Third time lucky for the tests? | OneFootball

This Tuesday, at Saint James Park, Benfica has a new opportunity to reinvent itself tactically, in the third high-level challenge of the Mourinho era, after Stanford Bridge and the Dragão stadium. Against Chelsea and FC Porto, although in different competitions, there were similarities in the Eagles' approach.

Benfica was mainly a consistent team, effectively limiting the strengths of their opponents, but did not create many scoring opportunities, lacking in creativity. They lost in London and complicated their Champions League standings after the home defeat to Qarabag, which led to Bruno Lage's departure. At the Dragão, they did not allow FC Porto to take the lead in the championship, but also did not manage to win or create many opportunities, remaining scoreless again.

The step forward

To win in England, Benfica will not only have to maintain defensive consistency but also have the offensive volume that has been missing in the "big" games. Especially because to keep a clean sheet, Benfica will have to do what Barcelona, Arsenal, and Liverpool have not managed this season. All conceded goals at the Magpies' home in 25/26.

This is, therefore, the step forward that Benfica will have to take if they want to regain ground in the Champions League group stage. They must assume they can concede a goal at any time but have the capacity to impose the offensive assertion that Mourinho is still seeking.

It may be surprising, but the algorithms of the Wincomparator site point to a victory for the Eagles tonight, as can be seen on the page dedicated to free football predictions on the site. The truth is that while this Benfica does not enchant, Newcastle has had a rather complicated first third of the season, occupying the 14th position in the Premier League.

Mutual respect

Both teams are still searching for their best version and urgently need to win to avoid falling behind in this league phase. Despite Benfica having two losses in two games, Newcastle needs to avoid exacerbating the results crisis that could quickly complicate this European campaign.

With or without Tonali in Newcastle's midfield (he is doubtful), the English team has the capacity to make Benfica suffer, but the Portuguese team can and should have the courage to hurt the opponent with good decisions from midfield forward. By paying maximum attention to set-pieces (one of Eddie Howe's team's strengths) and managing, for example, to score first, Benfica has the conditions to grow throughout the game.

In the pre-match analysis, the coaches exchanged compliments and the respect is mutual. Mourinho on English soil "stirs" the English press and, after the defensive growth against Chelsea and FC Porto, this is the right moment for Mourinho to showcase his credentials, on a stage that for many years was "unforgiving" to him.

The stage where Mourinho rarely found happiness

Twelve years later, Saint James Park welcomes Benfica again. In the last and only visit of the Eagles to the Magpies' fortress, there was a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals in 2012/2013, with Jorge Jesus's Benfica gaining momentum on the way to the final lost against Chelsea in Amsterdam.

But it was in the following season, in 2013/2014, that José Mourinho returned to Chelsea, in what would be his second stint with the London club. The Portuguese coach managed, in the second of three consecutive seasons, to become champion again. However, in those three new years, he did not manage to win at Newcastle's home. A negative record that even other stints in England cannot reverse.

In the dance of football reunions, therefore, Mourinho returns to the Eagles and right in the first weeks, the calendar dictated that he would visit England twice, where he left a strong mark of identity and charisma. However, playing in the North East, Mourinho never won in the Premier League while managing Chelsea and Manchester United (3 losses and 3 draws in London and 1 loss in Manchester). Only with Tottenham did Mourinho smile at St. James Park, and only once, in his debut season with the Spurs.

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