Benfica looking to pass 10th straight two-legged tie

After a disappointing 1-0 away to Sporting Braga in the 2010/11 semi-final, after a 2-1 home triumph, Benfica no longer lost a two-game duel. matches in UEFA’s second round.

[dropcap type=”background”]B[/dropcap]enfica is looking ahead to Dynamo Zagreb for a UEFA European Football League semi-final tie for the tenth time in succession, where they were runners-up in 2012/13 and 2013/14.

After a disappointing 1-0 away to Sporting Braga in the 2010/11 semi-final, after a 2-1 home triumph, the ‘incarnates’ no longer lost a two-game duel. matches in UEFA’s second round.

In these accounts do not miss the finals, against Chelsea, 2-1, because of a rebound attempt in Amsterdam, and Sevilla, 4-2 on penalties, after 120 minutes without a goal in Turin.

In two-legged clashes, Benfica overcame Bayer Leverkusen, Bordeaux, Newcastle and Fenerbahçe in 2012/13, PAOK Thessaloniki, Tottenham, AZ Alkmaar and Juventus in 2013/14, and Galatasaray this season.

In all nine of the qualifiers, the ‘incarnates’ had 13 victories, four draws and only one defeat at Fenerbahçe in the first leg of the semi-finals of 2012/13, with a positive result of 18 goals (30 scored and 12 suffered).

Adding all the two-way clashes in the Europa League, Benfica’s numbers remain ‘giants’ with 14 qualifying rounds in 16 qualifiers – only Brabantans and Liverpool in the 2009/10 quarters managed to keep out the ‘incarnated’ ,

Among all the clashes, it was the heroic tie against Juventus, which Benfica took away from their ‘final’ – marked for Turin – with a suffered 0-0 in Italy, reduced to nine, after a victory in the Stadium of Light 2-1.

The unbeaten run in two-legged UEFA Europa League qualifiers began in 2012/13 in the 16th finals against Bayer Leverkusen, which Benfica ‘got away’ with two wins, 1-0 in Germany (Cardozo goal) and 2-1 at home (Hello John and Matic).

In the ‘eighth’, against Bordeaux, the ‘incarnates’ repeated the dose, winning at home 1-0, with a socks attempt between Rodrigo and goalkeeper Carrasso, and 3-2 in France, where he has never been to lose, with an attempt of Jardel and two of Cardozo.

Newcastle was the third ‘victim’ in the quarter-finals, with Jorge Jesus’ ‘eleven’ scoring the lead at Luz, winning 3-1 with goals from Rodrigo, Lima and Cardozo, draw 1-1, with the help of a Salvio tries.

In the semi-finals, Fenerbahçe were able to beat the incarnates 1-0 and in Lisbon, they also won, but Benfica managed to score the three goals they needed, Gaitán and Cardozo (two) and headed for the final.

In 2013/14, Benfica ‘paired PAOK with two wins in the last 16, 1-0 in Salonica, sealed by Lima, and clear 3-0 at Luz, Gaitán goals with a spectacular and odd free ‘to Panenka’, the Brazilian and Markovic.

They followed Tottenham and a spectacular 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane, sealed with a goal from Rodrigo and two from ‘captain’ Luisão, and in the middle, Eriksen beat Oblak from free. In the Light, Garay increased the advantage, but a ‘bis’ of Chadli made tremble the Light, who only settled down with a penultimate of Lima, in the discounts.

In the quarter-finals, Benfica added two wins over AZ Alkmaar, 1-0 in the Netherlands with a Salvio goal, and 2-0 at home thanks to a ‘ ‘by Rodrigo.

Access to the final was played against Juventus and Benfica beat Luz 2-1 with goals from Garay and Lima, then to draw 0-0 at Turin, where they finished nine with the dismissal of Enzo Perez ( 67 minutes) and the injury of the Argentine central, absent in the ‘interminable’ eight minutes of discounts.

The ‘incarnates’ reached the 10th European final in Turin and it would be in the same place that they would lose the eighth, against Sevilla, in the ‘lottery’ of the penalties, which had already cost the 1987/88 Champions Cup, against PSV Eindhoven.

With two hands, Benfica has already made it through to the elimination of Juve, adding to their ninth straight win in the last 16 against Galatasaray, with a 2-1 win in Turkey sealed by Salvio and Seferovic, followed by a sufficient ‘null’ in the Light.

Next is Dinamo Zagreb, with the first match on Thursday, at 17:55 (in Lisbon) in Croatia. The second leg is on March 14 in Luz, starting at 8:00 p.m.