Socrates

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Benfica have quality to eliminate Juventus, insists Lima The attacker is full of respect for the Serie A leaders but is confident his side can triumph over two legs following their 2-1 victory in Lisbon on Thursday. Apr 25, 2014 Benfica forward Lima is confident that the Portuguese champions have the quality to eliminate Juventus in the Europa League semi-finals after their 2-1 home win in the first leg on Thursday. Jorge Jesus' men went 1-0 up early on when Ezequiel Garay headed home a corner kick, only for Carlos Tevez to restore parity in the second half, before Lima eventually helped the hosts to victory with a thumping late strike. The 30-year-old is confident the newly-crowned Portuguese champions can seal the deal in Turin next week having proven their calibre against Antonio Conte's men. "We will go to Turin as a united team to try to go through with humility. We have the quality and the ability to achieve that," Lima told uefa.com. "We were not expecting to concede a goal but it happened. We must acknowledge that this was no ordinary opponent. It was Juventus. "But the important thing is that we won and we have an advantage. Once again we won at home and showed the strength of our squad. Now we will go to Italy with a positive spirit." The return at Juventus Stadium takes place on May 1.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ We fell asleep at the back, says Conte Apr 25, 2014 Juventus coach Antonio Conte was disappointed by his team’s lack of focus when they lost to Benfica, as Brazilian striker Lima struck a wonder goal with six minutes remaining, edging Benfica to a 2-1 semi-final first-leg win in the Europa League on Thursday. “It’s a shame, as at that moment we were pushing for our second goal,” said the Juve coach. “We fell asleep at the back.” After Carlos Tevez tucked away a brilliant equaliser for Serie A leaders Juventus with 17 minutes remaining at the Estadio do Luz, Lima smashed home an unstoppable drive to give the Lisbon outfit a precious advantage. Juventus must now score at home next Thursday to keep their bid on track to reach the final at the Juventus stadium on May 14. In the other semi-final, Sevilla beat La Liga rivals Valencia 2-0 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. The hosts went ahead after Stephane Mbia backheeled the ball into the roof of the net despite clearly being in an offside position before Carlos Bacca doubled Sevilla’s advantage soon after.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Reviewing How Benfica Managed to Beat Juventus Apr 25, 2014 Portuguese Liga champions Benfica earned themselves a shock 2-1 win at home to Juventus on Thursday evening in the Europa League semi-final first leg, and they are now daring to dream of avenging last season’s disappointing loss in the 2013 Europa League final to Chelsea. So how did Benfica pull it off? And what did Juventus do wrong against them? Stats taken from BBC Sport, WhoScored.com, Statto and FoxSports.com. Starting Strongly Benfica manager Jorge Jesus set up his side, as he always does, to hit teams hard on the break with pace down the flanks. It paid dividends, as Benfica overloaded in the wide areas to full effect against the Serie A champions-elect. Juventus have been advocates of a 3-5-2 formation and lined up with it once again against the Portuguese outfit. The opening 15 minutes saw the tactic failing horribly, as Benfica were taking advantage of Juve’s lack of support in the wide areas. As you can see, Juventus' wing-back is getting drawn in to press the ball, which leaves space into which the Benfica forward can run. Their bright start led to their opening goal. Juve were forced to concede a corner following a Benfica break, which led to defender Ezequiel Garay's header. Pressing Juventus High Up the Pitch The Portuguese side did their homework on Juve’s penchant for playing the ball out of the back, pressing the Italian giants high up the pitch early to limit the time they had to pick out passes. Chief orchestrator Andrea Pirlo found himself stifled at times, and he was ineffective from Benfica’s high pressing. That led to Juve having to play very direct from deep positions, which saw them frequently giving away the ball. The midfielder is being blocked off from receiving the pass from Kwadwo Asamoah in the shot, which meant he was largely ineffective. With Juve not blessed with pace in the spine of their side, distribution is essential. In the picture, you can see there's no pass on for the Italian outfit to get forward. One of the Juve players is even offside. It summed up the opening passages of play until the Serie A holders started to settle. Benfica’s Counter-Attacks Causing Juve Problems Another deciding factor was Benfica's counter-attacks. The side would break with outstanding speed, and their runs would overlap either side of the ball to give options left and right of the player in possession. As Juve committed numbers to their own attack, the manner of Benfica's breaks meant they were forced to go player-for-player against the opposition, which left gaps to exploit. Benfica continued to break with pace to try to find the important second goal in the game by hitting Juventus on the break in this manner. The lack of protection down the flanks for Juve meant sights such as this were a regular occurrence throughout the game. It also meant Juve wing-backs Stephan Lichtsteiner and Asamoah became fearful of pushing high up the pitch, They knew they'd be caught out of position, as shown above. Juventus Too Narrow on the Ball For Juventus's 3-5-2 formation to be successful, the wing-backs have to support the play when they're in possession and overlap like natural wingers would. But such was the threat from their opponents on the break that they remained very deep. Asamoah, most notably, was barely in shot when the Italians had the ball in Benfica's half. That led to the play being very narrow and very predictable from the Serie A outfit. Asamoah is being of no help to his side by sitting back. Juve were chasing the game and in need of a goal, but their play was easily snuffed out by Benfica. Had more players made runs from deep for the Italians, they could have attacked with more pace to create clear-cut openings. Asamoah Finally Gambles and Gets an Assist It was no coincidence that the one time Asamoah gambled and made a run beyond his opposite marker led to a goal following his cutback into the area. The 25-year-old was the highest player up the pitch for Juve on the left side, and with one touch, he picked out the advancing Carlos Tevez free in the area to score. Benfica Overlap the Wide Areas to score Winning Goal Juventus eventually threw the game away by not heeding the warning of Benfica's threat from wide areas. A simple ball into the space in the middle of the pitch then saw the Benfica player follow his pass and run around the back of his teammate Enzo Perez on the right-hand side. His overlapping run wasn't picked up quick enough by any Juve player, and after collecting the pass, Perez plays the ball into the middle, it's cleverly dummied by substitute Ivan Cavaleiro, and eventually rifled home by the onrushing Lima to win the game for Benfica. Summary Benfica did their homework and knew what Juventus' weaknesses were. Cutting off the supply to their chief creator Andrea Pirlo and pressing the side high up the pitch to force them to go long played into the Portuguese side's hands. Jorge Jesus' men were fast on the break and specifically targeted the flanks. Juve had no protection from the wide men, as they weren't playing with natural wingers to aid the full-backs in defence. It was Juve's first defeat in the Europa League this season, while Benfica now have a slim lead to take into the second leg of the semi-final.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Juventus deserved at least a draw, says Marchisio The midfielder says Thursday's performance against Benfica was one of his side's best in Europe this season and is adamant they deserved a better result than a 2-1 defeat. Apr 25, 2014 Claudio Marchisio feels Juventus deserved more than a 2-1 defeat in the Europa League semi-final first leg against Benfica on Thursday. Ezequiel Garay gifted the Portuguese champions an early lead before Carlos Tevez restored parity after the break with his first goal in European competition for five years. The Portuguese champions sealed a hard-fought victory thanks to Lima's fine finish in the 84th minute, but Marchisio believes the Bianconeri had merited at least a draw for what he felt was their best showing in Europe this season. "We could and we should have kept the draw, at least. We did not manage to but we will try to turn things around in the return leg," Marchisio told the official Uefa website. "It was important to score at least one goal, it's a pity to have conceded the second late on because we had more chances than Benfica in the second half. "I think this was one of Juventus's best performances in Europe this season, if not the best. It's an important sign, it means we are growing as a team because it's not always easy to play well at the end of the season when you are missing a few players and legs are a bit tired. We certainly played a good game." Juventus resume domestic action away against Sassuolo on April 28 before the return leg against Benfica on May 1.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Juventus honoured Italian football against Benfica, says Conte The Bianconeri boss felt his players dominated after conceding a third-minute goal and were merely punished for falling "asleep at the back" in the closing stages. Apr 25, 2014 Juventus coach Antonio Conte believes all of Italy can be proud of his side's performance in the 2-1 loss to Benfica in Lisbon. A late Lima goal saw the Portuguese champions triumph in Lisbon, after Carlos had cancelled out Ezequiel Garay's third-minute opener in what proved a tightly contested Europa League semi-final first-leg clash at the Estadio da Luz. However, Conte was left to rue the final score after his side responded well to Ezequiel Garay's early goal but feels that his side did Italian football proud. "There is great result for this unjust result," he told Sky Sport Italia. "The game didn't start in the best way, as we conceded a couple of minutes from a set play. However, after that we took control and allowed Benfica practically nothing. "We felt from one moment to the next they would capitulate, but instead their goal arrived out of nowhere. It's a shame. At that moment we were pushing for a second but we fell alseep at the back. "The semi-final is open and the Juventus Stadium can match the extraordinary atmosphere in Lisbon. "This performance gives me confidence. We didn't come and play like a stereotypical Italian team, we attacked and kept up the tempo. We kept up the honour of Italian football tonight."

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Carlos Tevez Ends Drought with Vital Away Goal Apr 25, 2014 Juventus travelled to Lisbon to face Benfica on Thursday, entering their first European semi-final in over a decade, with a place in next month’s showpiece finale on the line. With the climax of the Europa League taking place in their own stadium, the Bianconeri are aiming at an incredible place in history, the possibility of matching old records mounting by the week. As La Madama chases her third consecutive Serie A title, the Portuguese opposition approached the tie with the Liga Sagres title already secured. Jorge Jesus’ men clinched their first domestic crown in four years, ending a barren spell similar to the one Antonio Conte dragged Juventus from after arriving in 2011. Yet there was also one other unwanted drought on the line, as Carlos Tevez had continued to misfire in continental competition for over five years. Indeed, the Argentinean’s last strike in Europe came on April 7, 2009, when the striker was still a Manchester United player. Twenty matches and two clubs later, the 30-year-old himself was unconcerned by his inability to find the back of the net, telling UEFA.com last month that "I'm calm because sooner or later the goals will come, but it's not an obsession for me." But it quickly became the only criticism of what has been a remarkable first campaign with Juventus, one which had seen him notch no fewer than 18 league goals—with another in the Italian Super Cup—going into last night’s game. His coach had also professed to be more interested in the attitude of his newest star, quickly defending him from criticism back in December. Speaking at a press conference shortly after Juve’s Champions League exit, Conte was asked if Tevez’s failure to score was responsible for their elimination, and he snapped back (h/t The Guardian): “I do not judge an attacker on the basis of the goals that he scores, I have been here for three years and I think you know by now how I judge my forwards. When an attacker scores but does not do the work they were supposed to do, then I am not happy with them. I judge on behalf of the team, you lot judge on individual performances.” It then became a side-issue as the club dropped into the Europa League, with the striker not always featuring as Conte gave Mirko Vucinic and Daniel Osvaldo some much-needed playing time. The Bianconeri were comfortable in wins over Trabzonspor and Lyon, but then came the difficult semi-final draw against Benfica. Again the coach rotated his strikers, once more resting the in-form Fernando Llorente, with the Spaniard having started just once before in this competition. But even Tevez could do nothing as the Portuguese side opened the scoring, powerless as Leonardo Bonucci’s poor marking allowed Ezequiel Garay a simple header. For a period, the Serie A champions elect looked overwhelmed as their opponents countered at incredible speed, carving open the Juventus defence on a series of occasions. At the other end there was little opportunity, with perhaps the best chance coming from a Paul Pogba header after some smart work from Claudio Marchisio. They say “cometh the hour, cometh the man,” but Tevez would be almost a quarter-of-an-hour late, as Kwadwo Asamoah ran on to a Marchisio pass before pulling the ball back from the left. Some smart footwork enabled him to ride a tackle from Luisao, before firing a well-timed shot past the goalkeeper. Just like that, the drought was over and La Madama had her life-line. Next week’s second leg is in Turin but will be a difficult proposition, Benfica’s eventual 2-1 lead an “unjust result,” in the eyes of Conte (per FootballItalia). Speaking shortly after the match with Sky Italia, the Coach went on to add that “optimism and confidence are given to me by the performance tonight,” while the goalscorer also believed Juve could complete the task in seven days' time. "My goal isn't the important thing, as it only matters only that we are still in the running for qualification." Tevez told Sport Mediaset (via FourFourTwo). He might downplay the significance, but with his first European strike since 2009, Carlos Tevez may have just scored his most vital goal yet in a Juventus shirt.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ It's not over for the defeated Old Lady Apr 25, 2014 Juventus may have suffered their first Europa League defeat but there's every reason to believe that they can overturn the 2-1 result at home, in Turin, in front of their own fiery fans next week. The away goal was vital but squandering such valuable chances may be something the Old Lady come to regret. After all, efficiency is the name of the game in matches such as these. The Portuguese side are blessed with great pace and while their decision making needs to improve, they are good at exposing space and making the most of defensive errors. Scoring the early goal, Leonardo Bonucci erred on a set piece when he focused on the man and not the ball. This rattled Juve but they were also aware of the fact they had plenty of time to get the equaliser. With swift passes through the middle, chips over the wall, they counter-attacked when possible but were met with a strong back-line and a team that defended as a strong and compact unit making it hard to penetrate. Always taking an extra touch when it wasn't required or attempting the glamorous quick flick forward rather than just a simple pass, Juventus at times complicate the issue when simplicity is key. Quick counter-attacks are important but it means little if precision is lost in the process. It certainly didn't help that Paul Pogba, despite his imperious form, seemed desperate to move forward; Carlos Tevez attempted to dribble past everyone in search for his goal and Mirko Vucinic slowed down the play to frustrating levels. The Italians lacked composure when looking for a goal, forcing the issue when patience was required. We have seen this from them far too often. With Andrea Pirlo consistently looking to chip the ball and passes that were quickly dispatched but inaccurate in their direction, they allowed Benfica to feel comfortable. Patience is a quality Juve must demonstrate. The players simply have to retain possession and identify the best possible option for the pass rather than needlessly playing the ball forward regardless of the number of bodies in their way. Despite this, one has to acknowledge what a breathtaking player Tevez is. His control on the ball and instinctive style of play are really a pleasure to watch, while his goal -- that vital goal -- was a demonstration of beautiful technique. However, it's been said in this blog before and it needs to be said again: he plays for himself far too often rather than looking at the bigger picture. This shows a lack of respect for team play. Whether it is because of his burning desire to net a European goal or simply because it's his style of play, he needs to look up and accurately judge whether or not there's someone better placed to take control of the ball. Head down and dribbling forward may result in a spectacular goal, but more often than not it leaves teammates and the fans frustrated. On this occasion it was Vucinic who suffered. The second half saw manager Antonio Conte address certain issues. Asking his players to keep the ball and look for the right pass at the right time, the Bianconeri were better at making the most of the space on the wings and penetrating different areas to stretch the opposition. It is here that one must note how much Kwadwo Asamoah ought to be appreciated. He's not a player of the highest level but he's more technical than Stephan Lichtsteiner and his contributions in both phases of the game are important if not crucial. Not only did his clever passing help get the goal but he's also essential when it comes to his positioning in the defensive part of the game to prevent the counter-attacks. Those counter-attacks are part of Benfica's DNA. Blessed with pace and skill going forward, the manner in which they shift their play and expose the gaps demonstrates their strength. Benfica boss Jorge Jesus perhaps erred in not starting Lima. The player brings added mobility and allows for faster and better movements. Had he started, Benfica might have produced more even if he managed a terrific second goal for his team. However, Juventus missed their own player capable of making the difference -- Arturo Vidal. While the Chilean's forward play is essential (he would have probably finished off a certain chance or two), he's even more important in the defensive stage of the game. The Bianconeri needed to be more compact and ought to have tightened their lines to counter Benfica's pace and prevent them from shooting to grab the second goal. Instead, they made schoolboy errors at the back and it was embarrassing to see certain runs not being tracked -- such as the one Benfica striker Rodrigo managed in the first half. Juventus must and should overcome the scoreline next week. They have the players, the personality and the superior technical skill, but they simply must eradicate the errors from their game and play together and with intelligence if they hope to reach the final. They believe and so do their fans.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Bonucci 'angry with myself' Apr 25, 2014 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci is “angry with myself” for his error in the Europa League semi-final defeat to Benfica. The centre-back was at fault for the opening goal from Ezequiel Garay within the opening two minutes in last night’s 2-1 loss in Lisbon. “Nothing is decided yet!!!” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I am the first person to be angry with myself... We have to look forward with positivity.” The second leg is next Thursday at the Juventus Stadium.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Jorge Jesus wanted penalty Apr 24, 2014 Coach Jorge Jesus insisted Benfica should’ve beaten Juventus by more than 2-1 and were denied “a clear penalty.” The first leg of the Europa League semi-final went to the hosts in Lisbon and the decider is next Thursday in Turin. “We were justly winners,” Jorge Jesus told SCI after the game. “We could’ve scored more goals, in fact. The referee did not give us a clear penalty on Enzo Perez.” The incident occurred in the second half when Enzo Perez ran into Martin Caceres in the box and fell over his leg. Juventus had 57 per cent possession in Lisbon and Benfica scored with their only two shots on target. “It was important to get the victory, but would’ve been more important to win 2-0 rather than 2-1. The tie is still open, but we’re in a stronger position in Turin because we won. “We knew that we were facing a great team and even while being defensive Juventus usually score goals. “We had to be perfect defensively and came close to achieving that. We only had a few difficulties on the Carlos Tevez goal, as that was great individual play. “It was a spectacular game between two great teams and the first Juventus defeat in this Europa League. I think both sides showed what they can do and it was worthy of a Champions League tie.”

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Conte: 'An unjust result' Apr 24, 2014 Antonio Conte felt “great regret for this unjust result” and blasted his defence after Juventus lost to Benfica. The first leg of the Europa League semi-final ended 2-1 in Lisbon, while the decider is in Turin next Thursday. “I think there is great regret for this unjust result,” the Coach told Sky Sport Italia. “The game didn’t start in the best way, as we conceded after a couple of minutes from a set play and knew the enthusiasm for Benfica. “However, after that we took control and allowed Benfica practically nothing. We felt from one moment to the next they would capitulate, but instead this goal arrived out of nowhere. “It’s a shame, as at that moment we were pushing for our second goal. We fell asleep at the back. We fell asleep. Let’s say we were caught napping there... “We have understood that the semi-final is open and the Juventus Stadium, when it wants to, is capable of matching the extraordinary atmosphere in Lisbon. It’s a Final we all want.” Conte was playing when Juventus lost 2-1 to Benfica in 1992-93, but they won the second leg and went on to lift the UEFA Cup that season. Does this precedent leave him more optimistic? “Optimism and confidence are given to me by the performance tonight. It wasn’t easy to come here and play like this against a team that was unbeaten on home turf. “We didn’t play in the clichéd Italian style, as we attacked, kept the tempo up, were intense and forced Benfica to focus exclusively on the counter. We kept up the honour of Italian football tonight.” The Bianconeri tried to spread the play down the flanks more in the second half to stretch Benfica. “In the first half that start really didn’t help, even though Benfica did practically nothing after that. We tried to go through the centre, but in the second half Markovic was struggling to keep up with Asamoah, so I told them to push more down that channel. “We could’ve been more efficient in front of goal and scored a lot more, but we remain optimistic for the second leg, even if we know it’ll be difficult.” Conte was asked whether he should adjust the 3-5-2 system for four at the back in Europe against teams with certain characteristics. “Systems count up to a certain point. Principles are more important and Juventus have done well to play attacking football over the last three years, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and now hopefully the Europa League Final. “Other teams who play with four at the back are at home watching us on television, so the systems don’t make much difference.”

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Pogba: 'Concentration is key' Apr 24, 2014 Paul Pogba believes Juventus did everything right in the 2-1 defeat to Benfica, except for their “concentration.” The Bianconeri lost the Europa League semi-final first leg in Lisbon to the only two shots on target from the hosts. “We need to play the same way we did in the second half, but with more concentration,” Pogba told Sky Sport Italia. “We conceded two goals due to errors, but played well overall. We are Juve, so we have to do even more.” However, Pogba expects huge risks at the back in the second leg, as Juventus need to win and could leave themselves open. “Benfica are very rapid and dangerous on the counter-attack, as we saw tonight. They get into the box very quickly. “I had a player marking me for the whole game, but Stephan Lichtsteiner was alone, so we tried to spread the ball more.”

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Lichtsteiner: 'Avoidable goals' Apr 24, 2014 Stephan Lichtsteiner admits Benfica’s two goals against Juventus were “avoidable,” but has faith in the Europa League. The Bianconeri lost 2-1 in Lisbon and the second leg of this semi-final is next Thursday in Turin. “When you lose, it’s never a good result,” Lichtsteiner told Sky Sport Italia. “The important thing was to score here and we had the chance to net a second or third. We didn’t manage it, but those chances leave us confident for the second half. “Unfortunately we conceded a silly goal after two minutes which was avoidable. On the second goal we were all lined up in defence, but weren’t focused enough and at this level that gets punished. “We always had space to do something, even though we were too hasty in the first half. In the second we went down the flanks more. “We are still in with a good chance of playing the Final in our home stadium.”

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Jesus: I would have preferred a 1-0 win against Juventus The Eagles boss admitted that Carlos Tevez's away goal at the Estadio da Luz has cast doubt on his side's hopes of overcoming the Biaconeri on aggregate. Apr 24, 2014 Benfica coach Jorge Jesus was delighted with his side's 2-1 Europa League victory over Juventus but admitted that he would have preferred to have won by the same margin but without conceding. The Portuguese champions had led for much of the clash prior to Carlos Tevez's 73rd-minute equaliser, but Lima did at least a late winner to give the Eagles a slender advantage ahead of next week's second leg in Turin. "It was important to win, although a 1-0 would have been better than 2-1," Jesus is quoted as saying by Record. "We knew that we were going to play against a strong team who usually score. We had to be perfect and we almost were. It was a great individual goal from Tevez. "It was their first defeat in the Europa League and they showed their strength here. We always knew that nothing would be decided. "It's all open but let's do better in Turin." Lima, meanwhile, was delighted with the result but urged his side to finish the job in the second leg. "The win is important but it doesn't guarantee anything," the Brazilian pointed out. "It's only the first leg. "We didn't want to concede a goal but it was another victory and it is important to go to Italy with the confidence of winning the game."

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Artur: 'Benfica in strong position' Apr 24, 2014 Benfica goalkeeper Artur said his side are “in a strong position for the second leg” after beating Juventus 2-1. The former third choice shot-stopper at Roma has found success in Lisbon and performed a crucial save on Claudio Marchisio in this evening’s Europa League semi-final. “I had to keep cool, knowing we were facing a strong side with many talented players who can make the difference in attack,” Artur told Sky Sport Italia. “Thankfully, at Benfica we all attack together and defend together. We won a very important match that puts us in a strong position for the second leg.” Benfica lost the Europa League Final to Chelsea last season, but also failed at the last hurdle in the League and Cup. “It’s not every team who can reach three Finals in a single season. We feel more confident in our capabilities now and are eager to make up for that cruel end to the campaign.” They’ve already gone some way to achieving that, as Benfica mathematically secured the Portuguese League title on Sunday.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Tevez: 'Juve have a good chance' Apr 24, 2014 Carlos Tevez believes Juventus have “a very good chance” of reaching the Europa League Final despite defeat in Lisbon. The striker broke his continental goal drought after four years in a 2-1 loss to Benfica this evening, but the second leg is next Thursday. “My goal isn’t the important thing, as it matters only that we are still in the running for qualification,” Tevez told Sport Mediaset. “I am in good shape physically, so I’m happy. We’ve got a very good chance of getting through to the next round. Qualification is wide open for the second leg.” Because of that away goal, a 1-0 victory in Turin would be enough to send Juventus through to the Final, which will be played at the Juventus Stadium.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Juventus can still make Europa League final, insists Tevez after Benfica defeat The Argentine played down the significance of his first strike in continental competition since 2009, saying he is only interested in helping the Bianconeri get through. Apr 24, 2014 Carlos Tavez insists that Juventus can still progress to the final of the Europa League - despite losing 2-1 at Benfica on Thursday night. The Bianconeri looked set to earn a fine score draw in Lisbon after the Argentine cancelled Ezequiel Garay's opener with just 17 minutes remaining, but Lima netted a spectacular late winner to give the Eagles a lead to protect in next week's second leg in Turin. Consequently, despite the fact that he finally managed to net in European competition, Tevez says that his sole concern is on helping Juve overcome their one-goal deficit - something he feels Antonio Conte's men are more than capable of doing on home soil. "My goal was not important; that we're on course to qualify is," the striker told reporters after the match. "We have a big chance of going through; qualification is open in the second leg." Midfielder Paul Pogba, meanwhile, has urged his side to defend better next week, arguing that both of the goals they conceded in Portugal were avoidable. "We need to play in the same was we did in the second half but with more concentration," the France international reasoned. "We concded two goals due to errors but we played well overall. "However, Benfica are very quick and dangerous on the counterattack. They get into the box quickly."

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Player Ratings A late goal from Lima gives the Eagles the upper hand in their Europa League semi-final with the Bianconeri, but Carlos Tevez's away goal could yet prove crucial. Apr 24, 2014 BENFICA Artur - The Eagles goalkeeper did not have an awful lot to do on the night, in truth, but after a decent save from Pogba's header, he was eventually beaten by Tevez. Maxi Pereira - Was fully-committed throughout, making some well-judged challenges and also pushing up to support his side when attacking. Luisao - The towering Brazilian had an impressive evening as he dominated the game aerially at the back. However, he could have done more to keep out Tevez's goal. Ezequiel Garay - The Argentine centre-back opened the scoring after just three minutes and was solid defensively throughout. Guilherme Siqueira - Showed plenty of energy to motor down the left when Benfica counterattacked, but, at times, he left too much space for Lichtsteiner and Pogba to exploit. Lazar Marković - An exceptionally dynamic performance from the midfielder as he made a number of charging runs through the middle when Benfica broke. Enzo Nicolás Pérez - Started the game brightly, with a few surging runs through midfield. His distribution was impressive but at times left the defence exposed. André Gomes - Sat in front of the defence but did not limit the space for the Juventus runners between the lines enough. He was forced into some late, clumsy challenges. Rodrigo - The Spaniard continued with his impressive recent form in the competition. He supplied some excellent early crosses from the left flank. Ó. Cardozo - Came into the side at the expense of Lima and failed to vindicate his manager's decision with a rather ineffectual performance. Miralem Sulejmani - A tireless performance from the Serbian, as he regularly found space on the left flank to trouble the Juve defence. He tracked back to defend but his influence decreased with time. Substitutions André Almeida - Came on for Sulejmani in the 60th minute but was unable to offer more protection down his side's left. Lima - The Brazilian replaced Cardozo in the 62nd minute and had the perfect impact, netting a fantastic strike late on to secure the win. Ivan Cavaleiro - Replaced Andre Gomes in the 82nd minute and played a role in the winner with a lovely dummy. JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Could perhaps have done more to keep Garay's header out of the bottom corner in the third minute. After that he was comfortable, particularly with the ball at his feet. Martín Cáceres - Looked vulnerable on the counterattack at times but regularly put in strong challenges to bring the Benfica attacks to a close after their bright start. Leonardo Bonucci - Defended poorly on the opener, not even challenging Garay to the header which resulted in the first goal. It seemed to knock his confidence for the remainder of the game. Giorgio Chiellini - The Italy international made a number of last-ditch challenges and interceptions, but he wasted a great chance to equalise in the final moments. Stephan Lichtsteiner - Was particularly positive on the right, which was Juve's main source of danger on the night. He made some clever runs in behind the defence. Paul Pogba - Combined well with Lichtsteiner down the right, regularly spinning into space. He drew a save out of Artur in the second half with a decent header and was one of Juve's best performers. Andrea Pirlo - Found it difficult to stamp his mark on the game as he was closed very quickly in midfield. His deliveries from set plays were often disappointing. Claudio Marchisio - The Italy international put a couple of decent balls into the box but he was unable to help Juve assert their dominance in the centre of the park and missed a great chance to equalise at the death. Kwadwo Asamoah - The Ghanaian had a rather quiet evening on the left flank, creating very little until picking out Tevez to slot home the equaliser. Mirko Vučinić - Did not time his runs well enough and was caught offside on a number of occasions. He did not get into goalscoring areas frequently enough. CARLOS TÉVEZ - The Argentine worked exceptionally hard for his team and was always looking to test Artur. He did eventually find the back of the net in the second half with a sublime finish to earn his side a priceless away goal. Substitutions Sebastian Giovinco - Replaced Vucinic in the 65th minute but failed to have the desired impact. Pablo Daniel Osvaldo - Came on for Tevez in the 82nd minute.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Lima's late winner gives Benfica 2-1 victory in semi-final first-leg Benfica substitute Lima struck late to give the newly-crowned Portuguese champions a 2-1 win over Juventus in the Europa League semi-final first-leg. Apr 24, 2014 Ezequiel Garay put the hosts ahead in the third minute only for Juventus striker Carlos Tevez to end his long European goal drought in the 73rd minute. Lima then ensured that Benfica will take an advantage for the return leg in Italy next week by scoring six minutes from time. Benfica, last season's runners-up in the competition, had the better start and were rewarded early on when Garay's powerful, downward header from Miralem Sulejmani's corner went into the back of the net. Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon did get a hand on Garay's effort but he could not keep the ball out. Benfica goalkeeper Artur was first called into action in the 14th minute when he kept out Tevez's hard drive from 30 yards. Juve's Stephan Lichtsteiner then nodded Claudio Marchisio's cross inches wide of the far post but he had been flagged offside. In the 34th minute, Benfica midfielder Andre Gomes was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Paul Pogba, meaning he will miss next week's encounter in Italy. Juve struggled to put a good move together and wasted two consecutive corner kicks before half-time. The Serie A leaders looked more dangerous after the break and almost pulled level in the 55th minute when Pogba's header from Claudio Marchisio's cross forced Artur to fully stretch to clear the ball. Artur was called again to make a save to deny Mirko Vucinic's goal-bound header. Juve's efforts were finally rewarded in the 73rd minute. Kwadwo Asamoah's cross found Tevez in the box and the Argentinian striker got past two defenders before hitting a powerful 12-yard shot past Artur. The goal was Tevez's first European strike since April 2009. Just when Juve looked to be in control, Benfica went ahead. Enzo Perez spotted an unmarked Lima at the edge of the area and the forward fired a right-footed shot past Buffon. Juve could not get past Benfica's defensive wall in the late stages of the game and will head to Turin needing to overturn the result in a week's time at the Juventus stadium, the venue for this year's final. Benfica Team Statistics Juventus 2 Goals 1 1 1st Half Goals 0 2 Shots on Target 5 4 Shots off Target 2 2 Blocked Shots 3 3 Corners 6 17 Fouls 12 0 Offsides 6 3 Yellow Cards 1 0 Red Cards 0 77.3 Passing Success 84.8 11 Tackles 21 81.8 Tackles Success 66.7 42.5 Possession 57.5 52 Territorial Advantage 48 397 Total Passes 539 6 Total Crosses 16 141 Lost Balls 134 55 Recoveries 67 50.1 1st Half Poss. 49.9 34.4 2nd Half Poss. 65.6

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Lima strike gives Aguilas advantage Apr 24, 2014 Benfica defeated Juventus 2-1 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final at the Estadio da Luz on Thursday night. Ezequiel Garay scored the opening goal of the match just two minutes in, but Carlos Tevez erased the advantage and grabbed the all important away goal for the Bianconeri in the 73rd minute. Lima broke the deadlock a little over 10 minutes later to give his team the victory. The hosts got off to a quick start, taking advantage of a corner from Miralem Sulejmani, which was converted by Garay with a thunderous header than Gianluigi Buffon couldn’t handle. Following the goal, Benfica continued to trouble Juve. Off a counter attack, Lazar Markovic played in a beautifully weighted through ball for Sulejmani, who sliced the ball wide of the near post. Tevez tried to muster some momentum for the Bianconeri, but it rolled slowly into Artur Moraes’ gloves. Neither team created anything noteworthy for the rest of the first half. After the restart, both sides fought for control with fouls flying left, right and centre. Juve nearly pulled level with Paul Pogba forcing a save out of Moraes with his header. Controversy ensued when Martin Caceres appeared to hip check Enzo Perez, but referee Cuneyt Cakir was having none of it, despite the protests of Benfica players and fans. Replays showed that Perez ran straight into Caceres and possibly embellished. Juve then dictated the tempo for the next few minutes as the Aguias couldn’t generate any shots on target. That paid off for The Old Lady as Tevez scored his first goal in European competition in five years off a Kwadwo Asamoah assist. The Encarnados searched for a second goal late in the match and they found it through Lima, who fired the ball into the top of the net, leaving Buffon with no chance to save it. Benfica almost scored a third shortly thereafter when Markovic sent a laser just past the far post. Claudio Marchisio returned the favour but Moraes came out quickly to prevent a clear shot. The Portuguese champions managed to weather a late storm from the visitors to hold on to a 2-1 lead heading into the Juventus Stadium for the second leg.

Perdere 1-2 in trasferta é (quasi) come pareggiare 0-0. Al ritorno occorre in entrambi i casi un goal per superare il turno. Certo se finisse 3-2 per noi il discorso cambierebbe.

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ EL: Juve beaten by Benfica Juventus lost the first leg of the Europa League semi-final 2-1 to Benfica, but Carlos Tevez scored a precious away goal. In the other Europa League semi-final, Sevilla beat their fellow Spaniards Valencia 2-0. Apr 24, 2014 The Bianconeri were without Arturo Vidal in Lisbon, so started Claudio Marchisio with Mirko Vucinic partnering Carlos Tevez. Benfica lost the Europa League Final to Chelsea last season, but mathematically won the League title on Sunday, so were in the mood to celebrate. Silvio, Ljubomir Fejsa, Eduardo Salvio and star midfielder Nicolas Gaitan were unavailable. Both sides went into this semi-final with five wins and a draw, being the only unbeaten teams still in the competition. It took under two minutes for Benfica to break the deadlock, as a Miralem Sulejmani corner was whipped in for the totally unmarked Ezequiel Garay. He was allowed a free header that bounced off the ground right in front of Gigi Buffon, who got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out of the net. Leonardo Bonucci appeared to drift off his man in the box. Clocked at 1 minute 56 seconds, it was the second fastest goal in this edition of the Europa League, beaten only by Lazio’s Keita Balde Diao against Ludogorets. Vucinic and Tevez combined well, but were cut out by a Luisao sliding tackle that sparked a counter and Sulejmani fired wide of the near post. Tevez had a timid strike from distance smothered by ex-Roma goalkeeper Arturo, then Paul Pogba harassed Andre Gomes out of possession only to misplace the through ball that would’ve sent Tevez clear. The French midfielder also failed to make the most of a promising move when he clattered into Guilherme Siqueira and Luisao smartly intercepted his roll across for Vucinic, as Juve were pushing after their shock start. A slide-rule pass sent Vucinic through, but the Montenegrin hesitated and had his timid shot charged down. Tevez then tried to do it all himself by bursting into the box, shrugging off two players only to be crowded out at the near post. Andre Gomes was booked for a foul on Pogba and will be suspended for the second leg in Turin next Thursday. Benfica had another very dangerous counter on Pirlo’s free kick, but Marchisio got back for a crucial deflection. On that set play, Giorgio Chiellini received a slight elbow on the jaw from Siqueira, unseen by the officials. Lazar Markovic surged past defenders with his pace only to misplace the cross-shot. Juve came out fighting for the second half and pinned the hosts back, but Marchisio and Vucinic touches let them down in the box. Marchisio smartly hooked a cross back into the middle for Pogba’s towering header, but Artur got back in time for a wonderful one-handed save. Enzo Perez tried to earn a penalty, but the referee waved play on as he ran into Martin Caceres’ leg to seek contact. Moments later, Artur needed two attempts to pluck the ball off Vucinic’s head after he had sprung the offside trap. Sebastian Giovinco replaced Vucinic and Juve had a great chance when Stephan Lichtsteiner rolled across for Marchisio to tap in from six yards, but Maxi Pereira got a crucial interception. The pressure eventually paid off, as Kwadwo Asamoah ran on to a Marchisio pass and pulled back from the left for Tevez, who rode a sliding Luisao tackle in the box with smart footwork to then fire past Artur at the near post. It was incredibly his first goal in European competition since Manchester United 2-2 Porto in the Champions League on April 7, 2009 – just over five years ago. Tevez tried to repeat the trick a few minutes later, but this time his touch was heavy and allowed Artur to smother. However, just as Benfica’s confidence seemed to be hit, they restored their advantage. A Cavaleiro dummy allowed the pass to roll through for Lima to blast under the bar from just inside the penalty area. There was nothing Buffon could’ve done about that fierce strike. It was nearly 3-1, as Brazilian Lima set up Markovic for an angled drive that skimmed the base of the far post. At the other end, Artur used his knee to parry from point-blank range when defenders failed to cut out a cross for Marchisio. The former Roma third choice goalkeeper also beat away another Marchisio effort, but this time he was offside. In stoppages Chiellini sprung the offside trap on a Marchisio chipped pass only to hoof the volley wide. On the counter Lima pulled back for Markovic, whose finish was charged down in the box for a corner. Benfica 2-1 Juventus Scorers: Garay 2 (B), Tevez 73 (J), Lima 84 (B) Benfica: Artur; Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Siqueira; L Markovic, Perez, Andre Gomes (Cavaleiro 82); Rodrigo, Oscar Cardozo (Lima 63), Sulejmani (Almeida 60) Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez (Osvaldo 82), Vucinic (Giovinco 65) Ref: Cakir (TUR)

BENFICA 2 - 1 JUVENTUS Ezequiel Garay (3′) Carlos Tévez (73′) Lima (84′) April 24, 2014 - 9:05 PM Estádio da Luz — Lisbon Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) Attendance:‬ 55779‎ Lima late show leaves Bianconeri on the brink Carlos Tevez cancelled out Ezequiel Garay's opener to put the visitors in control but the Brazilian struck with just six minutes remaining to give Jorge Jesus' men the advantage. Apr 24, 2014 Lima scored a sensational late winner as Benfica earned a dramatic 2-1 victory over Juventus in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final at the Estadio da Luz on Thursday night. The Brazilian striker picked the ideal time to strike in Lisbon, with his powerful 84th-minute finish giving the Eagles the upper hand heading into next week's return in Turin. Benfica – who lost last season's final to Chelsea – took the lead in the third minute thanks to Ezequiel Garay's header. Juventus had no shortage of motivation either, with this year's final to be held in Turin, and after a good second half, levelled proceedings when Carlos Tevez netted a well-taken finish with 17 minutes left. The goal – Tevez's first in European competition since scoring for Manchester United in April 2009 – looked like it would give the Serie A outfit a crucial draw, but Lima had other ideas. Benfica goalkeeper Artur Moraes then superbly kept out Claudio Marchisio as the hosts held on for a win that continues their push for a quadruple. Having already sewn up the Primeira Liga title, Benfica have booked a spot in the Taca de Portugal final and will contest a Taca da Liga semi-final against Porto on Sunday. It took less than two minutes for Jorge Jesus' men to take the lead as Garay powerfully headed in Miralem Sulejmani's corner from the left. Slack marking from Leonardo Bonucci allowed Garay a free header, with the defender's decision to push his opponent, instead of challenge him in the air, sure to be questioned by coach Antonio Conte. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon could not keep the effort out, despite getting two hands to it, and he will have been pleased to see Sulejmani slice an effort wide after a quick Benfica counterattack in the 11th minute. Juventus – missing star midfielder Arturo Vidal to a knee injury – struggled to make inroads despite a good spell of possession, with Tevez not troubling Artur with a tame 20-yard effort. An excellent slaloming run from Tevez on the half-hour mark was indicative of Juve's first-half struggles, as the sharp build-up play amounted to nothing, and when they did create another chance, defender Stephan Lichtsteiner was in an offside position when he wasted a free header. Juve came close to levelling proceedings 10 minutes into the second half, with Artur doing well to tip Paul Pogba's header wide after Marchisio's clever centre. The Serie A leaders kept pressing, as Lichtsteiner's teasing ball across the face of goal had to be well cleared by Maximiliano Pereira before they were eventually rewarded by Tevez. Marchisio's ball sent Kwadwo Asamoah free down the left and his cut-back to Tevez allowed the forward time before shooting. And he read the situation superbly, taking a touch to evade the sliding Luisao, before slotting through the legs of Artur to break his European drought. Lima responded in style for Benfica, though, with the forward hammering a first-time strike home from the edge of the penalty area into the top-right corner, after Ivan Cavaleiro's clever dummy. Lazar Markovic then shot wide for Benfica and there was still time for Juve to draw level again, only for Marchisio to fire against Artur when played through, before defender Giorgio Chiellini also wasted a late chance. The result will lift Benfica ahead of Sunday's crucial cup clash, while Juventus are likely to rest players in Monday's Serie A visit to Sassuolo.

3 minuti di recupero.

Marchisio

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