This Thursday, SC Braga and Benfica are fighting for a spot in the Portuguese Cup semifinals in a match in which the eagles can try to avenge the 3-0 defeat suffered in Pedreira, scoring for the championship.
With Ricardo Horta back in the options for Artur Jorge and Gonçalo Ramos and Rafa in the batch of eligible for Roger Schmidt, neither was the initial option of the coaches for the starting eleven, but rather all went to their respective benches.
And it was precisely from there, from the benches, from where the minute of silence was observed with which the tens of thousands of victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria were honored in Pedreira.
On the pitch, the great novelty was Pizzi’s ownership at Braga, with the Portuguese occupying a hybrid role between that of a striker alongside Abel Ruiz and that of a midfielder. At Benfica, Schmidt repeated the mantra “a team that wins doesn’t move” and put it into practice against the eleven that played against Casa Pia, for the championship, at the weekend.
XI SC Braga: Matheus, Víctor Gómez, Tormena, Niakaté, Sequeira, Al Musrati, Racic, André Horta, Pizzi and Medeiros and Abel Ruiz
Eleven of Benfica: Vlachodimos; Bah, Antonio Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Florentino, Chiquinho, Aursnes, João Mário, Neres and Gonçalo Guedes
The match referee is Tiago Martins, assisted by Pedro Ribeiro and Hugo Ribeiro. In the VAR is Fábio Melo.
SC Braga Substitutes: Tiago Sá, Paulo Oliveira, Joe Mendes, Borja, Castro, Álvaro Djaló, Ricardo Horta, Banza, Bruma
Benfica substitutes: Samuel Soares, Gilberto, Lucas Veríssimo, Morato, João Neves, Draxler, Rafa, Musa, Gonçalo Ramos
Source: TSF
