Benfica scraped past Alverca this past Sunday, securing a narrow 2-1 victory on the fourth matchday of the Liga Betclic. While three points are always welcome, the performance left many observers scratching their heads. We spoke with several prominent figures tied to the Eagles to get their take on the match, and their insights paint a picture of a team still finding its rhythm.
Mauro Airez, a former player, noted the team started strong. They netted an early goal, which certainly made controlling the game easier. Benfica held onto the ball for long stretches. However, Airez pointed out a key issue: “They should have created more scoring chances. Especially with all that possession. It was a somewhat passive dominance.” It seems the ball was theirs, but the danger wasn’t.
José Manuel Antunes, a former director, wasn’t pulling any punches. He called the win “a three-point thrashing,” a comment that suggests more relief than celebration. Antunes highlighted a worrying trend: “Benfica takes very few shots at goal. They just keep passing it from left to right, right to left… The attack doesn’t match the amount of time they have the ball in games.” It sounds like a lot of build-up without a punch.
Another former director, António Figueiredo, offered a different perspective, suggesting fatigue played a big role. “The team is tired,” he stated plainly. “By my count, they played eight games in August alone. That’s a huge marathon.” Figueiredo also brought up a key moment in the game: “After the sending-off, which I thought was unfair, the team dropped back too much. But that was all they could do, given how tired they were.” This explains why the second half felt like such a struggle.
Ultimately, Benfica got the win, and that’s what counts for the standings. Yet, the chatter around the club suggests a team with plenty of work ahead. They need to turn their ball control into real threats and find a way to manage their energy. The early season tests are clearly revealing areas for improvement.