Benfica continue their fight for the league title with a home game in Week 23 against Moreirense. After a disappointing exit during the week to Shakhtar in the Europa League round of 32. Benfica look to get back on track with a victory at the Estadio da Luz. Benfica will play Moreirense today
at 8:45pm WEST
and
they will dress 18 players from the list below.
Keepers- Vlachodimos, Mile Svilar
Defenders- Tomas Tavares, Alex Grimaldo, Ruben Dias, Ferro, Nuno Tavares
Midfielders- Chiquinho, Pizzi, Taarabt, Franco Cervi, Rafa Silva, Samaris, Florentino, Julian Weigl, David Tavares
Forwards- Carlos Vinicius, Jota, Dyego Sousa
Benfica manager Bruno Lage has stated that last seasons leading scorer Haris Seferovic will not be an option when Benfica takes on Moreirense tomorrow in league action. Lage did not divulge if Seferovic had picked up an injury in the clubs recent Europa League loss to Shakhtar or through training when he made the announcement. Seferovic has struggled this season in the absence of Joao Felix who was sold during the summer for a record transfer to Spanish club Atletico Madrid. The emergence of striker Carlos Vinicius has cut into Seferovic's playing time and the Swiss striker has scored only six goals all season across all competitions a far cry from last seasons ending 27. The recent acquisition of striker Dyego Sousa on loan during the winter transfer window looks to have knocked Seferovic down another peg on the striker list if the absence is not do to any type of injury. Lage was vague when questioned about the absence of Seferovic from the squads selection. The omission comes as a blow to the current striking option of the Swiss national side as Benfica are set to take on Moreirense tomorrow at the Luz as their quest for the Portuguese League title continues.
Benfica fought tooth and nail but could just not get to the round of 16 in the Europa League with a draw on this disastrous night for Portuguese football. Benfica opened the scoring just nine minutes into the encounter bringing the Estadio da Luz fans to their feet when Pizzi would find the far right corner giving Benfica advantage based on away goals due to their 2-1 defeat to Shakhtar in the first leg. That advantage would last barely three minutes with a Ruben Dias own goal bringing the game level. The central defender would make amends scoring nine minutes before the half to give Benfica the 2-1 lead and having the game set to go into additional extra time if it remained that way. Rafa Silva would then take advantage of a Shakhtar back end error to give Benfica a 3-1 lead just two minutes into the second half and once again the club had the advantage to move into the round of 16 but again Benfica failed to hold this advantage for very long as just four minutes later Shakhtar would bring the game to within one and give the Ukrainian side advantage on away goals. Shakhtar would then tie the game up at 3-3 with a goal at the 71st minute mark which basically ended the hopes of the Lisbon club advancing. Benfica would be eliminated 5-4 on aggregate over two legs in what was a horrible Europa League campaign for Portuguese Football. Benfica would be joined by FC Porto, Sporting and Braga at the exit door as Portugal's clubs all crashed out of the tournament which have many questioning the state of skill and talent currently in the league.
