Benfica v FC Porto clash heats up the Betclic Championship's third round | OneFootball

And, in the third round, the first derby of the Betclic Championship takes place. Benfica and FC Porto face each other today at 3 p.m. at the Eagles’ home ground. Although it is still an early stage of the competition, both sides recognize the importance of the match.

For Benfica coach Anders Hallberg, this is the ideal opportunity to confirm the progress of the team in red. “I can see in training and in the two matches we have already played [in the Championship] that the team has been improving day by day, so that is a good sign. We want to enjoy this match,” began the 40-year-old Swedish coach, while praising the opponent.

“The biggest challenge in this game is… the fact that FC Porto are a very good team. They compete in the Champions League and, recently, in the Iberian Super Cup they played very well both against Barcelona and in the relatively easy win over Bidasoa. So it is very important that we are prepared. It is a derby and we are very excited,” he concluded.

In the Porto squad, Leonel Fernandes took on the role of spokesman for the team’s ambition. “A derby always has a different feel to it. We know these are crucial games for our objective in the league and, on top of that, it is against a long-time rival. It is a privilege for any player to be involved in a game with this emotional intensity, and I just try to enjoy it to the fullest,” said the 28-year-old Portuguese winger, looking at this revamp of the team in red.

“We are up against a new Benfica and, for that reason, we have once again gone through the process of observing and analyzing the opponent so that we can try to exploit some of their weaker points. We believe we can come away from there victorious, but, like any derby, it is an open game. Teamwork and intensity are key pillars if we are to leave with the three points,” he concluded.

For now, Benfica, Sporting and Marítimo are the only teams with two wins. FC Porto won the only match they have played, with their second-round game against ABC still pending, scheduled for the 30th. Sporting only take the field tomorrow, at 4 p.m., away at ABC.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.