The 2015-16 season has brought many changes to Benfica. Beginning with a new manager and several new players, there have been both good and bad moments along the way. The lows are definitely the losses the team has encountered, including the three against Sporting and the one to Porto. The team has also seen a number of injuries especially those to Luisao, Nelson Semedo, and the long term absence of Salvio. Gaitan has also suffered a few injuries in the past few weeks which has lead to several games having a very uncreative touch to the team. Yet despite all of the hardships, including the doubt of many (myself included) of Rui Vitoria, the team currently stands in second place on 37 points, just 4 behind Sporting. Which, a few months ago, seems like an unlikely place to be.
Signing Bryan Cristante was exciting for many fans. Although quite a few of us had no idea who this young was, the reactions from those who were fans of AC Milan made it seem as if we had gotten a deal of a lifetime. AC Milan fans were quite upset that a bright prospect had chose to leave, in hopes of being able to play far more often then Milan were able to give him at the time.
As pre-season winds down for Benfica and the new season approaches, it is time to take a look back at what Rui Vitoria has done in his first month in charge of Benfica, especially with the International Champions Cup. Overall, it has been a positive experience, in my own opinion. We do not know when exactly he was officially contacted by Benfica, but chances are he probably did not expect to spend his summer in America with Benfica, so some of the bad can still be ironed out before the season begins. Yes, Benfica did lose three games and won only one, on penalties, but the overall performances by Benfica were not bad and showed us fans what can be possible with the right starting eleven.
While many look back at the season in terms of games won or lost, I’m using this opportunity to look at the progress of players. Individual games are important, no doubt, such as both Porto games, Braga, Pacos, Sporting, etc. Yet looking at the season for me, means looking at this team not only as a whole but also at players singularly to realize their contribution and for some, their improvement over the course of the past eleven months. Some have been solid rocks while others have wavered over whether or not they should be bench warmers or potentially even sold in January. Whatever their situation, this is a post that will look at them case by case and to give performance ratings for each. This will also not include all players, as many did not play enough for me to really given an evaluation, so it is the usual starting eleven with a few others added in.
Warning: This is super long. I really do apologize for that. Seven years ago, I met my best friend, who ironically enough is a Porto fan but despite that, it was through our friendship, I was introduced to the world of Portuguese football. Now seven years and six seasons later, I consider myself a bonafide Benfiquista, although at times I definitely know I have much to learn about the club, the fans, and the culture. What I do know and what I'm confident about, is my love for the club, for my fellow fans, and for the friends I've made. This isn't just about me, it is about my relationship with the club, and how I view the club. This is why I will stick with them and why I have felt the connected, thousands of miles away. As I began to watch Benfica in the 2009-10, I found myself becoming more and more interested in them, from the history to the culture, to the various players that were there as well as in the past. I began to understand why people supported the team. Players like David Luiz, Pablo Aimar, Angel Di Maria, and Saviola helped to cement my love for this team, who were so fantastic and showed what a a united team is capable of, and what it means to be a family in football. Even through the three seasons after, while Porto dominated and Benfica stumbled, I never once thought that I would just stop watching and find a new team. I had already felt so connected to this team that not winning became upsetting because I knew this team was capable of so much more. Winning again the past two season felt so right and so perfect as this team, even though the player changes, reminded me of why I had started watching in 2009.
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Megan RobertsonAn American living in Los Angeles, focused mainly on Sport Lisboa e Benfica as well as Portuguese players abroad. Documenting opinions and news about Benfica. Archives
February 2016
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