Sporting - Benfica. Tonight 20h30.

Probably non-Portuguese don't realise the importance of this fixture. Even with Porto dominating the Portuguese league for years, this is the biggest game. It's more than a game, it's a class war, a mind set. Let me explain.
Rui Costa, as well as a great footballer, a Benfiquista. A working class boy, returns to the club of his heart, at the first oppotunity.
When he left Benfica for Fiorentina, we always new he'd be back to play for us. Once in a European game for Fiorentina, he scored against Benfica. Not only did he not celebrate the goal, he cried, and was comforted by Benfica players. Like Benfica fans, from a poor background, yet proud of it. A true Benfiquista.
Luis Figo, as well as a great footballer, a Sportinguista. A middle class boy, turns his back on the club of his heart, at the first oppotunity.
When he left Real Madrid, he thought only of the money, and ran straight to Inter. Then, when Inter played Sporting, in a champions league deciding game, Crespo scored, to send Sporting spirraling out of the champions league, Figo celebrated, jumping and cheering the sad defeat of the club of his heart. Like Sporting fans, from a middle class background, a money grabbing hypocritical Judas, and proud of it. A true Sportinguista.

This is a game between a rich/middle class club, built around keeping the masses down (Sporting) and a club formed by poor, working class people, to help the young and homeless. And each of these two clubs have strived to maintain their traditions.
I'm sure that you all would join with me in hoping that the peoples club of Benfica can put those middle class upstarts in their place.

I hope Sporting to win with 3-0!!!!

C'mon Sporting!!!!!

The rich princess at home, agrees with you.

I am hoping for a Benfica win so that they have lots of confidence before the match against Man Utd.

(I have a soft spot for Portuguese sides in Europe=

Playing on a Friday, so you get a days extra rest.

Parks Lives wrote:Playing on a Friday, so you get a days extra rest.

Nice avatar !!!

Rui Costa -> working class; Figo -> middle class??? ahahahha, from "Margem Sul"... come on, same realities.

But I agree that Rui Costa being a fan has nothing to do with Figo.

Johninho wrote:Probably non-Portuguese don't realise the importance of this fixture. Even with Porto dominating the Portuguese league for years, this is the biggest game...

... This is a game between a rich/middle class club, built around keeping the masses down (Sporting) and a club formed by poor, working class people, to help the young and homeless. And each of these two clubs have strived to maintain their traditions.
I'm sure that you all would join with me in hoping that the peoples club of Benfica can put those middle class upstarts in their place.

Yeah, biggest game for Benfica and Sporting and since the press is Lisbon biased sure they say that.

The most important game is always the title contenders game, and from the past 20 years or so one of them is always the dragons.

The class thing is not so high/low as it once was. Benfica fan base was earned mostly when they were sucessefull in the 60's with their two champion's cup. People like winners so most of your fan base was built in that period. Sporting's was built in the era of their most fantastic team ever ("the 5 violins"-40/50's i think) and earned most of their fans then.
Since the "regional" beginings of Porto to the european success, Porto too become more spread in national terms but it is as they always say, the first to build a strong fan base when football is forming its roots becomes the most supported team usually.

As for the game i wish both would lose but a draw is not so bad...

Fergie's going to watch it tonight. Says its to see how you will set up for Wednesday but also could be looking at some players like Nani, who we've been linked with abit.

@ Johninho

What you said is bullshit. :p
But yes, at the beginning of both clubs the "class" thing was true.

@ Protheus

There will never be a game between one of these two and any other team, or between other two teams that will be so important in Portugal. :p
But i agree with you on the grouth of FC Porto fan base these last 20 years. But the use of the regional argument was a mistake IMHO. FCP could have had more supporters in the rest of the country if they had made it a big national club instead of a regional one.

Anyone know what the starting line ups wil be?


.. . . Team . . . . Pld . . W . . D . . L . . Pts
1 . . Porto . . . . 11 . . . 9 . . 1 . . 1 . . 28
2 . . Sporting . . 11 . . . 8 . . 2 . . 1 . . 26
3 . . Braga . . . . 11 . . . 6 . . 2 . . 3 . . 20
4 . . Benfica . . . 10 . . . 6 . . 1 . . 3 . . 19
5 . . Nacional . . 11 . . . 6 . . 1 . . 4 . . 19

6' Sporting 0 - 1 Benfica

Ricardo Rocha

0 - 2 now. Simao scored.

Looks like Benfica are well prepared for the match against Manchester United.

Bring on United
Shame Micoli is not match fit.

SPORTING (0): Ricardo; Miguel Garcia, Tonel, Polga and Tello; Custódio; Nani, João Moutinho and Romagnoli; Bueno and Liedson.

SL BENFICA (2): Quim; Nélson, Luisão, Ricardo Rocha and Léo; Katsouranis, Petit and Nuno Assis; Miccoli, Nuno Gomes and Simão.

.. . . Team . . . . Pld . . W . . D . . L . . Pts
1 . . Porto . . . . 11 . . . 9 . . 1 . . 1 . . 28
2 . . Sporting . . 12 . . . 8 . . 2 . . 2 . . 26
3 . . Benfica . . . 11 . . . 7 . . 1 . . 3 . . 22
4 . . Braga . . . . 11 . . . 6 . . 2 . . 3 . . 20
5 . . Nacional . . 11 . . . 6 . . 1 . . 4 . . 19

Damn!!!! 0-2.....

I only hope this give Benfica enough confidence to win the next game....

Hi guys,

So, yesterday a very sad day for Sportinguistas. We all know tradition says "the team in better form loose", but this year I think both teams were in the same kind of form... I wasn't expecting this.

Benfica had the luck of the game (a goal at 2'), added a great rationality in the game approach, and play very wisely, deserving clearly the win. All I asked from Sporting was at least to score the honour goal, and at least scare Benfica (even though I am pretty sure Benfica had it in the pocket).

A terrible day for Sporting team, that wished never came out of the bed. Idiot missed passes, some players in complete out of shape (Liedson, Nani, ...), childish mistakes (the 2nd goal where Custódio should just run with Simão instead of risking a tackle, and Ricardo completely missed the angle coverage), ... the number of 3 meter standing passes missed was astonishing.

What I always thought was Paulo Bento's Sporting biggest strenght - competitive attitude and mental strenght - was exactly our flaw.

Great display from Simão (finally appearing in the big games) and Ricardo Rocha.

Congratulations on the win - but remember, on Luz we'll come back to you!!!!!

@lusitan, I never write bullshit, maybe I use a little poetic licence in wind-up.
Of course, the day after a derby win is always a great day. And, the nicest thing about the game is that the referee made no mistakes that directly effected the result.