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.
Unfortunately for Jorge Jesus, that certainty and confidence turned into disappointment, which could well have been much worst.
Estoril arrived at the Estádio da Luz full of confidence and they took it to the Águias. A one goal draw saw their lead over Porto cut down to two points, knowing that their next match was at the Estádio do Dragão. The teams confidence took a big hit, and leading up to their match against Porto, it was very noticeable, despite Jorge Jesus trying to inject some confidence into his side.
Truth be told, that very late goal from Kelvin against Porto not only deflated the Benfica players, but it also took a toll on their fans. Having to continuously live in the shadow of Porto for the past 30 years has not been easy, given how large Benfica's fan base is. Now, having to swallow this loss that could potentially hand Porto yet another title makes it even worst.
While mathematically the Portuguese League is still far from over, Benfica has a chance on Wednesday to turn their fortunes around.
After such a frustrating defeat against their rivals, they will now be able to turn their attention to an international competition, a piece of silverware they have not won since 1962, in Amsterdam.
The pressure is starting to mount and the thought of being able to claim three titles is starting to become a serious question mark. Could Benfica realistically bounce back from their defeat against Porto in Amsterdam against Chelsea? Could Jorge Jesus' side really be on the verge of losing two titles, with one of them looking like it was guaranteed, all within a matter of a week?
It remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, Benfica could really benefit from a victory in Amsterdam on Wednesday. Not only would it bring back some brilliance in their campaign, but it would also relieve some of the pressure on the players, front office and coaching staff.
Being able to claim three titles, with two being domestic is always a good thing heading into the final weeks of the campaign, but it does not get much worst than coming up empty after all the euphoria and excitement.
Failing to bring home the trophy will be yet another blow in a matter of five days, putting the Benfica players in a tough spot heading into their final match at home against Moreirense, which could very well earn them the Portuguese title, given Porto does not defeat Paços de Ferreira.
Will a defeat against Chelsea really hurt Benfica's chances of even claiming the Taça de Portugal, let alone the Portuguese League on Sunday?
