Champions League group stage: Benfica beat the giants | UEFA Champions League

Victory against Juventus in Turin showed what Benfica can do before two draws against Paris set Roger Schmidt’s side on the right track. Of course things were big after all – there were two seven-goal games at the end of the group stage – and in the end you were the group winners in the last 16.

Round 16: Club Brugge – Benfica

The season so far

Group H winner: Goals W4 D2 N0 16-7
the best scorer: Joao Mario, Rafa Silva (4)

06.09.: Benfica 2-0 Maccabi Haifa (50. Rafa Silva, 54. Grimaldo)
14.09.: Juventus 1-2 Benfica (Milik 4th; João Mário 43rd (m 11), Neres 55th)
05.10.: Benfica 1-1 Paris (41. Danilo (ET); 22. Messi)
11.10.: Paris 1-1 Benfica (40th Mbappé (11m); 62nd João Mário (11m))
25.10.: Benfica 4-3 Juventus (António Silva 17th, João Mário 28th (11m), 35th, Rafa Silva 50th; Kean 21st, Milik 77th, McKennie 79th)
02.11.: Maccabi Haifa 1-6 Benfica (26 Chery (11m); 20 Gonçalo Ramos, 59 Musa, 69 Grimaldo, 73 Rafa Silva, 88 Henrique Araújo, 90+2 João Mário)

The season in a few words: Brave, brave, strong – Benfica can face anyone.

How is Benfica playing?

German compression with a heavy Portuguese accent: 4-2-3-1 pushes relentlessly from start to finish. The attacking full-backs provide the bulk of the midfield, while Gonçalo Ramos works hard up front. The combination of youth and experience behind and David Neres is a creative mind – a lot comes together here.

Dream star actor

Alejandro Grimaldo – 47 points
João Mario – 41 points
Rafa Silva – 39 points

list changes

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Clubs can sign up to three new players before the knockout stage, and they have until 24.00CET on 2 February to do so. As of 2018/19, it no longer matters if the players have played for another club in the competition, even if that club is still in the competition.

Important statistics

On Matchday 6, Benfica scored six goals in a Champions League game (group stage to final) for the first time.
António Silva (18 years, 359 days) has become Benfica’s second-youngest scorer in the Champions League (group stage to final), behind Gonçalo Guedes.
Benfica’s home draw against Paris means they are unbeaten against French sides in Lisbon (W11 D5).