Sitting in last place of Group G with one draw and two losses, Benfica finds themselves in the hot seat against Spartak. Having to win to keep their hopes alive of progressing to the next phase, Brazilian striker Lima has voiced his opinion on the importance of Wednesday's match.
"We need the victory at all costs. Its a decisive match but we should be able to care of things," said Lima.
After having scored in Benfica's weekend match against Vitoria de Guimaraes at the Estadio da Luz, Lima is full of confidence heading into their upcoming match.
"Scoring at the Luz is a great feeling. I was already getting anxious but the important thing is to remain calm. The main focus was for the team to play well and manage the victory."
Benfica has struggled this season in the Champions League which is surprising considering their good form in the domestic league.
Brazilian midfielder Bruno Cesar also expressed his opinion about tomorrows clash with Spartak.
"In this competition the best teams from each country play, so their can't be any let ups," he said.
"This season, we still haven't managed to win in the Champions League. But, the group is still wide open. Barcelona has distanced themselves, but their is still another spot up for grabs. With that said, the two matches at home against Spartak and Celtic will be fundamental for us."
Spartak's Ari mentioned how the Russian side expected a more offensive Benfica in their last encounter, but his side is fully aware of what they can expect in Portugal.
"In Moscow, we expected a stronger Benfica said, more offensive, but it wasn't what we expected and we were able to get a positive result. Now Benfica plays at home and they know our team, leading them to be more prepared."
Prediction
Unfortunately, this season Benfica has been unable to carry their domestic success over onto the European stage. Looking at their stats from the Portuguese League and their Champions League stats, its like night and day.
Obviously, getting matched up in Barcelona's group doesn't make things easy, but Spartak and Celtic are clearly two teams that are not above the Portuguese side.
The 2-1 defeat in match day 3 will have helped Jorge Jesus get a better idea of what his opponents have to offer coming into the match at the Estadio da Luz. On the other hand, Spartak also has a better view of Benfica, and after a positive performance at the Nou Camp, the Russian side will be full of confidence.
Playing at home and having to win, Benfica is going to have to play on the attack, not allowing Spartak to keep possession for long periods of time. Playing Salvio and Nico Gaitan will be a good way to stretch the field for the hosts, giving them a lot of pace and creativity on the wings.
While Benfica focuses on the attack, they will need to make sure that they don't forget about their defensive coverage. The Russian side has a significant amount of talent which could really cause problems for Benfica on the counter attack.
This match should offer a lot of offensive excitement with two clubs that have a great collective approach, as well as some very talented individual players.
Benfica 2-0 Spartak Moskva
