The figure of Mourinho and its relationship with the blackboard captured all the spotlight the day before the match in which Madrid returns to play on the stage where its recent history changed. It was here, in the Luz Stadium of Lisbon, when Ramos He scored that impressive header in the 93rd minute. Courtois, then the red and white goalkeeper, jumped onto the pitch yesterday for the last training session held at the Estádio da Luz, looking out of the corner of his eye at that goal and giving a small sigh. But the media power of Arbeloa and Mou, disciple and teacher, It is so evident that he even left the cool thing in the background. The accounts. Madrid only needs one point to almost certainly ensure that they do not play in the round of 32 of the Champions League and go directly to the round of 16, while the Benfica need gain to Madrid and waitr other results. Maybe too many (follow the game live on AS.com).
He party face again of the giants of the european football that they could not see each other’s faces since the 60s. In those times the Benfica from Eusebio took over from Madrid five-time champion. The whites won the first five finals of the European Cup, they were unable to play in the sixth due to regrettable refereeing in the semi-finals against Barça (the Mr. Leafe entered the history books) and also played the seventh finalin 1962, he is against Benfica. Lost 5-3 in Amsterdam and began the Lisbon domain on the continent. Benfica, which had also won the 1961 final against Barça, would lose the next two, which it reached in 1963 and 1965, against Milan and Inter.
He last confrontation between Madrid and Benfica it was in quarters of 1964-65. Benfica won the first leg 5-1 and Madrid returns 2-1. From that tie, the last precedent, only Pirri remains alive, who will see it from the stands, as he has traveled leading the Madrid expedition 66 years later.
Red hot
the blackboard can strike the definitive blow to Mourinho this season. While it is true that the Portuguese joined the team with the course started, it is also true that has not improved in nothing what there was before his era began. Even worse. It’s ten points away of the head his Liga (and it started at four), has lost in the Cup and in the League Cup and has a foot and a half out of the Champions League. Rafa, the latest addition in the winter market, is not registered in the competition. Nor is Lopes Cabral. And although the technician has asked again and again a forward who can replace the Greek Pavlidis, they have not yet brought him.
Amenaza Pavlidis
Benfica has a clear problem of face to goal. Before the Juventus was planted until 34 times in the rival area and no managed to materialize no goal. Not even a penalty, like the one Pavlidis took. The Greek slipped in a perfect staging of what the team is this season. And yet it is precisely Pavlidis the great threat for Madrid. He comes from scoring a double against Estrela Amadora in the League, in which he has 19 targetsto which it adds one in the Champions League, four in the qualifying phase and six in the different cups played in Portugal. In total, 26 in 36 games. But very far from the 34 points of Mbappé in 28 participations. However, in 2025 (calendar year) Pavlidis did hold his own and was the third top scorer with 42 goals compared to Mbappé’s 58 or Harry Kane’s 48.
the blackboard has managed to carry the peace to Real Madrid both on and off the field. In the press room it was speech proxy in an efficient way, apparently controlling the situation in detail and almost without flinching he releases slogans like he closed the blinds yesterday: “Mourinho always was, is and will be one of us“And that control of the scene has been transferred to the locker roomwhere he has managed to get all the players row in the same direction. And that being the case, there are very few teams that can beat Real Madrid.
An eleven type appears
He Madrid of Arbeloa begins to be recognizable with Mastantuono on the trident above next to Mbappé y Vinicius. The Argentine has a lot return in defense and ends up balancing the team. And even with many lows in defense (Rüdiger has not managed to recover) and therefore with few options to make changes there, in the center of the field there is only one doubt, whether he will bet on football. laughs next to Tchouameni y Bellingham or if he will put in a little more muscle to try to make the game thicker and take advantage of the gaps left at the top.
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If something defines the equipment of the mythical 17 is that becomes solid again. After the Albacete mole, only a goal conceded in the next three against Levante, Monaco and Villarreal and ten marked. And with that base it is very easy for the party to continue. He Madrid remains undefeated in his last ten games contra portuguese teams (eight wins and two draws), winning the last four, the most recent against Braga in the group stage of the 2023-24 season (1-2 away and 3-0 at home). The setting is idyllic. Here, in it Estádio Da Luz, Real Madrid changed its recent history… with Arbeloa gift on the team. Now he can write a very different one, this one, from the bench.
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