Pedro Brinca: Benfica starter made big errors vs Porto | OneFootball

The draw between Benfica and Porto (2-2) sparked some criticism towards the players of the red team. The Economics professor and Eagles fan, Pedro Brinca, highlighted the individual errors that marked the first half, especially focusing on those of Nicolás Otamendi.

“For 45 minutes, Benfica was a shadow of itself, lacking criteria in construction, unable to stop Porto's transitions, and with Nicolás Otamendi making serious individual errors leading to both goals,” he wrote in the newspaper 'Record'.

Regarding Oskar Pietuszewski, he emphasized the opponent's class: “The captain, reigning World Champion but who came to the classic physically conditioned, saw Pietuszewski - the youngest ever to score against Benfica in a classic at just 17 years old - dribble past him and put him on the ground before beating Trubin”.

The columnist praised Benfica's reaction in the second half, which he considered decisive for the draw: “Mourinho's substitutions, particularly the introduction of Lukebakio and later Barreiro, changed the game's dynamics. Schjelderup, the standout of the match, set the tone with the 2-1. And Leandro Barreiro, assisted by Ivanovic, sealed the draw with a first-time finish that restored our hope.”

However, Pedro Brinca warned that the result is still insufficient for Benfica's ambitions: “We are seven points behind Porto, with nine rounds to go. Mathematics still allows us to dream, as Otamendi insists, but the reality is that this Mourinho's Benfica has zero wins against direct rivals: two losses and four draws in six games against Porto, Sporting, and Braga”.

Finally, the red fan also criticized the atmosphere off the pitch: “Adding to all this is the lamentable spectacle off the pitch: pyrotechnics that interrupted the game just four minutes in, a stone thrown at Porto's kit man, and Mourinho expelled because, according to him, the referee considered he kicked a ball towards Porto's bench, which is false, as the ball went to the crowd.”

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