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| Thursday, 22 September 2011 18:00 |
Preview: O ClassicoSeconds out, round 221... Ben Shave runs the rule over Porto and Benfica ahead of one of the biggest nights the Portuguese footballing calendar has to offer.
One of the most satisfying features of true sporting rivalries are the way in which they allow supporters to define themselves without any of the usual doubts and insecurities that go along with something as complex as your personality, your politics, your life choices. The definition can either be negative (“we aren’t them”) or positive (“we are”), but either way, it doesn’t offer a lot of wiggle room. You’re either Porto, or Benfica; Barca, or Real, United, or City. Never both. It might hurt sometimes, but at least you know where (and who) you are. 220 and countingOf course, there’s also an unspoken mutual fear at work in the type of rivalry that Friday’s O Clássico will see rekindled for the 221st time – the fear of losing. In their pre-game press conferences, both Vitor Pereira and Jorge Jesus were quick to emphasise that last season’s equivalent fixture (which resulted in a 5-0 home win) would have little bearing on proceedings; and whilst that may be true on the pitch, the history in the air every time these two sides meet is as fascinating as it is unavoidable. 219 games have passed since Benfica defeated Porto for the first time in 1931, thanks to a brace from Vitor Silva (pictured) sandwiched between an Augusto Dinis strike. In total, Porto have 85 victories to their name, Benfica 82, with 53 draws. The Dragons have had the upper hand of late, winning four of the last five contests, all of which came during 2010/11, a season that saw the most meetings between the two since 2000/01, when they met three times in six nerve-shredding January days, plus once on the opening day of the season (the fixture computer was upgraded for 2001/02, in case you were wondering). The dominance of Porto and Benfica since the end of the 1981/82 season (they have accounted for all but three of the subsequent national titles) is such that O Clássico has become the most accurate barometer when trying to determine which way the momentum is swinging. 2004/05: a precedent? Rarely was it more accurate than in 2004/05. A Quaresma effort was enough to hand Porto the Supertaca, and the Dragons seemed to confirm in October, when they travelled to the Luz and prevailed 1-0, that the end of the Mourinho era had not adversely affected their ability to compete for the title. Heading into Round 23, the two were locked on 41 points. Porto looked to have surged ahead when Benni McCarthy gave them the lead after 65 minutes, but an equaliser from Geovanni arrived ten minutes later, and Giovanni Trapattoni’s Eagles held on for a priceless point. Two rounds later, Porto slumped to a shock 4-0 home defeat against Nacional, before falling 2-0 at Sporting the next weekend. Meanwhile Benfica, having seized the momentum, held their nerve to seal their first title for eight years with a 1-1 draw at Boavista on the final day. Of course, it doesn’t always happen like that. 2010/11 saw Porto once again triumph in the Supertaca, signalling that they were very much back in the hunt after a subdued challenge the previous season. The aforementioned 5-0 win at the Dragao provided an unforgettable exclamation point, but Benfica’s 2-0 win in the Taca three months later, coming as it did in the midst of their exceptional eighteen-game winning streak, had a few observers questioning Porto’s mettle. We all remember how the Dragons responded, going on to clinch the title at the Luz, before prevailing in the second leg of that Taca semi-final a fortnight later. The present day Just as in 2004/05, the first Liga meeting between the two in 2011/12 comes in the sixth round of games, though this time, it’s Porto who will enjoy the home advantage. Vitor Pereira was without two key players in Alvaro Pereira and Hulk for last weekend’s surprise 0-0 draw at Feirense, but both have been included in his squad, which reads as follows:Bracali, Helton; Maicon, Nicolas Otamendi, Rolando, Alvaro Pereira, Fucile; Fernando, Fernando Belluschi, Fredy Guarin, Joao Moutinho, Souza, Steven Defour; Cristian Rodriguez, Hulk, Kleber, Silvestre Varela, Walter. The major absentees for Porto are Sapunaru and James Rodriguez. The Romanian full-back was substituted for tactical reasons in Aveiro, and with no reports of any injury having emerged this week, his omission presumably reflects a preference for Fucile, possibly due to the Uruguayan’s tenacity and stamina, both of which will be vital commodities in Porto’s efforts to nullify Nico Gaitan and Nolito in wide areas.  James was of course sent off in injury time after tangling with Rabiola, and the Colombian’s absence will be keenly felt. Having spent a summer maintaining his sharpness in a competitive setting, the youngster has been in searing form during the first five rounds, and with Varela still struggling to find his cutting edge, the vacant spot on the left of Porto’s front three may well be occupied by Cristian Rodriguez. The press had the Uruguayan down as a fundraising departure over the summer, but ‘Cebolla’ has won over his new coach, and looks set to play a role going forward. Against Feirense, Pereira opted for a highly aggressive midfield trio of Belluschi, Guarin and Moutinho. He is unlikely to do the same against Benfica, with Fernando or Souza both providing a more balanced counterpoint to the relentless scheming of Moutinho, and the raw power of Guarin. Up front, Kleber (who has this week been awarded his first Brazil call-up) ought to start simply in order to ensure a cohesive shape, although after his half-time withdrawal on Sunday, the Brazilian’s confidence is perhaps not as high as it might be. Arguably the most interesting storyline from a Porto perspective is Vitor Pereira’s approach to the first great test of his coaching career. Of course, he stood alongside Andre Villas-Boas throughout the triumphs of last season, but standing alongside someone is not equivalent to walking in their shoes. Pereira claimed on Thursday to have not closely studied Benfica, a scarcely believable declaration, which confirms he does at least possess the same predilection for mind games that is present in all elite coaches. The stalemate against Feirense will instantly be forgotten should he emerge victorious on Friday, and the hope amongst Porto fans will surely be that Pereira has already moved on. Benfica near full strengthJorge Jesus sprung no surprises with his squad: the only absentees are the injured Enzo Perez and Nelson Oliveira. The nineteen-strong travelling party reads as follows:Artur Moraes, Eduardo; Ezequiel Garay, Jardel, Luisao, Emerson, Maxi Pereira; Axel Witsel, Bruno Cesar, Javi Garcia, Matic, Nicolas Gaitan, Nolito, Pablo Aimar, Ruben Amorim; Oscar Cardozo, Rodrigo Mora, Rodrigo Moreno, Saviola.  Given the importance of the occasion, and the quality of the opposition, it would be something of a shock if Benfica did not emerge in what can most accurately be termed as their ‘European' formation – namely a 4-2-3-1, with Axel Witsel providing support to both Javi Garcia and Pablo Aimar, depending on the flow of the game. Witsel’s arrival has allowed Aimar to adopt his favoured position behind the lone centre-forward, which in turn has seen the re-emergence of Cardozo. The Paraguayan was also labelled by Portugal’s sports dailies as a nailed-on departure over the summer, but his lethal early-season form (nine goals in his last nine games for club and country) will have left Benfica supporters eternally grateful that President Luis Filipe Vieira ignored widely reported overtures from Dynamo Kiev. Like his counterpart, Jorge Jesus looked to play down the magnitude of the game as much as possible, though he did admit that it would fall upon his senior personnel to acclimatise the more inexperienced members of his squad, eight of whom have never experienced the fixture before. As a coach, Jesus has tasted victory against Porto three times, with five draws and seventeen defeats. Those three wins came during his time at the Luz, and Jesus' years of coaching experience ought to ensure that he is not fazed by the occasion. The stage is setTo conclude, there is little to separate these two heading into the Liga’s first major game of the 2011/12 season. Both have dropped points in somewhat unexpected circumstances, but equally both have exhibited signs that they are capable of devastating opponents with fierce, high tempo attacking football.It promises to be a mouth-watering occasion: driven by fear, history, and a rivalry that has raged for the last eighty years. The Liga title might not be on the line; after all, there will still be twenty-four rounds to play come Saturday. But as any supporter will tell you, in the short term, fear can be a far more potent motivator than glory. Ben Shave For the finest coverage of Friday’s game (kick-off 20:15 local time), visit PortuGOAL.net; and follow us on Twitter @portugoaldotnet and @cahiers_dusport |
He said that his family would get together and make a day of it. Food, drinks, comradery. That IS what it's all about.
Johnnieooooo, it's your job to continue and enforce that comradery. If you don't, traditions will die with the new generations.
And who cares how many Portuguese players are playing, How many Portuguese players have we got in teams like Real Madrid and Chelsea lol
What is a shame is the attendance at many Liga games, it is downright shameful. I have travelled to Portugal to see games and it is fantastic. But locals don't go...I cannot understand it. It is one of the reasons that our teams must constantly make money by selling off their best players.
PS - Oporto 2 Benfica 1. Enhoy a great game and Forca Portugal
All major leagues have foreigners on their teams. Based on your logic no one should watch Real because there are Portuguese players or how about Inter winning the CL without Italians?
A club is like a company and the players are their employees. You hire the best you can for the money you can afford. Race/nationality should not matter.
Nevertheless my sometimes uncontrollable frustration comes from the obvious lack of integrity that runs rampant in this Liga I was once so proud to call mine. There is no authentic accountability by the FPF. Hence why we were passed over for 2018. It's a problem that is only getting worse, and I'm not just isolating it to the Porto, Benfica, Sporting, or even Braga. Every club is effected one way or another. It's absolutely infuriating. So, when Johnnieooooo says (I'm paraphrasing) it's not the same as it was I think it has more to do with the lack of integrity then it has to do with the players. Granted while I agree Johnnie I hate seeing them leave too, but that's econimics, which unfortunately is going to be difficult for a country of 10 million.
At the end of the day like I said earlier these Derby's are less about a simple and pure game, than they are about bribes, corruption, classless fans, and classless organizations.
I only pray to Nossa Senhorra that in just over 2 hours I can enjoy a soccer match without having to be concerned with things that have nothing to do with soccer.
Força Benfica
Sorry your family tradition has died out buddy, but believe me, PLENTY of people care about this game. And as far as there only being 3 Portuguese players: who cares? I will be watching the game because I love great football, and I love a great rivalry. Furthermore, last time I checked both of these teams are in terrific form (although I think FC Porto are a little weakened from last year.) Nevertheless, should be a great game.
If you want want to be Xenophobic and only watch Portuguese players, go watch the Euro qualifiers. (although alot of them are naturalized citizens, anyways.)
ENJOY THE SPORT! Should be a cracking match!
Prediction: 2-2, with plenty of controversial referee decisions :)
I actually know a ton of people that will be getting together for this one. I actually think that everyone cares.
Even Sporting and Braga fans are hoping for a draw with some injuries along the way.
I can only assume that you are a huge Setubal fan since they have the lowest foreign contingent at 37.9%.
People should be careful in what they wish for. Take a look at the SPL and at how horrible its become. Due to them NOT being a "sellers" league, the Rangers and Celtic have continually dropped in quality. The demise of the other clubs has to be affecting their overall peformance. European play accents that.
If you want to root for "local" talent only, you should move to the Basque Region. Athletic Bilbao only plays players from the region. I'm actually shocked that they have an Argentinian manager. I guess they couldn't overlook his success with the Chilian team.
You could also root for Real Sociedad, but they have a Norwegian, Mexican and Chielian that are outsiders.
Osasuna could also be a rooting interest, but they've gone completely off the reservation with 28% worth of foreigners.
Please keep in mind if you see French players or managers, it's because the Basque Region reaches into France.
You can even move to Portugalete, just west of Bilbao, which in the very least sounds Portuguese. They have their very own team, Club Portugalete, that is currently in the 3rd Division.
Enjoy!
This year is no different, especially after last year's games, it will be the best two national teams going head to head.
Despite everyone playing down this game and last weekends', I think Porto's draw against Feirense means they will in fact be going in to this game with more pressure on them, if Benfica manage to draw this game it will be a great result but few expect them to win it's too early in the season for a defeat to matter all that much, the onus is completely on Porto to win this game at home.
But should Benfica win the game that puts a whole new complexion on this seasons' history and that psychological advance could prove vital.
Personally, I'm going for a draw 1-1.
Ben
There will be a total of 3 portuguese players playing in this game. This rivalry is not even close to what it used to be.
20 years ago my basement would be packed with people watching this game, uncles, cousins, ants, neighbours, etc. cheering
We wold be eating bacalho, clade verde, all my uncles would get hammered, it was awesome.
Now.....nobody gives a rats ass, no one in my family freinds even watches anymore. SAD.
Forca SLB!
I hope for a similar approach and tactic from JJ as against Man United, with a good balance between defence and attack. I believe that defensive solidity should be a greater emphasis tonight, considering we are playing away, and that Porto have such a mean attack. We still have great quality that could score on the break. Nolito could be the key to our counter-attacking tonight. I am also hoping for a solid, tough performance from Axel in the midfield, and a similar rock-solid defensive display from Luisao & Garay to their great performance in the champions league last week. It remains to be seen how well Emerson will do in dealing with Hulk. He's got the pace, does he have the know-how? I hope so!! Whatever the result, I just hope for a good performance from the team to keep our momentum going strong!!! A win would be fantastic, a loss not the end of the world, and I would be more than happy with a draw! Vamos a ver..
Forća Benfica
Should be a great attacking match, i believe both teams wouldnt be too upset with a draw.
I couldn't find info in regards to scorers in that 8-2 match.
http://bit.ly/p30MF8
This game tomorrow will be amazing.. I hope. I also hope that Porto doesn't bring out "SL Merde" scarves again (as was seen in last year's matches) and I hope Benfica fans don't laser the eyes of Porto's GK (whoever it may be).
Força Benfica!
In my opinion Porto is a bit thin which could hurt them over the longhaul. Benfica's depth is full of quality, which should help in all competitions.
These matches are always tough, and the word that many don't use, but Ben did so cleaverly is "fear". There is always a sense of fear and dread amongst supporters and even teams. The games tend to be sloppy affairs that become chippy and downright dirty at times.
I can only hope that there isn't any big ref gaffes, that will dominate talk.
Overall, I think that Benfica has the quality to win. I will be taking notes on how the new boys and old guard react to teh magnitude. Overall a draw would suffice, especially with a huge CL match coming up.
Porto has to be favored being home, but I would be nervous if I was a Tripeiro. More than one of Pereiras comments have been questionable. Granted a win here, and he will be deemed masterfull.
Lastly and maybe more important, I hope that fan behavior is better than last seasons. I know that a few spoil it for the rest and Benfiquistas aren't any better, but the throwing of flares, bottles and golf balls has to stop.
If that was to happen, at either venue, I would be in favor of the game getting called off and having both teams play a "dark match".
The stupidity has to stop.
I stll say that Benfica's match verse Otelul in the Champions League is a much more important match. They have to get all three points on the road.
On a side note, I for one feel that Benfica vs Sporting is still Portugal's "Classico". I know that Porto has been dominant, but if or when Sporting gets back to its winning ways, they will once again assume the position of Portugals 2nd biggest team.