Match Preview - SL Benfica v Manchester United

Competition: Champions League
Kick-Off & Date: 7:45pm, Wednesday, 14th September 2011
Venue: Estadio Da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
Live TV Coverage: ITV 1 (HD), 7:30pm - 10pm

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)
Assistant Referees: Primoz Arhar & Marko Stancin
Additional Assistant Referees: Slavko Vincic & Roberto Ponis
Fourth Official: Dragoslav Peric


Form: Benfica are in fine form in Portugal, winning 3 out of their last 4 domestic games, drawing the remaining 1. Benfica Lisbon beat the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in pre-season, although I'm sure most would have achieved that result against the latter. The Portuguese outfit made it into Champions League Group C by beating Trabzonspor and FC Twente in the qualifying rounds, having finished in second place behind FC Porto last season.

United are having an equally great time, winning all four Premier League games convincingly this season, most recently disposing of Bolton Wanderers 5-0 away from home. The Reds automatically made it into the Champions League, and are the top seed and favourites in Group C. We all want to put the pain of losing to FC Barcelona in last season's final at Wembley behind us, but also use it to a certain extant as motivation to do even better this round !

 
The Injury Front: Benfica will rue the assistance of midfielder Enzo Perez, who is unlikely to feature after missing the 2-1 home win against Vitoria Sport Clube De Guimaraes. Manager Jorge Jesus has no fresh injury concerns, and will field a near full-strength starting XI for one of the club's biggest games of their season. Benfica had a solid summer of preparation, with little or no problems in terms of injuries. For Benfica, they'll 'have a go'.
  
United are without club captain Nemanja Vidic, Rafael Da Silva, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck. Rio Ferdinand also misses out, but his absence is merely a precaution ahead of Sunday's Premier League showdown with Chelsea at Old Trafford. The trip to Lisbon included 19 squad members, with Jonny Evans and Patrice Evra making the cut despite fears over knocks they picked-up against Bolton. Darren Fletcher also returns to the fray. 
 
Squad: De Gea, Lindegaard, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Jones, Smalling, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Nani, Park, Valencia, Young, Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen, Rooney.

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The Gaffer: Jorge Jesus, a Portuguese native, has been in charge of Benfica since the summer of 2009. He guided them to the Portuguese Primeira Liga in his first season in charge, finishing in 2nd behind FC Porto last season. However, he scooped the Taca Da Liga for the second time with Benfica last campaign... 

Most-Feared: Oscar Cardozo is undoubtedly the Lisbon side's biggest threat to United's hopes of a clean sheet on Wednesday night. The 6ft 3½in striker plays for Paraguay as his national side, and impressed in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Last term, he scored 24 goals for Benfica in over 40 matches. A force to be reckoned with ! 

The Ref: Damir Skomina hails from Slovenia, as does his fellow UEFA assistants for the midweek European tie. Skomina is an unknown figure in world or European football, but is well on his way to becoming the best respected in his country. At 35, he has already presided over 6 Champions League games... 

United Latest's Prediction: Benfica 0-2 United
- Wayne Rooney & Dimitar Berbatov ?