La Real seeks in Lisbon, against Benfica, to take a step that could be key in the Champions League
Euskaraz irakurri: Realak aurrerapauso handia eman nahi du Lisboan, Benficaren zelaian, Txapeldunen Ligan jarraitzeko
The Real society going to search tonight, from 9:00 p.m.in Lisbonbefore him Benficain the third day of the group stage of the Champions League of the 2023-24 season, give a step that could be key to achieving qualification for the round of 16. Imanol’s men, who have four points after the first two days of the group stage, visit the Da Luz Stadium to the Portuguese team, which, without having scored yet, is very demanding. The forecast is that Real will field, in its starting eleven, several players who last Saturday, in the LaLiga EA Sports match played at the Reale Arena against Mallorca, were not starters, such as Traoré, Le Normand, Barrenetxea or Kubo .
Kieran Tierney, André Silva and Álvaro Odriozola are still out due to injury in the Guipuzcoan team, but, except for the youngsters Jon Magunazelaia and Gaizka Ayesa, Imanol will be able to count on all the other players. Tonight will be the first time that Real faces Benfica, who is a double European champion (he achieved it in 1960 and 1961) and has also played in five other finals of the highest continental competition. Of course, the txuri-urdin team already knows what it’s like to play in Lisbon, against Sporting de Portugal, and also with success, since Real eliminated the other team from the Portuguese capital on the two occasions they have faced them in international tournaments: in the European Cup of the 1982-83 season (1-0 in Lisbon, 2-0 in San Sebastián), and in the UEFA Cup of the 1988-89 campaign (1-2 in Portugal , 0-0 in Euskal Herria).
He Benfica, coached by the German Roger Schmidt, reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League in the 2022-23 season. In that round, they were eliminated by Inter Milan, which is now placed in the same group as Real and the Lisbon team, group D. They have lost to Salzburg (0-2) and Inter Milan (1-0 ), so he has not yet scored any points, and in this way, there is a lot at stake tonight.
Real’s rival has not yet released its goals tally, and forcefulness in front of the opposing goal is being one of their main problems this season. Benfica has not found, so far, a suitable replacement for Gonçalo Ramos, now at Paris Saint-Germain; The big signing for the center forward position, the Brazilian Arthur Cabral, a former Fiorentina player, is not having the expected impact, so Schmidt has opted for the Croatian international Petar Musa, and has even experimented with putting the striker up front. young Danish striker Casper Tengstedt or winger Rafa Silva.
Benfica’s salvation so far this season has been Argentine winger Ángel Di María, the team’s top scorer, with six goals. Di María was injured at San Siro, against Inter Milan, which is why he was excluded from the Portuguese Cup match that Benfica played last week, along with the Turkish Orkun Kokçu and the Danish Alexander Bah, so that he could be available for face the txuri-urdin team.
Furthermore, in defense, Benfica’s asset to stop Take Kubo, who is in excellent form, is its effective center back pairing, formed by the Argentine veteran Nicolás Otamendi and António Silva, who, at 19 years old, He is already a starter in the Portugal team; In addition, they have João Neves in the midfield, a new great player from their quarry.
Probable lineups for tonight
Benfica: Trubin; Bah, Otamendi, António Silva, Aursnes; Neves, Kokçu; Di María, David Neres, Rafa; Muse.
Real society: Remiro; Traoré, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Aihen; Zubimendi, Merino, Brais; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea.
Referee: Clement Turpin (France).
The match is played at the Da Luz Stadium (Lisbon)at 9:00 p.m.
Source: Eitb
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