Scott Parker, the coach who succeeded Carl Hoefkens at the technical command of Club Brugge, led the first training session of the Belgian team, opponents of Benfica in the Champions League, on Tuesday.
A training session also marked by the return of Roman Yaremchuk, a former Benfica Ukrainian striker who has recovered from his injury and is back on the pitch.
Scott Parker’s debut on the Club Brugge bench is scheduled for next Sunday at Genk, the undisputed leaders of the Belgian championship.
Abel Ferreira this Monday received a vote of praise from the parish council of Meinedo, Lousada, where he lives, and shared feelings of “honor and pride” for the tribute, but also for continuing to be named as a possible successor to Tite in the selection of Brazil.
“I often remember where I’m from and what brought me here. I don’t forget where I grew up and where I live. These are my pillars», said the Palmeiras coach, after the solemn session of the parish council.
For Abel Ferreira “the reality is Palmeiras”, although his name is always on the list of possible replacements for Tite. “When we see our name associated with big clubs and national teams, it’s a great honour. I live with my feet in the here and now. I’ve always done it and I’ll continue to do it », he said, after being invited to talk about the possibility of changing clubs for the national team.
First training of the year for FC Porto, at the Olival, and great news for coach Sérgio Conceição, since Pepe, according to the clinical bulletin, has carried out conditioned integrated training and, according to all indications, should be ready to be called up at least for the match against Casa Pia, at the National Stadium, on Saturday, at 8.30pm, for the 15th matchday of the championship.
It should be remembered that Pepe, team captain and key player of the blue-and-whites, arrived injured from the World Cup in Qatar (fracture of the ulna of his left arm).
Zaidu trained with conditioning otherwise, Evanilson and Meixedo were taken care of. The young Croatian goalkeeper Roko Runje, from team B, returned to the session.
Benfica suffered their first official defeat of the season in Braga (0-3) and, immediately after the end of that league match, Roger Schmidt made his mind clear. “This match is over, now our reaction will be important,” said the German coach of the eagles, in line with the statements of Alexander Bah, Benfica’s Danish right-back who, even after the end of the match against Braga, recalled that the team is still in first place in the competition, but that he and his teammates will have to prove that “men are”.
The first training session of 2023 is scheduled for today and the next match will be next Friday, at home, against Portimonense, still valid for the championship. And the goal is to give a strong response after the heavy defeat suffered in Braga.
Minus in very important
Looking at various statistics from the match against SC Braga, there are indicators that help explain Benfica’s gut punch. Schmidt said he believed the team was “disconnected”, “losing many duels” and “slow” in the last third of the opposition field. In fact, the Eagles were less aggressive, which netted Braga 55 interceptions during the game, against the 36 managed by Benfica. And Benfica also left the match with fewer offensive duels won than their opponents: 68 against 71. The eagles recovered fewer balls (81 against 88) than Minho’s team, who finished fewer and worse (10 shots, three on goal, against 16 at SC Braga, six in the frame), he made fewer assists on shots (eight, against 11 at the opposite side) and all this lower offensive capacity, combined with defensive permeability, then translated into defeat for 0-3. Benfica have not lost a match since 7 May 2022, in a 0-1 home draw against FC Porto in the league. And he concedes three goals only to Juventus; and would win 4-3.
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The year started in the worst way for Paris Saint-Germain, who suffered their first defeat of the season this Sunday in Lens, losing 1-3.
After Benfica’s 0-3 defeat in Braga last Friday, only PSG remained a team without a defeat in 2022/2023, a take that ended on the first matchday of the year, in their 24th game, after 19 wins and four draws.
Looking at the main European leagues, Napoli now have an enviable season in Serie A to play, as a team without setbacks: 13 wins and two draws for the Neapolitans, who however have already lost against Liverpool (0-2). in the Champions League groups.
João Neves made his official debut for Benfica in the defeat against SC Braga (0-3), on the 14th matchday of the championship, and he recounted the feat on social media.
«It wasn’t the result I wanted for my Benfica and for my debut. However, when I arrived at Benfica in 2012, my dream and goal was to make my first-team debut one day. Yesterday, after 10 years of hard work, learning and dedication, I succeeded», he began by writing, before looking to the future:
“It will certainly be the beginning of the most important cycle of my life in the service of the club of my heart,” he concluded.
The 18-year-old midfielder, recently renewed until 2028, had already added minutes for the Eagles’ A team in a friendly against Sevilla.
This season, João Neves also played six games for the juniors, in the Youth League, nine for the under-23s and one for the under-23s. The midfielder also played in the under-20 Intercontinental Cup, which Benfica won against Peñarol. Last season, the midfielder was also part of the team that won the Youth League.
