Benfica win and have four games left to claim title

Benfica defeated Gil Vicente 2-0 yesterday and have taken one step closer to winning the Portuguese League title for the first time since the 2018/19 season, their magic number now sits at eight points with four games remaining in the 2022/23 season.

Benfica will next host Braga at home, in a crucial must win game and will still need to take on Sporting away in the second last game of the season. The ideal scenario would see Benfica win both games but one win out of the two encounters is a must for the Lisbon side as they have the more difficult remaining schedule then their closest rivals FC Porto.

League joint leading scorers Goncalo Ramos and Joao Mario have both continue to struggle and Benfica will need both players to be on their best form for the final round of league games if they are to count on capturing the title this season.

 

Benfica look to River Plate for new winger

The press in Argentina are reporting that Benfica have an eye on 20 year old River Plate winger Franco Alfonso, this is not the first time Benfica have been linked to the winger but the club has once again added his name to a list of talented youngsters that they would like to see join them during the summer transfer window.

Afonso has recently just made his debut with River Plate this season after spending the past three coming up through the clubs ranks. River Plate are expecting to earn a big pay from any move on Afonso, who has a €25M buy out clause and is signed until the end of 2026.

Benfica looking to sign Everton defender

Benfica is one of many European clubs being linked to Everton's 20 year old center back Jarrad Branthwaite who is currently on loan at PSV according to reports coming out of the United Kingdom. Everton has been looking over the years to offload some of their younger players to make room for new signings and Branthwaite would add a cool €20M to the clubs coffers.

A move to Benfica for Branthwaite would mark a significant step forward in the players career as the Portuguese club is known for its success in developing young players and providing them with opportunities to play at the highest level.

Benfica look to continue their tradition of uncovering young talent that will help them achieve success not only now but into the future. 

Branthwaite has appeared in 31 games across all competitions for PSV this season, scoring four goals while setting up one.

Benfica to focus on winning Portuguese League

Benfica is set to focus on winning the league title this season after being eliminated earlier this week in the Champions League quarter-final stage. The most successful club in Portugal has won numerous domestic and international titles over the years. However, they last won the league title during the 2018/19 season.

Benfica's manager, Roger Schmidt, knows that club will need to get out of a funk that has seen the club go win less in their past four contests across all competitions and have seen their ten point league lead drop to four points with six games left in domestic play.

To achieve their goal, Benfica will need to go through the likes of Braga and Sporting in these final contests, with both clubs hoping to trip up the Lisbon side.

Benfica's final six games

Home (3), Estoril, Braga, Santa Clara

Away (3), Gil Vicente, Portimonense, Sporting

Benfica eliminated from Champions League

Benfica crash out of the Champions League once again at the quarter final stage after a thrilling 3-3 draw to Inter Milan but a first leg 2-0 loss at the Estadio da Luz proves costly and ended any hope that the Portuguese side had to advance in a tie that the club came into as favourites to succeed.

The club's fans are disappointed and heartbroken after coming into the stage optimistic and in one of the best season forms in all of Europe.

That all changed on Good Friday with a loss to FC Porto and the club are now in a four game winless run that has seen their lead atop Portugal evaporate to just four points from a comfortable ten.

The club's coach, Roger Schmidt, expressed his disappointment at the team's failure to move on but also praised his players for their efforts. He said that they had given their all but unfortunately it was not enough to progress to the next round.

Benfica will look to snap out of their funk this weekend as they host Estoril with only the league left to play for, the fans would expect no less.

Is it time to panic at Benfica

Benfica, who only just eight days ago had lost one game across all competitions this season, have now lost three games in a row after suffering an uneventful 1-0 loss to mid table club Chaves earlier today and have let FC Porto back into the title race with six games left in the season. This streak has also left Benfica with one foot out the door in their Champions League quarter-final encounter against Inter Milan after suffering a 2-0 defeat in their first leg midweek.

The team is failing to perform up to their usual standards and fans are beginning to wonder if it is time to panic at Benfica. However, it is important to remember that every team goes through ups and downs, ours seems to be happening at the most inopportune time.

Benfica has a strong history of success and talented players on their current roster. We have to remember that the club would in a worse case scenario have a four point lead on Porto after this week and still control their own destiny, furthermore the club has a second leg remaining against Inter to make a statement.

While it may be tempting to panic at Benfica's current situation, it is important for everyone involved with the club to remain level-headed and focused on improvement. The fans will need to do the same while getting behind the club and being the twelfth man the club so desperately needs at the moment.

That includes putting your cell phones away at match time.

Benfica seem to be running on fumes

Benfica has been a dominant force in their domestic league and Europe this season, however the past few games, cracks seem to be starting to show as the club has struggled and have fans wondering if they may just be running out of gas at the most inopportune time.

Benfica have dropped two games in a row at home, suffering a defeat in O Classico against FC Porto that saw the Dragons reduce the clubs lead to seven points atop Portugal. That was followed four days later, with  their first loss in the Champions League to Inter Milan at the quarter-final stage and will see the club have to travel to Italy down two goals as they look to keep their European dream alive.

Benfica are struggling to create chances and score goals, which is reflected in their recent results, their lone win since the International break was a struggle to a 1-0 victory over Rio Ave. 

The lack of depth in the squad is also a major concern and has seen manager Roger Schmidt face his first criticism from the club faithful as his lack of in game management and the usage of his bench has been almost non-existent.

Benfica is facing their first difficult phase of the season and need to regain their confidence to get back on track before what has been a marvelous campaign turns into dramatic collapse.

Benfica run of poor play proves costly in Inter loss

Benfica's run of poor performances proves to be costly in their loss today to Inter Milan. The Portuguese side has been struggling since the end of the International break and their lack of form was evident on the pitch against the Italian giants today in Champions League play. Despite coming into the game as favourites, Benfica failed to produce the free flowing attack that fans have become accustomed to seeing this season.

The two clubs played a scoreless first half before Inter struck twice in the second half, with the second marker coming of a harsh penalty call that saw the ball deflect off Joao Mario's head onto his out of position arm inside the box.

Benfica's struggles to break down a stingy Inter defense was no more apparent then down the right side of the field where Gilberto, playing in place of an injured Alexander Bah and Joao Mario failed to click time and time again before the introduction of David Neres changed that.

With just one win in their last three competitive games, which include two straight losses at home, Benfica must find a way to turn things around quickly if they hope to progress further in Europe's elite competition.

The pressure will be on Benfica manager Roger Schmidt who will need to find his best XI for a must win second leg at the San Siro next week and shake off his apparent lack of confidence with his bench options when things are not working to plan.

Benfica need to move past FC Porto loss

Benfica, who are one of the most successful football clubs in Portugal, suffered a humbling 2-1 loss to their arch-rivals FC Porto in their latest league match at the Estadio da Luz, reigniting Porto's title hopes tol capture the league crown with seven games remaining and trailing the Eagles by seven points. 

This defeat has left many Benfica fans, myself included, disappointed and frustrated, but it is important for the team to move past this loss and focus on their upcoming Champions League quarter-final match against Inter Milan coming up mid-week at the Luz.  

The club will need to analyze their mistakes from the FC Porto match and work on improving their performance in upcoming future games. 

It will be crucial for Benfica to maintain a positive attitude and not let this loss affect their morale as one thing is certain from the outcome of this encounter and it is that manager Roger Schmidt does not have confidence in his current bench making only two substitutions with the club looking to equalize last night, the return of injured Goncalo Guedes and Julian Draxler can not come soon enough.

Benfica manger Roger Schmidt looks to lead club past Porto in Classico

Benfica Manager Roger Schmidt is gearing up for the highly anticipated Classico match against FC Porto this Friday. The two teams have a long-standing rivalry, and this match will be crucial in determining who will come out on top in the Portuguese Primeira Liga with a Benfica win almost cementing the league crown as the season winds down.

Schmidt has been working tirelessly with his team to ensure they are fully prepared for this important fixture. He knows that FC Porto is a formidable opponent, but he is confident that his team has what it takes to secure the win. A victory by Benfica would also place Schmidt in rare company as it would be a season sweep of the Dragons which has only happened twice in the last forty-six years.

Benfica currently sit ten points ahead of second place FC Porto with eight league games to go as they look to capture there first league title since the 2018/19 season.

Feyenoord tell Benfica price for midfielder Kokcu

Feyenoord has reportedly told Benfica the price for their midfielder Orkun Kokcu according to reports out of the Netherlands. The Dutch club is said to be asking for a fee in the region of €40m for the 22-year-old Turkish international.

Kokcu has been a standout performer for Feyenoord this season, scoring twelve goals and providing three assists in 35 appearances across all competitions. His impressive performances have caught the attention of several top European clubs, including Benfica.

The Portuguese giants are keen to bolster their midfield options after the departure of Enzo Fernandez in January and see Kokcu as an ideal addition to their squad. However, they will have to meet Feyenoord's valuation if they want to secure his services.

Kokcu is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Dutch football and has been tipped for a bright future at both club and international level. It remains to be seen whether Benfica will meet Feyenoord's asking price or look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.