For a 100% Portuguese final, this Friday must beat Sporting Anderlecht in the semifinals (5 p.m.) and beat Benfica Palma Futsal (8 p.m.). The Champions League futsal final is scheduled for Sunday (5pm) at the Velòdrom Illes Balears, in Palma de Mallorca, with all matches being broadcast on Eleven sports.
The Lions are on the hunt for their third European title, after winning the trophy in 2019 and 2021. Nuno Dias’ team will play ten times in the last four of the champions (called UEFA Futsal Cup until 2018) and is the one with the largest international curriculum of the four finalists, followed by the reds, who were the first Portuguese to lift the trophy (2010).
“I don’t think there are favourites. When you get to a stage like this in the league, where there are four teams with such quality and knocked out those great teams to be here, that maxim of game by game and 50/50.”It seems to me that there is no favoritism for anyone. The possibilities are the same for everyone,” emphasized the Leonine coach, who holds the record of 57 matches in UEFA indoor football competitions at the helm of a single club.
For the third time (the second time in a row), Portugal has two teams in the decisive phase. That is why a Portuguese final is possible and should not surprise anyone according to Nuno Dias: “Portuguese futsal has already reached a level where it does not need a final.” [entre duas equipas portuguesas]. What interests me is winning and going to the final. Whether it’s Benfica or Palma Futsal, I don’t care.”
Sporting keeps the hard core of players from previous victories, such as Guitta, João Matos (he will break a record with 75 appearances in the league), Erick Mendonça, Cavinato, Merlim or Pany Varela and will face the Belgians in the semifinals van Anderlecht led by Luca Cragnaz, who was goalkeeper for Charleroi, the Belgian club that won the trophy in 2005.
Until last year, the Belgians were known as Halle-Gooik, they surprisingly eliminated champion Barcelona and they have some Portuguese in their selection, such as goalkeeper Cristiano Marques, who played a period at Benfica, former Sporting player Diogo and former Benfica player Diego Roncaglio.
Benfica wants 2nd trophy
If last year the Lions lost the final (the third out of five) to the Catalans, Luz’s team missed the final and finished third, having defeated Ricardinho’s ACCS Asnières Villeneuve 92. This year Benfica will first have to deal with host and newcomer Palma Futsal. The Spanish team has Chaguinha, Mancuso and Tayebi in the selection, who have already passed through Luz, but the star is the Spaniard Mário Rivillos, who already won the Champions League with Inter Movistar and Barcelona.
A 100% Portuguese final would be good news for the reds, says coach Mário Silva, as Sporting is the team that knows Benfica best and therefore this final will be the “easiest to prepare”. Since taking over the team in March, Mário Silva has led the Eagles to win the Portuguese Futsal Cup and has experienced André Sousa, Afonso Jesus, Bruno Coelho, Rocha or Arthur to attack the European trophy.
For the Brazilian winger, the Champions League is “no man’s land”, where “anything can happen” and Benfica’s goal is “to win all the titles at that time”.
The Spanish islanders will try to retain their title in Spain, whose clubs have won 11 of the last 21 editions.
Source: DN
