Life Without Nemanja, Nico, & Óscar

 

 

 

Recently on episode 91 of the Benfica "Talking To The Doll" podcast we raised the questions as to whether or not Benfica would be able to advance without Matić, Gaitán, and Cardozo. Well, what do you think?

There is no doubt in the Benfica Nation that Óscar Cardozo is without a shadow of the doubt one of the all time best Benfica strikers of all time.  His numbers speak for himself 110 goals in 123 league appeareances. 65 UEFA appeareances and is Benfica's second best all time goal scorer in UEFA. However, if you look back as to when Cardozo arrived (except for maybe the year under Quique Flores) at the club until now, the same consistent factor is evident, Benfica has always had a srong enough midfield. For a striker to score consistent goals it's because the team must have a strong midfield. Cardozo has been fortunate to have the likes of Enzo Perez, Ramires, Rui Costa to help him set up goals and that is just in the midfield let's not forget such worldclass wingers as Salvio, Di Maria or fellow strikers Saviola, Nuno Gomes, and I bet you have not forgot about Pedro Mantorras (I just had to)

For Cardozo to leave Benfica in January there are a few factors to be considered:

1) Benfica must be out of Champions League

- I can't see Benfica selling one of their top goal scorers especially if they continue on in the Champions League on a year in which they are hosting the final. (we're still in)

If they do manage to advance from the group stages, with consistent players and formation they can go far in this tournament. Cardozo has been a key player responsible for the team's success in UEFA competitions.

2) An above average offer must be indicated.

- Then again if Cardozo getting offers of 15-20 Millon, Benfica should capitalize on his worth. A player of Cardozo's passion (he should still push JJ everytime he scores) and capabilities of scoring multiple goals is hard to come by. He is a true striker and does his job well. This whole argument that Cardozo is old, for a striker he is still prime. He is a true CF and does not do much running. He does his job well and that is scores goals. For 30, I would give him another 3 maybe 4 seasons (unless injured) at 15-20 goals a season who would not want Cardozo on his team?

What happens to Benfica without Cardozo?

If these last few games was any indicator, Benfica has talented, unitilized players. Although Lima looks to be back in form at the moment, will he continue to be consistent throughout the rest of the season? Everyone forgot about Rodrigo and has proved to himself and to his team that he is worth a chance. A recent game winning goal against Anderlecht and a goal against Rio Ave, Rodrigo deserves more minutes. Any player who falls to their knees crying passionately because they scored the winning goal for their team deserves a chance. Rodrigo as discussed numerous times in the past just needs a little love, and support from his team, coach and needs to be pushed when given the minutes.

 

 

Players always play better when they know that their position is up for grabs. If a player like Rodrigo or Lima can come on every game and score or contribute to a goal when the minutes present itself, then a player like Cardozo should not always expect to start. A good point was raised on episode 91 of the Benfica "Talking To The Doll" podcast in which Alfredo stated that "Strikers are creatures of habit and need to constantly play." This is true especially if a striker needs to keep their form. However, I personally feel that each team needs to rotate their squad to allow individual players to flourish. Lima last season, scored 20 goals whereas Cardozo scored 33 goals. Rodrigo has potential to have a 20 + goal season but will fail to do so due to his spot down in the pecking order.

 

Someone needs to leave by the beginning to next season, if Nélson Oliveira

will be able to have an opportunity to play at Benfica. Cardozo and Lima are older then Nélson, and Rodrigo and to me Nélson should be the poster boy for Benfica. He stays at the team until he retires to become one of the all - time goal scorers. A homegrown Portuguese hero.

 

 

 

 

For Matić to leave Benfica in January there are a few factors to be considered:

 

1) Benfica need to be out of Champions League

 

- In a year in which Benfica is hosting the final, if we do get out of the Group stages (yes, I still believe) wouldn't it be great to see a run and who better to contribute to the team's success then Nemanja Matić

 

2) A Back up plan

 

- When Javi Garcia left for Manchester City towards the end of the summer transfer window, Benfica had no real back up plan or maybe there was? but we just did not see the potential of Matić. I have a feeling this time around that Benfica will be unable to replace Matić with a quality box-to-box midfield. Fejsa looks decent but besides being Serbian, he has nothing in common with Matić. Players like Amorim, Gomes, and even Steven Vitória can be filler but Benfica would have to go out and buy a quality 6. Perhaps, you offer Garcia his old job back? instead of him starting the occasional game at Manchester City.

 

The other option is JJ plays a more offensive formation without Matić. For example; Enzo, and Djuricić can start in the mid or you start Fejsa as the 6 with Enzo and Amorim or Gomes in the mid as well to continue 4-3-3 formation.

 

There is one player who I would like to see in the Benfica jersey not because I think he is a great player but because of what it would mean to have him in the Benfica jersey. When Simão joined Benfica in 2001, he had spent almost a decade playing at Sporting through their youth system and main team. He went on record saying that even though he played for Sporting Lisbon, Benfica was always in his heart and that he was happy playing at Benfica. Picture the same scenario but with Miguel Veloso. Miguel and his dad crying into each other's arms and even though Benfica told Miguel at a young age that he was not good enough to play for Benfica, that motivated him to work hard over the years so that he can eventually get another chance at Benfica.

 

 

 

The reality is Matić will not go cheap. If a Real Madrid or a Dortmund are willing to pay 40 even 30 million, Benfica will sell. We were almost certain in the last transfer window that he was going to leave but he ended up staying. In a year in which Benfica look a lot better then FC Porto, in order to win the League this year Matić must stay because he is a pivotal part of Benfica's midfield.

 

 

 

For Gaitán to leave Benfica in January there are a few factors to be considered:

 

1) There are enough players to fill in his position

 

-  Ola John, Miralem Sulejmani, Lazar Marković, Ivan Cavaleiro, Enzo Pérez, Filip Djuricić. Except for Enzo, these are players who are valuable and have a lot to offer Benfica. It's frustrating to hear that Ola John may go on loan to Ajax in January. John is 21 years old and will go on to bigger clubs in the future. Benfica needs to capitalize and build John's value by playing him. Unless JJ has a personal issue with John, it makes no sense that Gaitán starts over John.

 

Gaitán is a great player when he is consistent and for the most part this season he has been consistently bad. His biggest downfall was when there was talk of him going to Manchester United in the previous seasons which made him feel star struck, giving him a bit of an ego which clearly  has affected his performance on the pitch.

 

2) His Value

 

- Gaitán is only 25 years old and is contracted at Benfica until June 2016. His worth is rumoured to be anywhere from 18M onwards. If a club  is willing to pay 12-15M for Gaitán then Benfica should take the money and move forward. I can't see Gaitán doing very well in a tough league like the EPL, or Bundesliga however he is a definite playmaker who has contributed to many of Benfica's goals. He would do well in Serie A or even La Liga.

 

With or without Gaitán, he will not be a huge contributing factor to Benfica hopefully winning the 2013/14 season.

The PSG Beating & Saving The 2013/14 Season

 

 

 

 

 

Benfica traveled to Paris for Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League group stages to face PSG. Benfica starting 11 looked like this:

Although on the previous Talking To The Doll Benfica podcast I suggested a lineup that left out Enzo Perez and Oscar Cardozo, I was wrong (at least with leaving out Cardozo) Enzo although acustomed to playing on the 8 role alongside Matić last season has now taken over for an injured Salvio to his original position on the right wing. He is a great player and (listen to last weeks pod)

Going back if I can make changes to the PSG game my 11 would look like this

 

Even if we kept the same starting formation but altered a few of the players we may not of got the win but perhaps could of pressed on for the tie. Markovic and Djruicic have chemistry together and regardless of who plays the 10 and who plays the wing between the two of them, they should both be in Benfica's starting 11 especially in every important game period. Ola John came from Holland and is familiar with these Serbs and their style of play as he played against them several times during his time at FC Twente.

 

I hate to bring in Fifa 14 into this but hear me out. A healthy Benfica 11 should have the usual suspects in the back. A Matic, Enzo combo in the mid (because if Salvio is healthy there is no need for Enzo to play the wing) Salvio on the right Markovic and Djuricic one on the LW the other as a 10 and if you want to start Cardozo that is fine. John or Sulejamani can rotate the wings, Gaitan also but I would not rely on him too much because he is not consistent but can also play as a 10. You rotate the 6, 8 between Matic, Enzo, Fejsa, Amorim and maybe Gomes. The way this team is set up unfortunately it is so deep now that guys like Gaitan may have to get their minutes elsewhere or settle as a "Off The Bench" or "Play maker" kind of player.

 

As much as I want to solely place the blame on JJ I can't.  Yes we have players playing out of position and yes JJ's formation did not work for this particular game (JJ has mentioned that a 4-3-3 does not work but yet championship winning teams like Ajax, Barcelona, FC Porto  use it constantly) the players still have to maintain integrity to the club and need to play for themselves regardless if they have given up on the coach.

Fejsa though praised in the past looked slow and burnt out this game. Gomes 20 years old still young had an admire able performance. He tried shooting on net and was able to keep up alongside Matić

Djuricic looked great as a 10. Although Benfica were unable to score, Djuricic was trying to score or create chances when he could behind Cardozo. If Markovic had been playing on the wing or playing as a 10 and Djuricic on the wing their chemistry would be more successful then Gaitan and Djuricic. Gaitan is inconsistent and does not compare to the talent that our Serbians have.  Gaitan  can come off the bench and be a game changer but starting over Djuricic or Markovic is absurd.

Although he did not play because of injury or just not in JJ team plans Ola John ( who used to play in the Dutch league) would be able to gel better with the Serbs then with Gaitan.

This champions league performance was horrible. Some would even compare it to the days of Fernando Santos. The talent pool is definetly evident at PSG Ibrahimovic, Lavezzi, veratti, etc. If we want to talk about Seth Blatter's financial FairPlay rule, PSG lineup is nowhere near "Fair" regardless if captain Thiago Silva is in the lineup or not.

The group stages have just begun. Although we are hosting the final this is still not enough motivation to change this team into a worthy contender for a successful champions league run. JJ needs to fix this team and find a way to get them back on their side (clearly no one wants to play for him) before he is axed.

If he is axed then we can dismiss the 2013/14 season as a failure. Something in which could of been avoided had LFV come to his senses in May and not renew JJ's contract for 2 more years.

It's time for a change before it's too late. The squad is deep enough and good enough to be a championship winning team we just need the following:

1) Motivation from the fans
2) self confidence in the players
3) support from the Benfica organization

If the Benfica organization is allowing JJ the opportunity every week to run this team in a manner that is not producing winning results then the organization needs to step back and re-evaluate themselves. Perhaps the people above JJ need to be removed as well?

 

 

Benfica Losing Points To Corruption

 

 

As much as we all would like to think FC Porto is an honest football organisation that represents the integrity of the Liga Zon Sagres (I am not bashing FC Porto, just stating facts) in Portugal, they are not. After 6 match day results into the 2013/14 season, FC Porto once again lead Benfica by 6 points. Some can argue that FC Porto's success this season is due to their new brilliant coach Paulo Fonseca, others may say that although FC Porto have lost such key players as Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez to AS Monaco, they are still a strong team with the likes of Fernando ad Jackson Martinez. Personally, I am convince by FC Porto at all this season. Their mediocre team is currently in first place due to the corruption that is Pinto Da Costa.

Let's look again at matchday #6 where Benfica tied Belenenses 1-1 at home. Although Benfica lead in possession (65/35) and had target practice on goalie Matt Jones (Benfica 17 shots, 3 on goal, Belenenses 7 shots, 3 on goal) look at Diakité goal in the 30" was that not a goal that was considered to be offside? 2 players ahead of offside line. The argument can be made that it is a close call and that Fejsa was not doing his diligence by covering Diakité but how many close calls have we witnessed over the last few years in the Liga Zon Sagres due to poor judgement calls on referee's? Something tells me that native Aveiro ref Jorge Tavares may of been persuaded (or threatened) by one Pinto Da Costa.

 

Alright so I'm just being a paranoid, sore loser of a Benfica fan at this point right? Here, let me give you more examples. Let's go to minute 69 of the game, Cardozo is in the box trying to leap up in the air and head the ball past goalkeeper Matt Jones but if you look carefully, he is being held down by the Belenenses defense. Where is the call on that one? clearly there should of been a card issued and Cardozo would of been given a PK in which he would of scored. 2-1 final score.

Matchday #3 Lisbon Derby at Alvalade, Look at Fredy Montero's goal in the 15th minute. Clearly offside. If you look at the linesman on the top hand of the screen, Montero is clearly in front of him. Again, it may of been a close call but there are too many of these instances when the referee's judgement should be questioned.

The Solution

The solution to resolving the referee issues in Portugal is quite simple, UEFA needs to investigate further (because let's face it everyone knows about Apito Dourado) and crack down on the FPF and have non - Portuguese referee's at these games. How expensive would it be to fly in a ref from Spain, England or France? 50-60 Euros? or you can have a Portuguese ref but one who has no affiliation to the team.

As long as there are Portuguese refs like Pedro Proenca, Carlos Xistra and a few others in Portugal, our league will continue to be a parody to the rest of Europe.

JJ What The Hell? An Open letter to JJ

 

 

I'm sure as fans that we are all asking the same question. Is this guy for real? Did he forget how to coach? How does Benfica spend over €31,000,000 and are trailing behind FC Porto and a almost decent Sporting Lisbon?

 

There are a few factors in which we may consider but instead of me stating the obvious, let's try to forget those crucial mistakes and go forward. Myself, and the Benfica Nation have a plea for Jorge Jesus.

 

Dear JJ,

 

We the Benfica Nation are perplexed by the way you conduct this team. We hope that you can read this letter and (going forward) may take some of our recommendations into consideration.

 

In case you have not noticed, your current formation sucks. We lost against Maritimo Match Day#1, struggled to win Match Day#2, and although we tied during the Lisbon Derby we should of lost that game. Continuing setting up the team the way that you have will only allow our oppositions to figure us out (which some of them already have) and we will continue to lose precious points which may come back to haunt us towards the end of the season.

 

May we suggest strengthening our midfield by perhaps having a third player in the mid to accompany Matic or Enzo? Depending on whom we face perhaps Djuricic can play just in front of those guys (FC Porto, UCL start) I still don't know what a 9.5 is so why don't you play him the way he is meant to be played and that is a play maker.

 

Also, there is so much depth in the mid now, if you can occasionally rotate Enzo and Matic with either Fejsa, Amorim, or Gomes. There is no need not to rotate players.

 

Unfortunately, Salvio will be out for most of the season and Gaitan has been inconsistent as of late, can we please look at the possibility of having a Markovic / John combo on the wings? or even Sulejamani (or as you call him Suki) / Djuricic on the wing? We spent so much money on Markovic and Djuricic and since they are young, if they are healthy they are real game changers and should start ever game.

 

When it comes to Benfica's defense, I am glad that we were able to keep Garay. Let's face it Luisao is not what he used to be and he needs a strong ally beside him in centre - back. Maxi Perreira however, has not been himself in quite sometime. He has been responsible for making mistakes on the wing and will not be able to keep up against teams like Porto, and our UCL competition. I'm not saying to get rid of him but perhaps tt's time to give Almeida a start, he's young and fast with a defensive - minded approach. I realize he is a natural 6 but you're good at adapting players right? Melga was a decent LB and we all give you credit for your adaptation of Enzo Perez.

 

Remember, Benfica lost 3 possible championships during the 2012/13 season. You were very lucky to get a new contract. Our teams success and failures reflects on you. The fans deserve to win the league this year. We can't stand FC Porto and would not like to lose a fourth straight year. We are hosting the UEFA Champions League Final and if you play your cards right we have a great chance to do well in all competitions.

Good Luck Today

Best Regards,
Benfica Nation

Benfica 2013/14 UEFA Champions League Peview

 

 

 

The UEFA Champions League is in full swing as it was announced this past Thursday the group stages of the tournament. As you may know the 2013/14 final will be held at the most beautiful stadium in Portugal, The Estadio Da Luz in Lisbon in which at capacity can hold approximately 65,000 spectators.

 

Group "C"

 

All and all the luck of the draw was kind for Benfica this year. (We all remember the horrific first round elimination one year ago when Benfica faced Barcelona, Celtic and Spartak Moscow.) Joining Benfica in Group C will be Anderlecht from Belgium, Olympiacos from Greece and PSG from France. Although no team is a guaranteed win during the group stages, on paper there is no reason why Benfica cannot advance to the round of 16 or even win the group.

 

Matches

 

September 17, 2013 home vs. Anderlecht

October 2, 2013 away vs PSG

October 23, 2013 home vs Olympiakos

November 5, 2013 away vs Olympiakos

November 27, 2013 away vs Anderlecht

December 10, 2013 home vs PSG

 

 

Olympiakos

 

The last time Benfica faced Olympiakos was during the group stages of the Europa League on November 27, 2008 defeating them 5-1. Olympiakos is lead by newly appointed Spanish coach and there is a Spanish influence on that team which includes ex - Benfica goalkeeper Roberto Jiménez Gago. If appointed to those games, here is no doubt he will give it his all. Also from Spain, Defender Miguel Torres (ex-Getafe), Midfielders Ibagaza,and David Furster.

 

Another former Benfica player Javier Saviola has recently joined Olympiakos. Also, two player who are quite familiar to Benfica Paulo Machado (ex-Toulousse) and Salina (Braga, and Nacional)

 

If Benfica underestimate this team, it may cost them points and Olympiakos can very well be a dark horse in the Group C.

 

Prediction: Benfica get the full 6 points but struggle in Greece.

 

PSG

 

In both 2011 and 2007 these teams met each other in the knockout stages of the Europa League. Both times Benfica were able to prevail victorious. Although, PSG are a very wealthy and powerful team in France, will it be that easy for them to dominate Group C. Strikers Ibrahimovic, Lavezzi, and Cavani are goal seekers and if Cortez and Super Maxi don't get into gear, these 3 will run over the Benfica full backs without any difficulty whatsoever.

 

Although PSG's offence is strong, their defence may have European experience they are also aging. For example; Alex, Camara, Maxwell and Jallet are all in their 30's or almost 30 in the case of Jallet. Benfica also has a strong mid with the likes of Enzo, and Matic but have strong playmakers in the newly appointed Serbians Markovic and Djuricic who will have no problem getting past the PGG defense.

 

An advantage for Benfica is when they do play PSG at the Parc des Princes in Paris, I can almost guarantee that  out of the 48, 000 + in attendance, at least half will be supporting red and white.

 

Prediction: Benfica get 4 points, they win at home but tie in Paris.

 

Anderlecht

 

Benfica are 1-1-1 in the last 3 encounters with Belgium's Anderlecht but let's go back to when it mattered. The year was 1983 and Benfica were facing Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup Final. There were 2 games, the first leg was May 4, 1983 held in Brussels in which Anderlecht were victorious and the second was on May 18, 2013 at The Luz in Lisbon. Shéu scored for Benfica in the 32" and Anderlecht soon followed in the 38" with a goal from Lozano. Benfica struggled and tried willingly to break the tie but were unable to claim their first UEFA Cup victory at home losing to Anderlecht.

This was a loss in which most Benfiquistas will not forget and will also remember during the upcoming home and away matches of Group C.

 

Unfortunately, I don't much about this Belgium team but there are similarities to Benfica. The little that I do know is that they are currently third place in the Belgian Pro League. They represent Brussels which the capital of Belgium. They have 32 league titles and although they do not have two back - to - back champions league titles, they have two back - to -back UEFA Europa Cup titles 1983 and 1984. They do not have 7 Serbians but have 2 including a Mitrovic. They have also produced quality players such as Romelu Lukaku, Vincent Kompany and Dries Mertens to name a few.

 

Prediction: Benfica get 6 points

 

 

 

Building Momentum

 

Although Benfica have got off to a dreadful 1-1-1 start to the 2013/14 Liga Zon Sagres campaign, Benfica have consistently appeared in UEFA competition since 2004. Upon the arrival of Jorge Jesus in 2009/10 campaign, Benfica have done the following:

 

2009 - UEFA Cup 2nd Round
2010 - Europa League Quarter-Final
2011 - Champions League 1st Round/Europa League Semi-final
2012 - Champions League Quarter-Final
2013 - Champions League 1st Round/Europa League Final

 

One thing that we all know about JJ is that he loves headlines and likes being recognized for his success. The further Benfica gets in Europe, the better it is for himself and the club. JJ's biggest accomplishment this season (besides keeping his job) for the club will be winning the league (four years in the making) but personally, I feel his ultimate goal would be to take Benfica to the biggest stage in Europe and that is this year's final in Benfica. If somehow JJ can win both, he will be looked upon as not only a genius but a God amongst the Benfica Nation. At that point JJ would look very attractive outside of Portugal and would not worry so much about his 8 million + 2 year contract at Benfica.

 

 

 

UEFA CL History

 

Benfica's history in Champions League is evident. They have won back - to - back titles in 1961 and 1962 and have been in seven finals primarily in the 60's during the team's "Glory Years," This is the same record that Juventus has (no back to back) and has as many European finals as Barcelona and Liverpool. Benfica has more final appeareances then Inter Milan, Ajax, and Manchester United.

 

 

 

UEFA CL Breakdown

 

For those of you who have always wondered (myself included) how much money can a team make during the UEFA Champions League I have decided to do my research through UEFA's web site and a little help from Wiki.

 

Every team who automatically qualifies for the competition will be awarded €8.6 and this is before they get to kick the ball in the group stages. If a team has to play a qualifier match to enter the competition (This year Arsenal had to play against Fenerbache and Zenit had to face Pacos De Ferreira to qualify) they will receive  €2.1 Million regardless if they win both matches. 

 

There are 6 games during the group stages. Each win during the group stage awards the team  €1 Million, a tie is half and a loss is 0. If a team is successful and wins all 6 games then they advance the group stages with €6 million. At this point if a team has won all of their games they have made  €14.6 million (16.7 if there is a qualifier)

 

During the round of 16 a home and away game is played and whether a team advances or not they will receive €3,500,000 (18.1 or 20.2 at this point)

 

The round of 8 or quarter finals is worth €3,900,000 (22M or 24.1M)

 

The final four or semi finals is worth €4,900,000 (26.9M or 29M)

 

Reaching the UEFA CL final and losing will get your team €6,500,000 (33.4M or 35.5M) but a win will get you  €10,500,000 (43.9M or 46M).

 

Remember these numbers are based on UEFA prize money this not include, ticket sales, team and sponsorship revenue. Also, the unlikelihood of a team reaching the final and not suffering a loss or tie during the group stages is near impossible. It is not uncommon for a team to buy quality players after a successful campaign.

 

In Benfica's case, although some fans feel that concentrating on winning the league every year is far more important then having a successful European campaign, it is also champions league money that will help Benfica pay the bills and sign quality players.

 

According the SL Benfica Transfer Market.uk page Benfica have spent over €31,000,000 in signing players for the 2013/14 season whereas they have made approximately €8,500,000 in departures (mostly Nolito and Roberto) so when you spend more money then you make what do you do?

 

This is why a good UEFA CL run helps covers those costs. Also, unfortunately with this summer's transfer window coming to a close within hours, Benfica to stay in the green financially may have to sell a Gaitan, Garay, Matic or even Salvio. (hopefully they can all stay)

Final Word

 

I have been often criticized for having too much faith in Benfica. I try to remain positive and am a passionate fan. As fans we all want our team's to do well. I celebrate when Benfica is victorious and every so often I will cry during a loss.

 

The league is a priority this year but with the UEFA CL final being held at the Luz, one can't help but dream of the possibility of watching Benfica hoist the trophy at home 52 years later.

 

The reality is every team in this competition has a chance of winning the title and Benfica's journey to the final will be no different then any other team. I am hoping that t he possibility of a final at home will inspire this team by motivating them to play that much harder then any other team in the competition.

Nine Years And Counting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benfica have once again started the season off on the wrong foot yet again as they were unable to win their season opener for a ninth consecutive season. Five out of the last nine season opener's have been under the management of head coach Jorge Jesus.

After the 2-1 loss to Maritimo on Sunday August 18, 2013 at the Estádio dos Barreiros, JJ admitted after the game that perhaps Benfica went into the game underestimated Maritimo and hoping for their long awaited first three points of the season. Teams like Maritimo know that they can never win a season the way the big three do in Portugal however, defeating one of the big three is often considered to be as prestigious  as if they had won the league. (Bragging rights)

Benfica's lineup on Sunday was fair but some would argue not their best eleven as we saw Ruben Amorim in the starting 11 which appeared to be a 4-4-1-1 formation. Amorim has always been a player who is versatile on the pitch and can play multiple positions such as a 6, 8 on the wing or as a full back.

 

 

MIA

Benfica were without their two most transferred rumoured players Eduardo "Toto" Salvio and Oscar "Tacuara" Cardozo. Salvio may be suffering from the same syndrome as Gareth Bale and that is the "Silly Season Syndrome." Whereas Cardozo is likely to return to train with the squad but may also be a part of the "Silly Season Syndrome" as we keep hearing reports of offers from Fenerbahce, Napoli, Russian teams, Cardiff City and the most recent West Ham United. (This just in, Cardozo is rumoured to sign a 2 year deal with Toronto FC... why can't I?)

Newly appointed Benfica Serbian Lazar Markovic was unable to make he game as he suffered an injury during training. However, we did see our amazing new 9.5 Filip Djuricic who I must admit was out of the spotlight for this game which is disappointing considering his impressive pre-season performance.

 

 

OVERALL

Anyone who watched Benfica's performance on Sunday is of the same belief as myself that this team needs a lot of work to come out on top of the Liga Zon Sagres during the 2013/14 season. There are many concerns going forward

 

CONCERN#1 There are too many Forwards, Wingers, on this team.

 

It is always good to have depth and overall if Benfica can keep the likes of John, Gaitan, and Salvio (highly doubtful) for another season, and they can remain loyal and happy being rotated constantly then our wingers can all stay. The issue with this is let's say Gaitan has an amazing season does and John gets less playing time, will John want to stick around? or in the case of Salvio would Sulejamani then want to leave? Coaches undoubtedly always have favorites but can JJ be a fair coach and rotate the squad fairly?

 

In terms of Forwards, Lima and Rodrigo are looking like they are going to carry this team without Cardozo. As a fan, I have some questions:

 

A) Why loan out Nelson Oliveira to France at a time in which we know Oscar Cardozo will move on from Benfica and Benfica will need a third striker?

 

B) Why did Benfica pick up River Plate forward Rogelio Gabriel Fures Mori who at 22 has scored less goals in his entire career then Cardozo did last season alone?

 

Mori will be another Alan Kardec or Eder Luis. He will get a few minutes here or there, score the odd goal and then when he departs from the club, no one will even remember what he did or where he came from.

 

CONCERN#2 The pressure on Jorge Jesus

 

Some are of the belief that if Benfica lose week #3 to Sporting at the Alvalade that he will be dismissed as Benfica's head coach. Providing that Benfica win week #2 to Gil Vicente, Benfica will only have 3 of 9 potential points. If the Liga Zon Sagres is as competitive this year as it was last year then at this point Benfica can kiss the league title goodbye.

 

I am only presenting this  theory due to the fact that Benfica fans expect results and if their team gets off to a bad start then they would want the blood of not only JJ but also President LFV.Okay, 3 weeks in may be a little harsh even for Benfica fans, but by Christmas if this team is below 2nd place, JJ and LFV can all go to hell in my books. It was bad enough losing a third straight season in a row to FC Porto but to make it a fourth this season is not acceptable. Especially since Benfica  went out and spent money on "Team Serbia" and as of recent there is talks of future Serbs joining the team. It was not long ago that LFV was in Serbia making deals with FK Vojvodina  in what appears like Benfica will be have exclusive rights to contract future prospects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE REALITY

 

For LFV to come out after the Maritimo game and still stand behind JJ and his squad, it means that JJ is not going anywhere. JJ just signed a 2 year contract with Benfica worth approximately 8 Million Euros. Whether or not he stays for 2 years or is fired, there is a stipulation in his contract which will guarantee him his full wages.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

 

We as fans expect our teams to be successful always. This is not always possible due to circumstances out of our control and theirs. However, mistakes can be avoided. It has been four seasons since we have had a proper left back and yet the Benfica organisation refuses spends money foolishly on excess wingers and strikers. It was reported only a few weeks ago that Benfica had over 100 contracted players, more then half of which are not used, sit on the bench throughout the season or on loan. Can we not remove this excess fat and buy a quality left - back to compete in league and European competition?

 

Although, it is silly season and we should not believe everything that we read, I was excited to see that Benfica was interested in signing Manchester United LB Alexander Büttner who is now on his way to a loan deal at Besiktas in Turkey. This is a id who has a prosperous future coming from the ranks of Ajax and of course Man U.

 

It is true that it is still early in the season to make assumptions. Anything is still possible. Sporting defeated a newly promoted team and are already being praised as this year's champions. There are still 29 games left in the league, plus cup games and European competition. Last season in France PSG started off terribly losing their first four games of the season and they came back winning the Ligue 1.

 

Benfica will have a lot of pressure on them this season but with the new additions to the squad, and hosting the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League Final it's time to move forward. What happened in 2012/13 should not reflect what is going to happen in 2013/14.

 

There Is No Room For You Here

"Why did I try to beat up that stubborn Mule?"

The more I read about Oscar Cardozo in the tabloids, the more frustrated I get with his weasel of an agent Pedro Aldave. Since the Portuguese Cup final, there has been constant reports of "Tacuara" leaving the eagles and being linked to such teams as; Cardiff City, Manchester City, and Turkish side Fenerbahce.  

Almost everyday sites like ABola have had stories pretty much guaranteeing that Cardozo will leave Benfica anyday now to Turkey. Supposedly Benfica's President LFV has approved the 30 year old striker's transfer to Fenerbahce. 

As i'm preparing for my Tuesday night ritual (www.talkingtothedoll.podbean.com the only English speaking Benfica pod on your world wide web) I was a bit stunned to read on ABola.com that «Cardozo está mais perto de ficar no Benfica do que sair», 

What is wrong with Cardozo and his agent Pedro Aldave? Does Cardozo think that he is going to win the heart of his coach Jorge Jesus and remain on the team as if nothing ever happened? or is his agent pulling some sort of publicity stunt to either gain a raise or some cred within the European Soccer Agent's? (not an actual organisation)

As a fan (because I am not a professional writer by any means) I acknowledge Cardozo's contribution to Benfica. He has had an impressive career at the luz thus far scoring 161 goals in 261 Benfica appearances and will go down in Benfica's top 10 records for most goals. 

After watching Benfica lose the Portuguese Cup Final to Vitória de Guimarães, I could not believe his actions on the pitch. I sympathised with him because he wore his emotions on his sleeve and he was so disappointed to lose because he loves being at Benfica so much and wants to win as much as every player and when you lose you want to blame someone right? and who better to blame then the coach right? However, from JJ's perspective and the organisation's perspective these actions are not acceptable and when there are actions that can affect team morality there must be consequences. 

For example; I am an employee and I have a boss. There are times in which I want punch my boss in the face but for fear of losing my job (and my soon to be wife) I do not pursue my actions. Let's say one day I did punch my boss in the face and by fluke got away with it, what example would I set for my fellow employee's? Pretty soon everyone will be punching my boss in the face assuming that they can get away with it because I did. 

Cardozo must leave.I'd like to believe that he is worth 12 - 15 million but as the theory stated by my wise friend Steve goes, Benfica may settle for cheap just so they can rid of him at the end of the summer transfer window. Call me crazy but at 30, a striker is not old. They may be past their prime still but as long as Cardozo stays fit and gets minutes, I am a firm believer that he will continue to score 20-30 goals per season until he starts to slow down at age 32-33.

Don't worry Benfica nation, the goals will come during 2013/14 without him. Lima is a guarantee 20+ goals (as he did this past season with Benfica and the previous season at SC Braga) and Rodrigo can very well have his best year and fight against only 1 (not 2) other striker for top position. Let's face it, Oliveira will be away on loan to Stoke City and Lima can't possibly play every game and score every single goal for Benfica throughout the season. Let's not forget our new #10 oh wait.... 9 and a half according to JJ, Filip Djuricic who has demonstrated in the pre-season that he can produce plays and set up goals. 

In the footy world players come and go. Change is inevitable and whenever a player enters a club like Benfica it is only a matter of time before he exits and is replaced by the next available player. 

3 goals against Sporting in Alvalade. 

The Magnificent Seven: Serbia Attacks Portugal!

The 2012/13 Liga Zon Sagres has come and gone and Benfica finished the season without silverware. It is no doubt that anyone who followed Benfica throughout the season noticed the excellent performance and revelation of Nemanja Matić the 24 year old Serbian midfielder. Matić is considered to be a hidden gem. After Javi Garcia and Axel Witsel departed, nobody expected this former Chelsea Midfielder to even crack the bench let alone make Benfica's starting 11.

Nemanja Matić is an example of what has been going on in Soccer for decades, The outside player coming in and taking over. We see it in Spain with players like Messi, and Ronaldo. England with it's abundance of African players and the USA with Mexican players. 

The sad reality is unfortunately sometimes the local players just can't cut it and a team has to resort to attract foreign players. It is not to say that there is no talent at a local level but it's sometimes worth while to think outside of the box. 

With the 2013/14 season just weeks away (and pre-season in less then 2 weeks) the Benfica master mind's were at it again. Since Matić, had such a great season then perhaps there are more players like him out there. While FC Porto, Sporting, and others continue to scout players in South America, Benfica have decided to look to Serbia for not only the next Nemanja Matić but hidden gems who are quality players. 

Introducing Benfica's newest acquisitions from Serbia.

Nemanja Matić Немања Матић
Born: 01.08.1988 in Sabac, Serbia
Age: 24
Position: Midfield - Defensive Midfield
Foot: Left
Market Value: Approximately 14.000.000€

-  Nemanja Matić joined Benfica on January 31, 2011 from Chelsea as part of the David Luiz trade. Benfica received approximately 25.000.000€ and Matić who at the time was loaned out to Dutch side Vitesse. Matić this past season played 45 games in all competitions. He scored 5 goals (including one amazing goal against FC Porto) On 14 January 2013, he was awarded with a contract extension lasting until 2018, with the buyout clause set at €45 million

Filip Đuričić Филип Ђуричић

Born: 30.01.1992 in Obrenovac, Serbia

Age: 21

Position: Midfield - Attacking Midfield

Foot: Both

Market Value: Approximately 7.000.000€

- Out of all of the Serbian additions to the 2013/14 Benfica squad, Đuričić is showing the most promise. Now that Pablo Aimar has left Benfica, Đuričić, can not only play on the wings but may essentially be Benfica's new number 10. A position that has not been filled in quite a while (perhaps since Aimar was a starter) Welcome Filip Đuričić to Benfica!

Lazar Marković Лазар Марковић

Born: 02.03.1994 in Čačak, Yugoslavia (Serbian Nationality)
Age:19
Position: Striker - Left Wing
Foot: Right
Market Value: Approximately 7.000.000€

- During Partizan's group stage performance in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League, Lazar Marković's performance got the attention of many teams throughout Europe including Inter Milan, and Rubin Kazan. Marković appeared in 19 league games and scored 7 goals and rated Marković among the 25 best players in the Serbian SuperLiga. Welcome Lazar Marković to Benfica!

Miralem Sulejmani Миралем Сулејмани
Born: 05.12.1988 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (Serbian Nationality)
Age: 24
Position: Striker - Right Wing
Foot: Left
Market Value: 2.500.000€

- Sulejmani can very well be another hidden gem in the upcoming Benfica 2013/14 season. He has played in the Dutch league with SC Heerenveen, and Ajax. It was rumoured in February 2013 that both Sulejmani and Đuričić were going to be new additions to Benfica and effective in July 2013 both players have gained their spot. Sulejmani has had UEFA Europe Cup experience in the past with Ajax as he scored against Juventus in the round of 16 competition. Although he has not played in quite sometime due to a near career ending injury he sustained against Roda JC in March of 2012, Sulejmani will be competing against the likes of Salvio, and Ola John for a top spot in the Benfica starting 11. Welcome Miralem Sulejmani  to Benfica!

Stefan Mitrović Стефан Митровић

Born: 22.05.1990 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (Serbian Nationality)

Age: 23

Position: Central Defender - Left

Foot: left

Market Value: 1.100.000€

- With the expected departure of Ezequiel Garay at some point this summer, Mitrović is one of 3 possible replacement choices. Although, Lisandro Lopez is still not confirmed, Steven Vitoria may have previous experience in the Portuguese league but can he keep up with Stefan Mitrović who has just come off of a successful season with Belgium side Kortrijk in which he appeared in 22 matches and scored 3 goals. Mitrović is contracted at Benfica until June 2015. Welcome Stefan Mitrović to Benfica!

Uroš Matić Уpoш Maтић

Born: 23.05.1990 in Sabac, Serbia

Age: 23

Position: Midfield - Attacking Midfield

Foot: ?

Market Value: 450.000 €

- Just like his older brother, Uroš Matić came to Benfica on the free. This attacking mid - fielder has represented the Serbian under 19 team during the 2009 European under 19 competition. He spent 4 seasons playing for Slovak side MFK Košice. If Uroš has similar talent to Nemanja, we may see the two brothers playing side - by -side in a few games.  He is currently on a one year contract with a possible five year extension. Welcome Uroš Matić to Benfica!

Filip Marković  Филип Марковић

Born: 03.03.1992 in Čačak, Yugoslavia (Serbian Nationality)

Age:21

Position: Midfield

Foot: Right

Market Value: ?

- Lazar Marković older brother Filip has signed onto the Benfica B team for the upcoming 2013/14 season. There is no information as of yet as to what his role will be or the length of his contract. Never in Benfica's history has there been 2 sets of Serbian brothers. Welcome Filip Marković to Benfica!