Ahead of our Champions League game against Benfica, Éter from Ceu Encarnado has taken time to answer a few questions for us about tonight’s opponents.
Scott the Red: Last season you finished miles behind Porto. Are you confident you can catch them up this season?
Éter: Sure. If I wasn’t confident I wouldn’t even bother to watch the matches.
STR: You’ve sold on some important players recently. Who are Benfica’s most dangerous players now?
E: Cardozo is not very fast, but his left foot is deadly. Aimar is the maestro and can make impossible passes. Witsel has arrived this season but is already showing a lot of quality. Nolito has a bit of the famous Barça’s “tiki-taka” and has scored a lot of goals already. Luisão is very dangerous with corners.
STR: How highly do you rate Luiz and Ramires who left you for Chelsea?
E: When comparing both players, I think that I miss David Luiz more from an emotional point of view, and Ramires more from a practical one. Luiz had a very strong bond with the fans and, of course, he’s also a great player, with tremendous skill for a centre-back, which allows him to advance up the field and open holes in the opposition’s midfield. Few centre-backs in the world can do that. But he’s still very young and with a lot to learn, sometimes he loses the ball in stupid places.
Ramires is utterly irreplaceable and one of the reasons to Benfica’s poor performance last season. In a couple of seconds he’s stealing a ball near his own area, passing it to a team mate and when you watch again he’s in the other area to score. He’s an amazing player with superhuman lungs.
STR: Which United players would you most like at Benfica?
E: Rooney is the most obvious answer. But also Evra, Vidic, Anderson, Nani and Chicharito.
STR: How far do you realistically think Benfica can go in the Champions League this season?
E: I’m counting on reaching the next phase. And with luck in the draw, perhaps reach the quarter-finals.
STR: How do you predict tonight will finish?
E: 2-2.
STR: Cheers. Enjoy the game!
