Benfica went right into a droop on the worst time of the season, and it price the crew a spot within the Champions League semifinals.
The Portuguese membership couldn’t finish its winless streak and was eradicated from the European competitors after a 3-3 draw at Inter Milan on Wednesday. Benfica wanted to reverse a 2-0 loss from the primary leg at house to make it to the semifinals for the primary time in additional than three many years.
It was the fourth straight match with no win in all competitions for Benfica, which earlier than that poor run had misplaced solely as soon as all season and had gained 13 of 15 matches.
Benfica had been one of many surprises of the Champions League this season, occurring an unbeaten run to win a troublesome group that included Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. It then cruised previous Club Brugge 7-1 on mixture within the spherical of 16.
With a stable protection and a prolific assault, Benfica was seen as one of many groups to beat as an alternative of one of many softer opponents forward of the quarterfinals.
But the primary signal of bother got here when Benfica misplaced at house to Porto within the Portuguese league. Then got here the house loss to Inter within the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, and it misplaced once more within the league at Chaves earlier than the second leg towards Inter – marking the primary time since 2018-19 that Benfica misplaced three video games in a row.
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“We had a great Champions League, with only one loss in 14 matches, but unfortunately that loss came last week in a very important match,” Benfica coach Roger Schmidt mentioned. “I saw my team fighting, being good in duels, winning many balls and pressing. I have nothing to point out to my players. We represented Benfica very well today and in the competition as a whole.”
Benfica, which gained the European Cup in 1961 and 1962, final made it to the semifinals in 1990, when it will definitely misplaced within the closing to AC Milan. The crew was taking part in within the final eight of the Champions League for the second consecutive season, having been eradicated by eventual runner-up Liverpool final 12 months.
“The balance is very positive,” Benfica striker Gonçalo Ramos mentioned. “We were among the best eight teams, played against some great teams in Europe and lost only once.”
Now the main target turns again to the Portuguese league, the place Benfica can nonetheless save the season and keep away from a historic collapse if it holds onto its four-point lead over Porto. Benfica has been on the prime of the standings because the fourth recreation of the season, and never way back had a double-digit lead over its closest rival.
“All we can do is to focus on the league, which now is our main objective,” Benfica defender Alejandro Grimaldo mentioned. “We couldn’t advance in the Champions League but we gave everything we had. Now we’ll try to beat Estoril in our next league match and try to lift the league trophy.”
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