23 February 2007, by Marco Pereira

Dinamo Bucharest 1-2 Benfica:
match reaction

Fernando Santos, Benfica coach

“We started well, created situations, but then we suffered a goal which boosted Dinamo’s confidence. We knew that if we put everything we had out on the pitch, we would get back in the game. We had more opportunities to score but the Dinamo goalkeeper, as happened at the Luz, was very good.”

Anderson, Benfica central defender

“I believe it was an important goal because at that point we were losing although the result was not just. We had a lot of opportunities before they scored, but they scored a goal from their first chance.”

“We came out after the break well and the first goal calmed us down, which led to us moving the ball around better, and from there, we put in a quality exhibition with the team defending well and confident. We did not give them space to react and score a second goal, not giving them any possibility of a comeback.”

Simao, Benfica captain

“We are all to be congratulated. We encountered a difficult game in the beginning, but we showed that we have a lot of maturity. We managed to be calm and reverse the result.”

“PSG? The first leg is there and we will have to be well prepared. We hope to count on the support of many Portuguese fans in Paris. The dream is getting closer, but as I said yesterday, what is most important is to have our feet firmly planted on the ground.”

Mircea Rednic, Dinamo Bucharest coach

“We were only at Benfica’s level in the first half. At the break I alerted my players that Benfica were starting to become dangerous and that they have something to say in dead ball situations.”

“This is what happened. We suffered two goals that were conceived from defensive errors which are inadmissible. The game practically ended with the goal by Anderson. My players became very demoralised and from there, and Benfica were superior.”

Dinamo Bucharest 1-2 Benfica - match report