Benfica vs Milan

[fillipo]

This wednesday we have the change to secure our spot in the second round of the CL, if i'm correct even 1 point would be enough, but i rather won't take any risk and go for 3 points.

Clarence will be fit for the game, ambrosini and pipo are out

[drew]

brocchi in for max then with kaka and seedorf behind gila

[fillipo]

THE CALLED-UP PLAYERS FOR LISBON
11/26/2007
MILAN - Here are the 21 called-up players for Benfica-Milan. Goalkeepers: Dida, Fiori, Kalac. Defenders: Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo, Serginho, Simic. Midfielders: Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf. Attackers: Aubameyang, Gilardino, Ronaldo.

[Filipez]

did anyone noticed emerson isnt there :D

Dida

Oddo-Nesta-Maldini-Sergio

Gattuso-Pirlo-Seedorf

Kaka

Ronaldo-Gilardino

[fillipo]

did anyone noticed emersen isnt there :D



who? :D

and i think we definitly will play with 1 striker, guess it will be gila

[artan]

whats wrong with inzaghi?

[luckan83]

probably still has the flue...

[Walker]

Benfica is by far the weakest side in our group. A win is a must!

[fillipo]

probably still has the flue...

the reports indeed say he suffers from a very serious flue

[fillipo]

preview from uefa.com

SL Benfica coach José Antonio Camacho is refusing to write off his side's chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Group D leaders AC Milan.

Success essential
"We're going out to win, and we'll do the same in the next match," insisted the Spaniard. After three defeats in their opening four games, Benfica could certainly do with a victory to maintain their hopes of bettering last season's exit at this stage. They trail both third-placed Celtic FC and FC Shakhtar Donetsk, in second, by three points, and depending on the result between those two clubs in Glasgow, a draw in Lisbon may also sustain Benfica aspirations of progress.

Morale high
In contrast to their Group D status, the Eagles are flying high domestically – the second-placed team are unbeaten in the Portuguese Liga for more than a year and have won their last five matches. "Morale is high at the moment," said Camacho. "We are on a good run." Although missing the suspended Augustin Binya, who was sent off in the Matchday 4 loss at Celtic FC, the coach will be able to call on David Luiz: the defender having made his return in Saturday's victory at A. Académica de Coimbra following three months out with a foot injury.

Experience
Whatever the personnel, Camacho expects a tough assignment against the European champions. He also believes his side's 2-1 reverse in Milan in September can be partially explained by their relative lack of experience. "Milan are a team of the moment," he stressed. "We are an improving team, a team of the future. There's a great difference between the sides. But we will try to play our best. We're not going out there with a negative mentality, thinking it's going to be difficult."

Aim to win
Camacho's counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, has been quick to move away from suggestions that the tie holds more importance for Benfica than for the visitors. Indeed, the Rossoneri know a win at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica will seal their passage to the knockout phase regardless of results elsewhere. "It's important for both teams. Of course we want to win in order to go through," he said. Finishing first in the pool is also on the Italian club's agenda: "So we have the second leg of the next round in Milan."

No crisis
Ancelotti, who played for Milan in the 1990 European Champion Clubs' Cup final when they beat Benfica 1-0, also refutes talk of a crisis caused by his charges' patchy domestic form – they are placed ninth in Serie A. "I don't think there is one. We've won our last two away games, in Donetsk and against Cagliari [Calcio]," he said. Nonetheless, the 48-year-old is anticipating an even tougher encounter than the Portuguese outfit helped to provide on Matchday 1. "Their team are very different from in that first game," he said, pointing out that the younger players in the Benfica ranks are turning them into a force to be reckoned with. "They have a very promising young squad," he stated.

©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

[Ian]

Pirlo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

Edit: Stunning strike although I think the keeper might have done better.

[GattusoKing]

Nothing less than one would expect from Pirlo - a truly beautiful strike. Masterful!

[Ian]

Great save by Quim.

Edit: FFS what a mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear oh dear8|

[GattusoKing]

Forza Kala! Fabulous challenge!

[Ian]

Great goal for Benfica

[GattusoKing]

Anything Pirlo can do... :(

[Ian]

Good effort from Brocchi although why didn't Gila just try control the ball?:omg:

Yoann about to come on! Or maybe not!:S

[Ian]

From a promising start we are starting to look very shaky, their goal seems to have dented our confidence.

[GattusoKing]

Serginho having a game to forget.

[Ian]

Serginho is a liability at defending:o

[brana77]

anything new???

[Ian]

Kaka should have rested on sunday, in fact I think he should have been subbed for his own good tonight.

[Ian]

Final whistle 1-1 and we qualify.

A game we really should have wrapped up earlier IMO.

[fillipo]

we are through to the second round, first relief this season...

about the game not much to say, only 2 beautifull goals!!!

next game will be for the first spot, wonder if we can motivate ourselves for that

[Yasser]

How did Gourcuff do?

[Haroon]

It's pretty good that we have achieved qualification on MD 5. So all in all we have set about achieving 2 aims out of 3 so far for the first half of the season.

Aim 1: Win SuperCup --- Done!

Aim 2: Qualify for the knock-out --- Done!

Aim3: Remain in the top 4, better to be in top 2 in Serie A -- Not done!


---------

Next aims are:

Aim 4: Win the Toyota Cup --- HIGHEST PRIORITY

Aim 5: Try to get as far in the UCL and keep hopes alive of an outside shot at making HISTORY.


--------


Getting back to the UCL and looking at the tables so far, we are in quite a predicament.


Our last match is on December 4, 2007 when the group will be decided. Although we have qualified but we have a game with Celtic at home to decide who the group winners will be.

Personally I don't put much weight into winning the group anymore. If you look at the other groups, you have Arsenal, Real as two teams who could end up being second best in their group.

So, it is up in the air as far as I see it. I really prefer to lose GAME 6 in case we qualify earlier because that is a winning formula and you can start a new undefeated streak in the knock-outs. If we don't lose Game 6, we are likely to lose 1 game in the knock-out round to finish the undefeated streak in the UCL.

Plus losing at home in the final game is also a loss at home which isn't so bad in this game. I really wouldn't mind losing Game 6 if you ask me.

However, I am not somebody who favours losing two group games in this stage but you have to weight the benefits of losing. :d

It's like the knock-outs would be a totally fresh start with no undefeated streaks which can haunt you and a loss at home already which would virtually guarantee preventing another home loss this season in the knock-outs.

Losing Game 6 especially at home is a perfectly good omen if you can win the Group. In our case we don't win the group but then again this journey is a shot at making history so maybe the formula can be a bit different from the usual one?

[swissmilan]

How did Gourcuff do?

I thought he did well or said in an other way, he did a lot better than Brocchi in his last 30 minutes. The whole midfield suffered, but IMO that was more a problem 'coz of us losing so many balls in midfield (especially Gattuso who had a very, very bad game). Yoann brought some new flexibility and energy to our midfield.

If I had to rate him, I'd give him a 6. Gattuso would get a 4 and Pirlo a 6. But as I'm not La Gazzetta, he'll get a 5 or 5.5 by them.

[Rosso]

How Kaka missed on rendezvous in the second half! :omg:

It was decided right - high tempo in the first half and relaxation in the second one. Result is normal.

[Gurre]

I agree about Gattuso. He had an awful night, and his passing in particular was the worse I've seen from him in years.

[Yasser]

Rino's form this season have not been good anyway so it's not surprising..