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SL Benfica successfully defended the Portuguese League Cup thanks to a 3-0 defeat of FC Porto in the showpiece match in Faro. The Liga leaders and UEFA Europa League quarter-finalists fully deserved their win after dominating the encounter at the Estádio Algarve and demonstrating clinical efficiency in front of goal. That was in evidence after only nine minutes when Jorge Jesus's team opened the scoring, Porto goalkeeper Nuno failing to keep out Ruben Amorim's low shot. That sparked a determined response from their opponents, but Benfica proved adept at withholding space and doubled their lead just before the break when Carlos Martins struck with an exquisite free-kick from distance. Porto's belief seemed to evaporate after the restart and the Eagles made sure of the silverware in added time through Óscar Cardozo, following good work from Ruben Amorim. source: http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=por/news/newsid=1466727.html First silverware of the season, hopefully we will add the champion title and europa league to that one. Video of the celebrations http://videos.sapo.pt/d6zEDAFGiQ8O2FZNsZvB

Hey guys, yeah I'm the Benfica fan. Anyway in my humble opinion your draw wasnt that bad, if there was a good time to face Sporting that time is now, we will see how they will be in February however, cause there is still some new players to hire, even though they shouldnt sign any expensive player because they dont have much money to buy new players. They had one of the easiest groups, so thats why they finished 1st. Their new coach isnt one with much european experience aswell. So in a normal day Everton will move forward to the next round, however do not make the mistake of underrate Sporting, they can still beat you, at this level there is always a greater motivation, so you need to be carefull with players like Moutinho, Vukcevic, Izmailov and Liedson... To be honest I couldnt care less about the result of this game, so I just want to wish that may the best team win, and good luck to you guys. Hope you guys enjoyed Lisbon the first time and come back for more, we will be here to properly welcome the Everton fans once more.

Actually if Nacional even draw yesterday they would get ahead of Sporting in the league standings, they have the same amount of points, even though Sporting will play today. Nacional to play the Europa League Group Stage knocked out Zenit. They are a pretty decent side... dont underestimate them. They draw against Sporting 1-1 on the first league game. But of course we are not unbeatable, and we wont trash every team every game and its always how you finish it... but moral is high and every team that play against us must give us some credit and respect or they will get trashed like the rest. I look forward to the game in Goodison, knowing that it can settle the dispute around the first place of the group, a draw wouldnt be bad for Benfica, but I recon that our players will play to win no matter what, and yours will try to redeem themselves... so it will be an interesting game, with a great athmosphere, and may the best team win.

Another result: SL Benfica 3 - 1 Celtic FC (Friendly CNE CUP - Toronto Canada - Sept 3rd) Both teams were missing a lot of starting eleven players due to national team games. I read alot of british and scotish news that said Benfica had a lot of regulars on their starting eleven, thats was clearly an overstatement, there were only 3 on Benfica side plus the 3 that entered during the game, and we also had alot of youth on that game Roderick Miranda, Ruben Pinto, Nélson Oliveira, Diogo Figueiras and Tiago Ramos, they are all from the U-21 team. All goals - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmtInlkpvfg It was a good opportunity for both teams to give some minutes to some players and give some experience to the youth players. Of course it was a friendly match, and the result is the less important thing.

All weekend results of the teams that are in this group (not including Everton since you all know that one): The Super League Greece -> Atromitos 0 - 1 AEK (Blanco 58') | Match Highlights - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TemX9pS-Gnk Vysshaya Liga -> Bate Borisov 1 - 1 Dinamo Minsk (Sergei Kislyak 40' -Minsk ; Sergei Krivets 85' -Bate) Liga Sagres -> Benfica 8 - 1 Vitória de Setúbal (J. Garcia 16', Luisão 21', Cardozo 29, 65' and 75', Aimar 35', Ramires 37', Gomes 85'; Barbosa 90'+2) | All Goals - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep_OXWEqU0U | Full Game Download: 1st Half - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TL4OBZ3W <> 2nd Half - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OVGBIAUG

Hopefully that will bring more justice to the final result in Europa league. But still 2 more people to judge when they all needed was 1 guy watching replays on a tv screen.

I wont bother to make quotations. But talkin about Celta de Vigo, sure that was an awfull result, but it was also 10 years ago, and still it was even much less than 12-1 aggregate, and yours was last year. That time was a really an awfull time for Benfica, I compare it to the dark ages, we still suffer a bit from it, but we are slowly getting back on our feet and taking the place thats rightfully ours. Talking about CL presences, we got 29 overall, since the new format (Benfica: 91/92 - 94/95 - 98/99 - 05/06 - 06/07 - 07/08; Sporting - 97/98 - 02/03 - 06/07 - 07/08 - 08/09) Prize List: Portugal Division 1 - SuperLiga since 1934/1935 Best result : 1st in 2004/2005 31 times first in 2004/2005, 1993/1994, 1990/1991, 1988/1989, 1986/1987, 1983/1984, 1982/1983, 1980/1981, 1976/1977, 1975/1976, 1974/1975, 1972/1973, 1971/1972, 1970/1971, 1968/1969, 1967/1968, 1966/1967, 1964/1965, 1963/1964, 1962/1963, 1960/1961, 1959/1960, 1956/1957, 1954/1955, 1949/1950, 1944/1945, 1942/1943, 1941/1942, 1937/1938, 1936/1937, 1935/1936 24 times second in 2003/2004, 2002/2003, 1997/1998, 1995/1996, 1992/1993, 1991/1992, 1989/1990, 1987/1988, 1985/1986, 1981/1982, 1978/1979, 1977/1978, 1973/1974, 1969/1970, 1965/1966, 1958/1959, 1955/1956, 1952/1953, 1951/1952, 1948/1949, 1947/1948, 1946/1947, 1945/1946, 1943/1944 14 times third in 2008/2009, 2006/2007, 2005/2006, 1999/2000, 1998/1999, 1996/1997, 1994/1995, 1984/1985, 1979/1980, 1961/1962, 1957/1958, 1953/1954, 1950/1951, 1938/1939 UEFA Champions League since 1957/1958 (29 participations) Best result : 1st in 1961/1962 2 times first in 1961/1962, 1960/1961 5 times second in 1989/1990, 1987/1988, 1967/1968, 1964/1965, 1962/1963 UEFA Cup since 1966/1967 (17 participations) Best result : 2nd in 1982/1983 1 times second in 1982/1983 Uefa Cup Winners' Cup since 1970/1971 (7 participations) Best result : Semi-Finals in 1993/1994 Latin Cup since 1949/1950 (3 participations) Best result : 1st in 1949/1950 1 times first in 1949/1950 1 times second in 1956/1957 1 times third in 1955/1956 Intercontinental Cup - Toyota Cup since 1961/1962 (2 participations) Best result : 2nd in 1962/1963 2 times second in 1962/1963, 1961/1962 Cup of Portugal since 1921/1922 Best result : 1st in 2003/2004 27 times first in 2003/2004, 1995/1996, 1992/1993, 1986/1987, 1985/1986, 1984/1985, 1982/1983, 1980/1981, 1979/1980, 1971/1972, 1969/1970, 1968/1969, 1963/1964, 1961/1962, 1958/1959, 1956/1957, 1954/1955, 1952/1953, 1951/1952, 1950/1951, 1948/1949, 1943/1944, 1942/1943, 1939/1940, 1934/1935, 1930/1931, 1929/1930 10 times second in 2004/2005, 1996/1997, 1988/1989, 1974/1975, 1973/1974, 1970/1971, 1964/1965, 1957/1958, 1938/1939, 1937/1938 No one said that we had a better formation than sporting, but what did that get you? You talk about the money we spent, but you forget that you dont spend any because you dont have it. Look at your new signing. Angulo from Valencia? 32 years old on a free transfer, because Valencia didnt want him. Dont you have a decent formation to get a more decent player for that position? No matter what you say, if you could, you would take Cardozo or Aimar instead of him. And about Di Maria, hes 21 years old, he plays for the Argentinian National team, do you know who Maradona puts on the bench to let him play? And everyone knows that Aimar was recovering from a severe injury, last season he wasnt still at his peak, by the time he was making awesome performances the league was almost over, and he wasnt playing in his natural position, this season he will... I dont agree that we had a better team last year, we lost Reyes, Suazo, Katsouranis... but to compensate we got Saviola, Weldon, Keirrison (this one still needs alot of work to get used to european football), Fabio Coentrao (he was out on a loan, but hes more mature now), Filipe Menezes? (press says we are about to sign this player, still needs confirmation), Ramires, Cesar Peixoto, Javi Garcia and Julio Cesar. Overall and all things considered I think we have a better and more balanced team. And talking about Camacho, do not forget he wasnt the first coach that season...

Seriously man? What the hell are you doing here? You should be in front of your stadium right know asking for the head of your coach. After 2 games in Liga Sagres your team has 1 point in 6 possible, you lost/draw every official game so far, and dont make me talk about your preseason. True we've spent a lot of money in the last seasons, but you kept your team and your coach for 4 years in a row, how many championships have you own so far? 12-1 aggregate against Bayern Munich last season rings any bell? First time ever you passed the group stage in the champions league and you got pounded. We finished third so what? Our coach was Enrique Sanchez Flores, he had no previous knowledge of the league, the season before that we had 3 coaches... This year we got Jorge Jesus, last season he went all the way to the quarter finals with SC Braga in Uefa Cup, thats quite an achievement, plus like you told, we spent a lot of money on our team, but we got some awesome players, no matter how you put it, Saviola, Aimar, Di Maria, Cardozo and many others would be first choice in Sporting in any day of the week. I think I got all the reasons in the world to be confident, time will tell if I was right to be confident, cause everyone knows its like how you finish and not how you start... Seriously I think that a Sporting fan talking about Everton vs Benfica speaks much about the drepession their supporters have, got nothing else better to do? But I understand you, Everton and Benfica were, are and will be, better teams than Sporting will ever be.

To be honest I was hoping we got to play against a team like Everton in the group stage. Inferior teams its easier but, you never know what can happen, and if you win its considered "normal" but if you lose, you lose reputation. So Im glad we got Everton in our group. And yes, Benfica and Everton are the favourites in this group, but like I said before, you never know what might happen.

Those will actually come in handy after the match. There will be alot of tears to wipe... Seriously you guys dont expect this will be a walk in the park? We are clearly one of the top 5 teams in this competition. We can clearly win this thing, if you really expect to win in Lisbon, go watch the game Benfica 4 - 0 Portsmouth. We beat the current cup holders Shaktar Donetsk by 2-0 in one of the first games of the pre-season. They had far more preparation than we did, we won 4 pre-season tournaments, including Ajax's tournament. We beat AC Milan for the Eusebio Cup. You people need to wake up... Anyway I hope we can enjoy great football when we meet on the pitch, and may the best win.