Matchday six will be one of important decisions, with Benfica knowing apart from needing to win, they’re are dependent on a helping hand from Munich.
The encarnados are third in Group E with five points from as many matches. Ahead of them is Barcelona with seven points, who travel to Munich to take on the already qualified Bavarians.
Benfica enters the match off the back of an incredibly frustrating defeat at home against their same city rival, Sporting CP.
Not only was the final result one to forget, but the performance was also lacking in many aspects. Jorge Jesus appeared to have gotten the tactics and preparation wrong, with the younger and inexperienced Ruben Amorim getting it all spot on.
At the sound of Artur Soares Dias’ final whistle, Benfica fans in the stadium made their dissatisfaction heard, waving their lenços brancos. If the Portuguese manager was already under fire, things escalated Friday evening significantly.
Wednesday’s Champions League fixture provides the team and manager an escape from last week’s disappointment, but will this ending be more positive?
One positive is that the Ukrainian outfit has nothing to play for other than pride and the prize money. If we flip that upside down, it could also be a negative for the hosts, considering Dynamo has everything to gain and nothing to lose.
“Barça fans can sleep peacefully; there will be a miracle, but at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon.“
Mircea Lucescu – Dynamo Kyiv Manager
Matches aren’t won with words spoken in pre or post-match press conferences, but the Romanian manager is sending a clear message; he’s not going to Lisbon to visit.
For Jorge Jesus, the pressure is mounting. Fans were already against his return, and after a disastrous 2020/21 campaign, things will only continue to amplify with every subpar performance or result.
Knowing that they don’t depend on themselves, Benfica will need to make sure they do their part. Winning is their only way into the Champions League Round of 16, coupled with a Bayern Munich win or draw.
Failure to have that perfect storm, Jorge Jesus’ men have a first-class ticket into the Europa League and their first failed objective of the 2021/22 campaign.
Dynamo last visited the Estádio da Luz in 2016, also in the Champions League Group Stage, leaving the Portuguese capital with a 1-0 defeat thanks to a Salvio spot-kick.
Before that, they also met in 1992; the hosts were once again victorious (5-0).
With the pressure on Jorge Jesus, fans and even executives will be watching closely.
Will there be changes in the starting XI? Could Seferovic or even Yaremchuk find themselves in the starting XI? Does André Almeida get the start again, or could Morato come back into the squad?
Pizzi was at the pre-match press conference alongside JJ. Will that translate into the Portuguese midfielder getting a start?
There are so many questions and uncertainties surrounding this match, it’ll give you a headache trying to figure it all out. But, what we do know is anything less than a convincing victory will add gasoline to a fire that’s starting to get out of control.
How do you feel about the match? Confident? Uncertain? Leave your thoughts and prediction in the comments below.
