Battle-weary Benfica know their season lies in the balance between memorable and disappointing when they walk on to the hostile Dragao stadium pitch for the likely title-decider against Porto on Saturday.
The fierce rivals, two points apart and both undefeated in the Portuguese championship have been neck-and-neck all year, upping the stakes for the ‘Classico’ which has become the crunch moment of the season.
“What matters is that Benfica, facing the competitions it is in, has to respond to them and tomorrow is the one that is the most important, which is the national championship,” Benfica coach Jorge Jesus on Friday in Lisbon.
“It is a game that regarding these two teams, if one of them is the winner and if in this case it is Benfica then it comes out as winner of the championship – the only team that can be the winner of the championship if it wins (the match) is Benfica. So we are looking that way and confident to go the Dragao tomorrow and for the team to have a great game.”
While Benfica lead and could be crowned champions if they win, Porto have the emotional and physical edge with home advantage and nothing to play for but the league.
Unlike their northern rivals, Benfica are still fighting on three fronts: the league, Wednesday’s Europa League final with Chelsea and the domestic cup final a week later.
“Of course I would like it if it was possible to arrive at this game at the Dragao 10 points ahead, and the Porto coach the same thing, but when you have two rivals that haven’t lost yet – Porto is having a good league; Benfica is doing an excellent season, because Benfica has three competitions that it can conquer.” Jesus added.
Defeat for Benfica on Saturday would most likely mean them giving away the league title and losing momentum for the two finals, but Jesus said that the players are confident.
“The players are at the peak of their confidence, at the peak of their sporting seasons because we will decide them, and so more confident than this doesn’t exist, there can be no further confidence because confidence comes from the brilliant season the team is doing and now we will arrive at the decisions.”
A draw would suit Benfica who will host bottom-of-the-table Moreirense in the last round.
With the tickets almost sold out, Porto says they are ready to zero in on a third consecutive title.
Benfica have struggled to dent Porto’s domestic dominance in the last decade in which the northern side have won eight titles and the Lisbon club two.
