Scared

Club Brugge, opponents of Benfica in the round of 16 of the Champions League, were defeated by Genk, 1-3, on the debut of the new coach, Scott Parker.

In the away match against the leaders of the Belgian championship, Club Brugge even scored first, with Hans Vanaken (21′), an advantage shortly after canceled by Carlos Cuenca (25′).

It was in the second half that Paul Onuachu (65′) turned the tables, at a time when former Benfica player Roman Yaremchuk and midfielder Mats Rits (who made his debut after eight months off due to injury) were already on the field.

The final result was established by Bryan Heynen, in the 81st minute, with Genk already in numerical advantage on the pitch: Abakar Sylla was sent off for accumulated yellow cards, in the 75th minute.

Fourth consecutive game without a win for Club Brugge, fourth with 34 points, now 13 behind Genk.

The Spaniard Julen Lopetegui, former coach of FC Porto and now in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers (England), has not silenced his indignation at the decisions of the referee team led by Andrew Madley in the draw (2-2) of the ‘wolves ‘ ‘ Last Saturday evening, at Anfield, against Liverpool, in particular for validating the 2-1 draw for the ‘reds’ and Salah (52′) with the Egyptian forward offside, and invalidating the 2-3 draw for Toti Gomes, presumed offside by a teammate at the start of play (82′).

«I went to talk to the referee at the end, plus Rúben [Neves, capitão de equipa], but only to talk about these two goals. The offside that is pointed out to us to invalidate the 2-3 doesn’t exist: we haven’t seen it… and it simply doesn’t exist! I’m sorry, but that’s impossible! The only explanation for the decision is that someone told you [ao árbitro] that was out of the game. There are two touches of the ball first by our players [Wolverhampton] and the decision is wrong,” said the Spanish coach in statements to ITV after the match in Liverpool, concerning the 32nd round of the FA Cup (FA Cup) and in which, given that there was no winner at the 90′ by regulation, the obligation of a new meeting between the two teams was sealed, probably on 17 or 18 January, but this time in Wolverhampton.

“I make mistakes every day too, and sometimes they do too [árbitros] also. In this match there was also the help of the VAR, and it’s a shame, because, and I’m sorry to repeat the same problem, sorry, but in the 2-3 draw there is no offside, the goal had to be validated” , considered Lopetegui, who extended the criticism… to 2-1.

“Salah’s 2-1? It’s the same in all leagues! My opinion is that we need to make the referees aware of this type of situation, as a player takes advantage of it. Salah was offside before Toti [Gomes] touch the ball: so he was ahead. And, of course, Toti just hit the ball and tried to intercept because of the offside player. [Salah]», explained at the end a didactic Lopetegui, indignant with the refereeing but finally thanking Andrew Madley for his cordiality.

«We saw the images of the offers in the booth, the referee listened to us very cordially [no final do jogo]… and that’s a good thing, because it’s not common in Spain. I love to talk about football. But the damage is done. We have to accept it! And that’s a shame, because these players deserved to win against a fantastic team like Liverpool. The players deserved to have won and the team to have qualified for the round of 16» added the coach of the ‘wolves’ to the BBC, in subsequent statements.

“In my opinion Salah’s goal should have been disallowed [o 2-1] it belongs to everyone [Gomes, que seria o 2-3] validated. This is absolutely clear, from my point of view» concluded a nonconformist Lopetegui.

Benfica announced on Saturday that they had reached an agreement with England’s Watford for the permanent transfer of right-back João Ferreira.

The 21-year-old has been linked with Benfica since the 2014/15 season but currently represents Rio Ave, on loan, having featured in 12 games. He was also loaned to V. Guimarães last season.

For Benfica, he made his first team debut on 21 November 2020, in a Portuguese Cup match, against Paredes, subsequently appearing in four other matches.

“SL Benfica wishes João Ferreira the best of luck in this new phase of his career,” reads a statement.

Tulipa, coach of Vizela, analyzed the defeat against Famalicão, 1-2, in the 15th round of the championship, highlighting the goal conceded just before the break.

«I think the first half was balanced, but we are a team that needs to be stronger when they have the ball. We didn’t always have a quick circulation to hurt the opponent. We had the misfortune of conceding in the 45+1 minute, close to the interval. We adjusted the details to the break, said we had to go faster, we did and had an energetic attitude. The second half was different and we dominated. Next, we moved on to the reference and the Famalicão player [Iván Jaime] he was free and scored», he began referring.

The coach underlined the team’s attitude, but underlined that it doesn’t need moral victories.

«My joining the team… we don’t need moral victories, I know our abilities. Before the game we had priorities. We weren’t effective, we weren’t able to do what we wanted. But we can’t say there was no attitude in our game,” she concluded.

Valdo, a former Benfica player, believes, in statements to A BOLA, that the controversy surrounding Enzo Fernández will not affect the team in any way.

«It is an individual situation, which will not pass to the whole team. If we analyze what he said upon his arrival, if I’m not mistaken, he said that Benfica would have been an excellent springboard for the big clubs in Europe. All these things are normal when you have a player of excellence, with talent, especially in this phase that the world of football is going through, without so many brilliant players. Now, when Enzo appears, who is different from the others, it seems that Benfica is about to end. But Benfica doesn’t end, just as it didn’t end when great players like Rui Costa, João Félix, Chalana or Eusébios are gone…” Valdo fired.

Read more about digital edition or in the printed edition of A BOLA.

At the end of the match against Manchester City (0-1 defeat), Chelsea manager Graham Potter was questioned again about Enzo Fernández and more precisely about Roger Schmidt’s words about the English club’s behavior towards the Argentine midfielder.

“I don’t get involved in conversations through the press. I do not have anything to say. No comment,” replied Graham Potter, quoted by Football London

It is recalled that Roger Schmidt, coach of Benfica, said this Thursday, in the preview of the match against Portimonense, the following about the Argentine midfielder: «We don’t want to sell Enzo, neither I nor the president. We all know he has a clause in his contract. If he wants to leave and if someone violates this clause, there’s nothing we can do. There is a club that wants the player, who know we don’t want to sell him, who try to put him on his side when they know that the only way to get him is to beat the clause. The situation is very clear. What that club is doing to try and sign Enzo is a lack of respect for Benfica. I can’t accept what they are doing. They try to drive the player crazy, pretend to break the clause and then say they want to negotiate… I think this is not the way to have good relations between two clubs.”