A one-sided tale

Yesterday's match between Benfica and Zenit St. Petersburg was all too familiar. Just like it had happened against FC Porto during the group stage, the Russian team didn't seem to want the ball at all, meaning it was a one way-street all along. Even when they found themselves trailing and opened up, they couldn't muster more than one shot on goal. Therefore, the report for this match will try to shed some light on Benfica - the team that actually wanted to play football - and just a pinch about Zenit. Here are five things we have learnt.

1. Unlike the match vs FC Porto, Benfica coach Jorge Jesus allowed Witsel to play  further up. While it left Javi García somewhat outnumbered in the midfield battle, it allowed the Eagles to exert pressure in more advanced areas while defending and to create overloads on the wings while attacking. It's no coincidence that Benfica spent the whole first half harassing Zenit's left wing.
2. Maxi Pereira is an unsung hero. Never mind the decisive goal he scored last night. The Uruguayan is capable of going back and forth for the whole match, overlap his winger, shoot on goal and still be on the right place to make a defensive interception a few seconds later. He is definitely Benfica's little engine that could.
3. Nélson Oliveira is clearly the man for the job. While taking notes about the game during the first half, I was scribbling something like "Why not Nélson Oliveira for Rodrigo?". Now, it's not my intention to act all prescient, but the Portuguese forward showed last U-20 World Championship that he can singlehandedly inflict damage on any defence. Even though he is not as technically gifted as Rodrigo, he is much more combative and intense, which was just what Benfica needed, especially when all eyes were on Cardozo.
4. Jorge Jesus seems to have finally understood the need to shut up shop some times. After scoring the first goal, the team didn't seem eager to go for the second and third and fourth, all the while opening up spaces behind them. If anything, they went perhaps too far back, but controlling the game is an essential aspect, particularly in the Champions League. The fact that Matic came one for Gaitán was proof that the Portuguese manager is capable of learning from his mistakes.
5. Despite the many Russian players in their squad, Zenit is clearly an Italian team. Luciano Spalletti managed to instil the classic Italian values on to his team, taking us all back to the nineties, where catenaccio was king. The only problem about that approach is that, after finding yourself trailing on aggregate, you're left with a team that was planned and selected for the draw. As many a manager find sooner than later, changing your team's chip during a match is one of the hardest tasks you'll ever get.

Champions in the making?

Starting lineups

Friday's matchup between Benfica and FC Porto was announced as a potential title decider. With the teams level on points, the final score wouldn't necessarily mean mathematical certainty about the eventual Portuguese champion, but it would definitely make a dent on the losing team's aspirations. Both coaches weren't exactly inspirational in their press conferences and therefore a cagey match was expected.

• 1. The first 20 minutes

FC Porto surprised their opponent by not sitting back, soaking pressure and taking advantage of Benfica's high line, rather exerting pressure up front, with Janko with clear instructions to occupy Luisão's area, Lucho told to mark Javi García (or Garay, depending on who brought the ball forward) and Moutinho with an eye on Witsel, should he drop back to get the ball. Vítor Pereira was no doubt trying to choke Benfica's build-up play by placing his midfield between their usual two banks of five.

Benfica finding it hard to get the ball out from the back

Benfica were clearly not expecting this attitude from their opponent, making a lot of wayward passes in their build-up, where they usually are very good. However, the thing that really got the game going and opened it up was Hulk's goal, after just 7 minutes. FC Porto became even more confident and Benfica seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all. For the first 20 minutes, the Dragons were almost perfect in stopping the ball even getting to Aimar - and the fact that neither winger dropped back to get the ball out didn't help either. 

With Witsel instructed to get side by side with Javi García and Aimar not helping defensively, FC Porto's triangle-shaped midfield were able to bypass their two banks of four, with loads of space between them. 

Benfica's two banks of four, leaving too much space for Lucho and Moutinho to operate in

To make matters worse for Benfica, Djalma was excellent both in dragging Maxi Pereira out of the wing and into the middle (which meant Maxi didn't know whether he should follow him or hold his ground), and in helping out defensively, so the visitors' midfield wouldn't be overrun.

• 2. 20 - 63 minutes

20 minutes into the match, the home team started balancing things out. Witsel pushed forward and left Javi García's side, meaning that he could finally be the link between defence and attack, but it also meant that he was able to pressure FC Porto in their own build-up, winning the ball back closer to FC Porto's goal. The Dragons, in turn, dropped back, possibly with an eye on Hulk's speed in behind the Eagles' defence.

Fernando spent most of the first half getting close to Nolito (who got the nod ahead of Bruno César), trying to stop him from turning to goal and therefore helping out Maicon not to lose his balance. However, after the initial period, Nolito managed to either turn or get the ball out of his area and into Aimar, who usually had more space to get into, since Fernando was busy elsewhere.

It was no surprise that Benfica levelled the score on 41 minutes - particularly because FC Porto have seemed too soft on set pieces throughout the whole season. It was more of a surprise to see Benfica getting one goal up in a set piece they have been doing all season long - apparently, the away team's scouting department has a few things to sort out. FC Porto's plan for the second half (drop back and look for the breakaway, as seen in the picture below) had to be reviewed.

FC Porto's defensive shape at the start of the second half: a clear, expectant 4x1x4x1

Vítor Pereira immediately turned to James Rodríguez, but, in a decision that had everything to potentially cost him his job, replaced Rolando with the Colombian, meaning that Maicon would step in as left centre-back and Djalma as the improvised right-back. As previewed elsewhere, Benfica couldn't control the match and the team started breaking in two sides of five, leaving the midfield area wide open. In fact, it was precisely because of that that James and Fernando were able to win the ball back 65 yards from Benfica's goal and run upfield at ease - they weren't up against any opponent until Luisão came out, near the box. It was the 63rd minute - the score was level again.

• 3. 63 - 90 minutes

FC Porto's second goal was clearly a punch in the gut for the Lisbon team and the team started to collapse both physically and mentally. Spaces opened up and it was certainly no surprise that shortly afterwards Hulk found space to run into behind Emerson, which gave way to the latter's ejection. Jesus' option to go with Gaitán as left-back meant Hulk and Djalma were up against Gaitán and Nolito - not exactly the two best defenders in the world. As expected, the away team were suddenly awash with space to run into. 

With an extra man, FC Porto were intelligent in moving the ball from side to side, trying to tire Benfica out. By the time the match was drawing to its end, Vítor Pereira took another huge gamble by replacing João Moutinho with Kléber, telling the team loud and clear that he wanted to win the match. The away team would score the winning goal with James' free kick to Maicon's head seconds later.

• Conclusion

FC Porto were perhaps a bit fortunate in getting the win, but their initial plan to pressure Benfica really turned the game on its head. Benfica showed their usual strengths, but were also predictably weak in the aspect that most aficionados know by now: as the game goes on, the team tend to break in two and leave their back four exposed (with no one around but Javi García to help out).