Duarte Marques backs Benfica man: will score two goals | OneFootball

Benfica’s defeat to St. Gallen (2-1) in the first leg of the 2nd Europa League qualifying round sparked various reactions among well-known figures from the Benfica world. The setback in Switzerland prompted different interpretations, ranging from confidence in a comeback to criticism of the team’s performance.

Duarte Marques was one of those who chose a more optimistic view, believing Jhon Durán will shine: "People forgot that Switzerland is no longer some kind of third division, Benfica came up against a very intense team for this stage of the season. A draw would have been fairer, but at the Luz we’ll turn this around and play a Benfica-style match, and Durán will score two goals!" he told the newspaper 'Record'.

Martim Mayer, a former presidential candidate, was far more concerned about the image the team left behind: "Lack of fight, lack of concentration, and a lifeless performance. Are we going to have a season playing like this? As a Benfica supporter, I’m worried and I will never get used to seeing Benfica be 'this'. Benfica’s identity does not come from the coach. It comes from desire. It comes from giving everything. It comes from dying for our badge. That has to be built, and it is being destroyed," he said.

Jaime Antunes, the Club’s former vice-president, also felt that the Eagles were well below expectations: "A poor game from a disconnected team, without direction and without leadership. We conceded goals typical of a defensively disorganized team. The absence of the players who were at the World Cup does not explain why this squad, at this stage, does not have the ability to beat a team with about 10% of Benfica’s budget".

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