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The former player with the red emblem claims, however, that “anything can happen”
Benfica have only a 10% chance of passing the Europa League tie against Arsenal, which begins on Thursday, but “anything can happen,” former red incarnations player Isaías told Lusa.
Hero in the history of the victory against the English, with three goals in the knockout stages of the 1991/92 Champions League (1-1 in Lisbon and 3-1 in London), the Brazilian recalled that “football is very unpredictable “and considered that, given the performance of those incarnated at this time, players will have to” find motivation “to” turn that 10% into reality. “
“Unfortunately I have to be honest. It would be good for Benfica to be able to pass the tie, but I see a 10% chance there. It could happen, but I think it is very unlikely, very difficult, because if we are 11 points away from the national championship first, imagine a competition at the European level, “said the former striker.
The ranking below expectations in the championship, moreover, “can and should give” extra motivation to the players at the European game on Thursday.
“They have to find arguments to dignify the shirt, because this season has only been a shame, as have been the four years of this direction, and the club cannot continue like this. They have to find that motivation, because only they can solve it.” This Benfica issue and it is a very good opportunity ”, said the candidate’s supporter João Noronha Lopes in the last presidential elections of the club.
Challenged to travel to 1991 and remembering the two games that earned the Reds qualification for a group stage with only eight teams, in what was the first draft of the current Champions League format, Isaías describes the goals’ at the end of the language “
“In Luz, it was a ball in which I placed myself in the center of the field, I did the movement, the [Stefan] Schwarz passed it to me, then I went into the area and scored the goal with my left foot ”, he began by reporting.
So the first goal in London “was a ball that Neno” rolled “for Veloso, kicked forward and Yuran won head-on, diagonally, on the left side.”
“I was entering the area and I managed to hit a beautiful shot, also from the left, and I scored the goal,” he continued.
Isaías also remembers the final 3-1 well: “The second goal, which was our third [em Londres]It was a ball that César Brito received from the right, he delayed Jonas Thern, he played me in the middle and then, I did the creativity, I went through the rival and scored the goal with the right ”, Isaías concluded.
Confronted by Lusa with his excellent memory, the Brazilian nationalized Portuguese confessed that he remembers “because today everything is on YouTube”, which is good “for the little ones”, who “listen to their grandparents and parents speak”, having the possibility of “confirm”. this on TV ”, but he also recalled another episode, which is not on that social video network on the Internet.
“When we were coming back, at the airport [de Londres], the queen’s guard didn’t want to let me go. They said, “No, you’re going to stay here, because you destroyed Arsenal,” jokingly. Then there was the reception of fans at the airport. [de Lisboa]When we arrived, at 4:00 am, there were quite a few fans, ”he described.
Episodes that should not be repeated, especially since none of the clubs will compete in the tie in their city or in their usual stadium, due to the travel restrictions derived from the measures to combat covid-19.
Benfica “host” Arsenal on Thursday at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, in the first leg of the round of 32, starting at 20:00 (in Lisbon).
A week later, on February 25, Arsenal “host” Benfica at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Athens, in the second leg, scheduled for 17:55.
“In this criterion it will be 50/50, because if there is no public, there are no fans, neither one nor the other, then neither is favored. Everyone will enter the court with 11 and it will be 50/50. But I only say which one will be different because the Arsenal is on a completely different level than Benfica at the national level ”, stressed the“ prophet ”.
To reach this stage of the Europa League, Benfica passed and the group stage in second place in Group D, behind Rangers (Scotland) and ahead of Standard Liège (Belgium) and Lech Poznan (Poland).
The gunners, meanwhile, emerged as Group B winners, ahead of Molde (Norway), Rapid Vienna (Austria) and Dundalk (Ireland).
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