Benfica starter upbeat for Real Madrid second leg: all to play for | OneFootball

After the defeat against Real Madrid, 0-1, last Tuesday, which was the first leg of the playoff for access to the Champions League round of 16, Leandro Barreiro considered that Benfica had to run more than in the regular phase match played three weeks ago. The Luxembourgish midfielder also lamented the Eagles' lack of efficiency but made it clear that the tie is still "open".

"I felt that this time we were running much more, in the first half they occupied the spaces well and there were very long paths for us to run as a team," began the number 18 of the Eagles, in statements to Sport TV, after the end of the match.

"We actually had our chances to score, but we didn't finish. Then, I don't know if it was from the 20th minute, we started losing several balls in our part and it becomes very difficult. We have to run even more and then recover the ball. We also lack the strength to create things. Even so, we had our opportunities, but their counterattacks were also very strong and we had to run a lot after the ball," he emphasized.

When asked about the current disadvantage in the tie, Leandro Barreiro was quite clear: "It's 1-0, everything is open. We have to go to Madrid and win the game." Also obliged to give his point of view regarding what happened between Prestianni and Vinícius Jr., the Eagles' midfielder said: "I wasn't there, I didn't see anything."

It should be noted that with this result, Benfica starts on the back foot in the Champions League playoff, being at a disadvantage against the Merengues. However, as it is a minimal margin difference, nothing is resolved and the accounts will be settled in the second leg match at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on February 25.

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