Preview: A match worthy of a European final
Two of Europe’s big names will go head-to-head on Thursday evening at the Estadio da Luz. Both Benfica and Juventus are top of their domestic leagues, but the Portuguese side won their 33rd Portuguese League title on Sunday. As for Juventus, they lead second placed AS Roma by eight points, but with four matches remaining, Antonio Conte’s side have not guaranteed the title just yet.
After their catastrophic finish to the season last year, Benfica have done well to pick themselves up.
They had a comfortable lead in the Portuguese League, but a 92nd minute goal saw their title hopes quickly taken away. Making things even worst, a stoppage time goal in Amsterdam against Chelsea shattered their dreams of finally winning a European title since Bela Guttman.
And lastly, they could have in some ways salvaged their season with a Taca de Portugal victory, but Guimaraes scored two unanswered goals to put the Aguias out of their misery.
A number of new signings helped add to Benfica’s depth in the squad, and with that, they have already clinched one title. Now, they turn their attention to Juventus, who will not be an easy opponent.
The hosts will be trying to put an end to what many consider a curse. Bela Guttman won the European Cup with the Lisbon side in 1962, but after he left the club, he stated that Benfica would never again win a European title. They have certainly come close, but Guttman’s words still stand true.
Juventus have also gone a long time without raising a European title. It has been 18 long years, and if they get past Benfica, they will get the chance to win the Europa League in front of their own fans.
After both these two sides were drawn together, Fernando Llorente took to social media to announce how excited he was to take on a Spanish side in the Europa League final. That did not sit well with the Benfica fans, and if anything, will be added motivation for the Portuguese side.
Andrea Pirlo even took a dig at Benfica, stating that he felt sorry for the Portuguese champions. But despite all of that, Gianluigi Buffon says that his side has a lot of respect for Benfica
"We have a lot of respect for Benfica," Buffon told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday.
"They are one of the big clubs in Europe who have a lot of quality, most notably their offensive organization, which can cause us a lot of problems. Last season, they made it to the Europa League final and they did not deserve to lose."
Benfica's high pressing will likely be a headache for the Italian side, who will lineup in a 3-5-2. Spanish international Rodrigo will have the task of getting in behind the Italian defenders with his pace, as he looks to beat one of Europe's elite goalkeepers.
Antonio Conte will be without Arturo Vidal for this match, but with Andrea Pirlo in the midfield pulling the strings, the Italian manager should still remain confident.
For the hosts to take advantage of the Italian champions, they will need to pressure Pirlo quickly. Allowing him to get on the ball and play out of their midfield could be a recipe for disaster. He no longer has the legs, but his experience and ability to read the game are his two major assets on the pitch. May we also not forget to mention his sublime freekicks.
Where to watch this match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Benfica vs Juventus live on Thursday, April 24, 2014:
In Canada at 15:05 ET on: Sportsnet World Online, Mediaset Italia, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet West
In the UK at 20:05 BST on: ITV 4, ITV Live Player
In the USA at 15:05 ET on: Fox Sports GO, Fox Soccer 2Go »live stream, SiriusXM FC, Fox Sports 1 USA, ESPN3
Fans in Italy can watch this Europa League semifinal match on Premium Calcio, Canale 5, Sky Calcio 1 and Sky Sport 1 HD Italia. As for those in Portugal, SIC and Benfica TV 1 will provide all the live coverage.
If you are outside these viewing areas, be sure to visit the Benfica vs Juventus match page for full TV listings.
