Benfica's winter hunt could take them to Genoa

Benfica are turning their attention to Genoa's promising 19-year-old Italian born striker, Jeff Ekhator. With Benfica seeking to bolster their attacking options, Ekhator has emerged as one of their key targets to provide much needed depth behind starter Vangelis Pavlidis.

This interest comes after Benfica missed out on a loan deal for Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca, who is now set to join Nottingham Forest, redirecting the Portuguese club's focus in a different direction.

Genoa is said to want close to €20 million from Benfica if they are to land Ekhator, which would represent a significant investment for a depth player but falls in line with the club's acquisition of younger players with potential for increased value.

However, they're not alone in the race for Ekhator with Crystal Palace also eyeing him as a backup if their pursuit of Angers' Sidiki Cherif falls through, while Bologna and Atalanta have also shown interest.

Ehkator has come up through Genoa's youth system and has played in 576 minutes this season across all competitions, scoring three goals, yet at such a price tag would he be worth the gamble. 

Benfica hopes hang by a string to advance in Champions League

In what was a pivotal Matchday 7 Champions League clash at the Allianz Stadium, Juventus secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Benfica, putting a dent into the Eagles' hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the competition.

Mourinho's Benfica arrived with a disciplined, compact setup designed to frustrate the hosts and look to hit on the counter, proving once again the Special One's tactical acumen in big European ties. 

The first half remained goalless, with Benfica holding firm and even creating some half-chances, showing Mourinho had the right game plan to contain Juventus' midfield and limit clear openings.

However, the second half exposed Benfica's weakness in the game, a lack of ruthlessness in the final third of the pitch. Juventus would break through in the 55th minute when Khephren Thuram fired home the game's opening goal which was quickly followed by Weston McKennie's clinical finish in the 64th.

Benfica's failure to be clutch when it mattered most would prove costly as the club squandered promising chances from continuous giveaways by the Italian side, lacking that killer instinct to punish Juventus in their home stadium.

A late lifeline came when Bremer conceded a penalty after a VAR review, but striker Vangelis Pavlidis slipped during his run-up to the ball and blazed it wide of the goal, an uncharacteristic miss that pretty much summed up Benfica's night in a nutshell.

Benfica's hopes to advance in the competition now hang by a thread as they sit 29th two points outside the qualification zone with one match left against heavyweight Real Madrid at the Luz. If Benfica are to advance it starts with a victory, followed by a lot of help from other game results. 

Benfica return to European play hoping to keep streak going

Benfica travel to Turin to take on Italian side Juventus in their seventh league game of the Champions League phase. The Lisbon side will be looking to make it three wins in a row in Europe after suffering four straight defeats, as they fight to get to the knockout round of the competition.

After suffering a disappointing past couple of weeks, which saw the club exit both the Taca da Liga and the Taca de Portugal, Benfica will look to put a stop the misery that they have caused the club's fans and get back on the right track and a victory against Juventus will go a long way.

The two clubs met last season in the competition also at Allianz stadium and Benfica came away with a 2-0 victory. Benfica will look to keep their perfect Champions League record against Juventus intact, a stretch of five games now without a draw or defeat.