Miami Beach, Florida (May 18, 2013) – FC Porto and Benfica are in a fierce contest to win the 2012/13 Portuguese Primeira Liga title. Only one of these two teams will be crowned champions when the final whistle blows all over Portugal this Sunday. At exactly 13:30 EST / 17:30 GMT / 19:30 CET, all eight final fixtures will kick off.
Paços de Ferreira vs Porto and Benfica vs Moreirense are the two encounters that will dominate viewership. Live Soccer TV reminds viewers in the United States to watch both fixtures on ESPN3 this Sunday. In addition to going live on ESPN3 in USA, the Pacos de Ferreira vs Porto match will also enjoy live broadcast on RTP Internacional and Sport TV Americas in Canada.
Three negative results in all competitions has Benfica on the verge of throwing away a second title in a week. With one point separating them from the top spot in the Portuguese League, the Águias will not only need to win their match, but they will also need a positive result at the Mata Real Stadium.
Needing the full three points at home against Moreirense is a given for the Benfica players, but what is not a given is the actual victory.
The last two league matches for the Lisbon side have not been all that impressive, although the final result may not tell the full story of the match.
Despite a last ditch goal at the Estádio do Dragão from Porto's Kelvin, Benfica fans thought they had seen it all. How much worst could it really get? After Wednesday's match in Amsterdam, things got much worst for the Lisbon giants.
Taking a look back at their season, Jorge Jesus looked destined to claim at least one title, if not maybe two, but after their last two matches, even their Taça de Portugal match against Guimarães does not look promising.
Fans will ask how it is possible to concede two decisive goals in the final minute of a match, and while there is not a specific answer to that question, lack of experience and focus may well have been a main contributor.
Miami Beach, Florida (May 14, 2013) – Football fans worldwide will be treated to their first taste of a European Cup final this year. The 2012/13 UEFA Europa League final showdown will hit millions of screens around the globe as some of the biggest names in the sport come head to head in Amsterdam, Holland. Check where to watch Benfica vs Chelsea live on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Live Soccer TV provides you with an unrivalled packed list of TV channels lined up to broadcast the UEFA Europa League final across the globe.
Champions will be crowned in Amsterdam on Wednesday. Benfica of Portugal and Chelsea of England are vying to succeed Atletico Madrid as UEFA Europa League winners. It has been a long road for both sides.
Amsterdam will welcome Chelsea and Benfica on Wednesday night for a match that many will assume the English side as favorites. Without a specific way to actually prove that, what we can do is take a look at some deciding factors that could potentially change the match.
Wednesday's match will bring together two clubs that started the 2012/13 campaign in the Champions League, but inconsistent performances led them to the knockout stage of the Europa League. After eliminating Bayer Leverkusen, Bordeaux, Newcastle, Fenerbahce, Sparta Prague, Steaua, Rubin Kazan and Basel along the way, Benfica and Chelsea will now meet at the Amsterdam Arena to decide the ultimate prize.
The journey to Amsterdam was not easy for either side, but after 16 matches, 29 goals scored, 16 conceded, three cleansheets, 11 victories, two draws and three defeats, these two sides will be more than ready to leave it all on the pitch for the Europa League title.
Just when everything seemed to be heading in the right direction for Jorge Jesus and his side, it now appears ready to fall apart right before his eyes. Could Benfica potentially lose out on two of the three titles they are chasing within a week?
A hard fought victory over Maritimo had Benfica well on their way to winning a 33rd league title. The players came together in the middle of the pitch at the Estádio dos Barreiros to celebrate what many believed to be a crucial match for the Lisbon side. Little did they know that things were about to get really interesting.
Their match at home against Estoril was by no means a guaranteed victory, but having kept their lead at four points over Porto, it was extremely difficult to imagine Benfica dropping points at home, with just three matches remaining.
There is hardly any player who has divided opinion the way Brazil international David Luiz has. Some say that the player is way too attacking for his position while others feel that he is not really a centre-back given his dedication to attacking instincts. Former Manchester United captain, Gary Neville, even went as far as labelling the Chelsea man as a “Playstation footballer”.
Miami Beach, Florida (May 10, 2013) – All eight matches from the Portuguese Primeira Liga are scheduled to take place on Saturday May 11, 2013. One fixture, in particular, will captivate the public: Porto vs Benfica
It is Portugal’s very own version of El Clasico in Spain, called 'O Classico'. Millions of football fans around the globe are looking to catch every second of this weekend’s match. LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) can feed you with info on where to watch Porto vs Benfica live at 15:30 EST / 19:30 GMT / 21:30 CET on Saturday.
Since Monday’s 1-1 draw at home to Estoril, the Portuguese Primeira Liga title is not Benfica’s to lose anymore. The Lisbon-based giants are indeed above any other team on the league table. However, the two-point gap between the first and second spots means that the Dragons of Porto can bring down the flying Eagles of Benfica this Saturday.
As a fan, what more could you ask for than the possibility of being able to claim the league title against your rival? While it may sound appealing and exciting, it could also end up being a complete disappointment. On Saturday, Benfica and Porto will both be out to give their fans something to smile about, as they will go head to head in what will be the title match.
Playing in their 79th league meeting in the city of Porto, the visitors do not have the greatest record on their rivals home ground, but all of that will not matter, given the circumstances.
From their 78 meetings in the league, Benfica has only managed to defeat Porto at the Estádio do Dragão or Estádio das Antas on 12 occasions. That is approximately 15% of their league meetings. As for the hosts, they have managed an incredible 47 victories, amounting to approximately 60%, with the other 19 matches ending in a draw.
A promising four point lead at the top of the Portuguese League had Benfica fans and their players feeling extremely confident. All of that confidence has quickly turned into some doubt after a heroic performance from Estoril on Monday night, which earned them a one goal draw at the Estádio da Luz.
Now, Benfica needs to regroup and put together one of their most important performances of the whole season.
Facing humiliation should be more than enough to get the players prepared for this match from a mental perspective. But, if that will not do it, then maybe the fact that they have a chance to claim the Portuguese title at their rivals stadium will do the trick.
Being able to get revenge after the Porto players celebrated in Lisbon just two years ago would be ideal for the Benfica players and fans, but in order to that, the visitors will need a special performance from everyone involved.
With pride, bragging rights and the Portuguese League title on the line, Saturday's match should bring out the best in all of its participants. No player on that pitch should have any reason to not be motivated and ready to go when the first whistle is blown.
Keeping their emotions in check will be slightly difficult for some, but all the world class players are used to this pressure and these types of matches. Porto will be playing to not only take a massive step towards reclaiming the Portuguese title, but they will also not want to watch Benfica celebrate the Portuguese title at their stadium.
Who will give Porto that edge in Saturday's match?
"We are in first place, and we are going to Porto and will be champions." These are the words of Benfica's Maxi Pereira, who showed his confidence after Benfica failed to defeat Estoril at the Estádio da Luz on Monday night. If drawing against Estoril at home was not bad enough, the Águias will now play at the Estádio do Dragão on Saturday with a slim two point lead.
Even if Benfica went into this match with a four point lead, this rivalry is much more than just a title match. Neither team wants to lose to their biggest rival, especially when they both have the possibility of claiming a domestic title.
I'm not exactly sure anyone could have scripted this finish any better.
The tension has been building in the Portuguese League for quite some time, but Benfica has done a good job to deal with it all in the right ways. A lead over their rivals in the domestic league already had their confidence sky high, but after their mid-week match against Fenerbahce, the Lisbon side will be even more focused.
A 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce put Jorge Jesus' side in the Europa League Final, somewhere the Aguias have not managed to be for 23 years. With that objective already checked off their list, Benfica now needs six points to guarantee a 33rd Portuguese League title.
On Monday night, 65,000 Benfica fans will fill the Estadio da Luz to show their support. After witnessing the atmosphere in the stadium on Thursday, Monday's match will certainly provide yet another day to remember.
Many believe that although Benfica is at a disadvantage going into Thursday's match, the Portuguese side should be able to guarantee their place in the Europa League final later this month. Only time will tell, but given their track record up until now, anything is possible.
Their first meeting could well have been more elaborate for the Turkish side, but a few fortunate breaks for Benfica has kept them in contention.
Does Benfica really have the upper hand going into this match? Well, one would certainly have to think so, considering they are not only playing at home, but Fenerbahce will also be without Pierre Webo, Mehmet Topal and Raul Meireles.
Miami Beach, Florida (May 1, 2013) – Forget about all the Tuesday and Wednesday drama that only UEFA Champions League football can produce. This Thursday, the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League’s four remaining teams will battle it out for tickets to the Grand Finale set to take place at the Amsterdam Arena. Benfica vs Fenerbahçe will be broadcasted live from Portugal on multiple sports channels around the globe. Simultaneously, Chelsea vs Basel will be screened live from London, England. These UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg matches will kick off at exactly 15:05 EST / 19:05 GMT / 21:45 CET on May 2, 2013. With LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV), you can confirm where to watch the games.
With each remaining match comes its own pressure, nerves and game plan. For Benfica, the game plan has been the same all season -- reclaim the Portuguese League title. Up until now, they have done their part, but with four matches remaining and a one point lead over Porto with a game in hand, Jorge Jesus' side can not afford a slip up this late in the campaign.
The added pressure of knowing Porto won their match on Saturday will be nothing new for Benfica, but knowing that this could be the match of the season for the hosts will help to make things slightly more difficult.
For a Benfica fan, it almost seems as if every opponent's match of the season comes against them, but regardless of all of that, the Aguias need to focus on their objectives and not worry about everything else.
Miami Beach, Florida (April 22, 2013) – Since the start of the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League campaign, 200 matches have been played and 506 goals have been scored. The road to the Amsterdam Arena continues for four teams from four different countries – England’s Chelsea, Portugal’s Benfica, Turkey’s Fenerbahçe and Switzerland’s FC Basel.
Since the start of the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League campaign, LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) has been around to provide users with exclusive worldwide live stream and TV schedules data – the fruit of intense research packaged for each Europa League fixture ahead of each Matchday. As the competition enters its semi-final stage, Live Soccer TV is pleased to offer you information on where to watch Basel vs Chelsea and Fenerbahçe vs Benfica live at 15:05 EST / 19:05 GMT / 21:05 CET on Thursday, April 25, 2013.
It goes without saying that Turkey is one of the most difficult places to play a match for an outsider, due to the fact that the fans create an incredible atmosphere. On Thursday, the Benfica players and fans will get a chance to witness the very hostile environment when they travel to take on Fenerbahce in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final.
Off the pitch, the battle between these two clubs has already started to heat up. Fenerbahce's manager Aykut Kocaman, spoke to reporters about Benfica's center backs in a way that left Jorge Jesus surprised.
"He said our center backs were weak? They must be," Jorge Jesus told reporters in Istanbul.
Anticipation, excitement and even nerves will be just a few of the different emotions involved with this high profile match. The Estadio da Luz will host yet another Lisbon Derby, but just like in 2005 when Luisao out jumped Ricardo to grab a victory for Benfica, the Aguias could take another big step towards claiming the title.
Winners of the last five meetings between these two sides at the Estadio da Luz, the hosts will know how important it will be to make it six in a row.
A four point difference gives Benfica a slight advantage over second placed Porto. Keeping that four point lead is absolutely vital for Jorge Jesus' side, knowing that they will still travel to Porto later in the season.