday’s events, those qualities are important in terms of what promises to be a battle royale between the top two for the title - with all roads leading to Lisbon for o clássico at Estádio da Luz on the first weekend of April. 

Yet in terms of this week’s task, Feirense arguably provided a near-perfect test for Benfica ahead of their visit to Nord Rhine Westphalia, for a match that will perhaps be their most difficult of the season. Nuno Manta’s team had far less of the ball that Dortmund will have in their own back yard, of course, but in many ways they replicated the demands that Vitória’s side will face on Wednesday night.  

Benfica are used to dictating, not struggling and scrapping. Only Porto and Sporting (both 7.3) face fewer efforts on goal than the 8.8 per game that they do, but they tend to defend through keeping possession. They make the least fouls in the Liga (14.2 per match), the second-fewest interceptions (15) and only six teams make less tackles than they do (18.3). At Estádio Marcolino de Castro, Benfica were forced into 22 interceptions, 21 fouls and 19 clearances, way above their averages. With centre-forward Anastasios Karamanos maintaining a high average position for the home side and being closely supported by Luis Machado, As Aguías were never allowed to settle, with Feirense’s midfield picking up the pieces, noted in that Machado had their most efforts at goal, with three.   

In this sense, Benfica were given a very appropriate workout for Wednesday, as well as being made to scrap for vital points at the top. They already know what they will be going into against Thomas Tuchel’s team, of course, having really stolen a win in the first leg. They were overrun by Dortmund in most senses, keeping just 30.6% of the ball and having five efforts at goal to Die Schwarzgelben’s 14.  

For the first time in this season’s Champions League, Vitória will have all three of his premier attackers available - Kostas Mitroglou, Jonas and Raúl Jiménez. It would not be surprising if Jonas remained on the bench at Signal Iduna Park, at least when proceedings get underway, with Mitroglou leading the line on his own and maybe Rafa providing the pace and directness from deep, as he did so in the first leg. As we can see from the player average position map from the first game, Rafa managed to stay close to Mitroglou and then use his pace to get beyond him, which would be a great counter-attacking outlet.  

One major blow is the injury absence of defensive midfield lynchpin Ljubomir Fejsa, who made four tackles and four fouls - a team high in both categories - in the first leg. His likely replacement Andreas Samaris is decent, but is yet to start a Champions League match this season.  

Still, this is a free hit for Benfica, who remain very much second favourites in spite of having prevented Tuchel and company bringing back an away goal for this one. Vitória’s side are never less than impeccably prepared, but even he couldn’t have imagined just how suitable a hors d’oeuvre Feirense would be for this.