The Team to Face Benfica

benfica

In all his spiritual wisdom, Benfica coach Jorge Jesus has claimed that Europa League success isn’t the foremost concern for his side this season. As long as they remain 7 points clear at the top of the Portuguese Liga, the motivation to wrench a title from the domestically omnipotent FC Porto, for what would be only the third time in 11 years, is always likely to take precedence.

That’s the official line, anyway. It might be that he’s simply given up with challenging on the Continent, after yet another lost European final last May restored the belief that Benfica are in need of some mighty powerful curse-breaking juju. Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champions, were the words purportedly expressed by former coach, Béla Guttmann, after being denied a pay-rise in reward for winning The Eagles their second European Cup in 1962 (beatingBill Nicholson’s Spurs along the way.) Presumably before drawing a cape across his face and disappearing in a puff of smoke. Despite the soccer betting odds for Benfica being favourable, they’ve managed to lose seven major finals in Europe since then.

It sounds like the easiest thing for them to do would be to just give up now and let Big Tim Sherwood have his moment of glory. You can’t halt the wheels of destiny, chaps.

No? Not buying it? Fair enough.

This is obviously a huge test for Sherwood, as it’s the first legitimate continental side he’s ever managed against. With expectations reasonably low, I’ll be happy if the evening ends and I’ve not once seen Tim pacing the touchline in bare feet, murmuring something about guts and passion while we’re 4-0 down and on our way out.