The 2-2 draw between Benfica and Sporting at Estádio da Luz revealed two combative teams, in an intense game, worthy of the history of duels between the two great rivals in Lisbon. Vasco Seabra accompanied the game in the stadium and explains that Benfica’s performance confirms a less exuberant moment of some of Roger Schmidt’s usual options, which conditions the team that leads the championship.
“It has been an intense derby. The game is not always as organized and thoughtful as the teams have been playing”, the 39-year-old coach begins by pointing out. “It was a match of surrender, of fight between the teams, with Sporting getting better into the game and then Benfica’s response represents what the ambitions of both teams are.” As a result of the different moments of the game, the former Marítimo coach summarizes what this game indicates for the remainder of the season. “The championship is not given at all.”
“In Benfica I see two players who stood out in the strongest moments of the team and it seems to me that now they are lower than they were in the pre-world cup. I speak of David Neres from Aursnes. This dynamic, these ups and downs mean that the teams have less good moments and better ones”, Vasco Seabra emphasizes about Roger Schmidt’s team.
On the side of the lions, Amorim dared to launch the players Youssuf Chermiti (18 years old, first minutes of the season, not only in the main team, but in all youth teams) or Arthur Gomes as options with the result in discussion (78 minutes, 2 -2 on the scoreboard).
“Rúben is only showing who he really is, a risk coach. I remember the year of the title when nobody admitted Sporting as a candidate. There is that expectation of betting on training so that the club is increasingly sustainable, believing in these younger values. It is the reinforced bet on what is the profile of Rúben”, explains Vasco Seabra.
Moment of FC Porto and SC Braga. And also Casa Pia
The discussion for the title is not only between FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting, points out Vasco Seabra. “I would always add Sporting de Braga. A team that has nine victories in the last ten games always represents a very high consistency”, underlines Vasco Seabra.
“FC Porto have been more consistent, they had a draw at Casa Pia, but they ended up not having a bad second half. The win that way, I think FC Porto will be in the fight for the title until the end,” he said. clarify
“You also have to look at the profile of Sérgio Conceição, a coach who does not allow things to stop, so that someone throws in the towel. There are players on the rise, like Galeno or João Mário, who are more consistent, again – so I think Futebol Clube do Porto will be in the fight until the end.”
Casa Pia could finish the journey ahead of Sporting in the League -they play in Estoril Praia this Monday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m.-, and Lisbon’s football deserves the praise of Vasco Seabra. “It is an extraordinary job by Filipe Martins and the entire structure. I hope they manage to continue and maintain this ability, which can also be a motivating factor for all the other teams. Our championship has quality, the teams have been more willing to score than fight for victories. It is important that the teams are motivated by these conquests of formations that, in theory, are smaller”.
A championship launched one day away from Ecuador in the Portuguese league. In the next round, the leader Benfica visits Santa Clara, FC Porto plays in Guimarães with Vitória and SC Braga in Paços de Ferreira. Sporting plays at home against Vizela on opening day 17.
Source: TSF
