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Manchester United begin their quest for European supremacy against Portuguese giants Benfica, who are without a doubt, their toughest opponents in the group in a clash which should be their toughest test in the group stage (with all due respect to Basel and a little to Otelul Galati too). United and Benfica have given Europe some memorable moments. The English Champions share a love-and-hate relationship with the Portuguese side.
Three clashes that shaped the clubs' history:
Once upon a time at Wembley
Ten years after the catastrophic Munich tragedy, Sir Matt Busby, the legend that shaped Manchester United’s glorious history, set out a team with two survivors from the Munich air crash- Bobby Charlton (captain) and Bill Foulkes. It was hyped as the clash between two of the greatest footballers of their generation – Portuguese wonder Eusebio and Man United’s very own George Best. United had to play in the untraditional blue kit as Benfica wore Red. The game was rough and was interrupted by stoppages as both teams looked to establish their superirioty. Both teams went into half-time tied at 0-0. Inspired and revitalized by Sir Matt’s pep-talk, the Busby Babes took the lead 8 minutes into the second half, when Bobby Charlton produced a great header that ended in the back of the net. But the Portuguese side equalized 10 minutes from time through Eusebio (1968’s top-scorer). The match headed into extra-time and the Busby Babes rose to the occasion. ‘El Beatle’ George Best gave United the lead once again, rounding the keeper and putting the ball in the back of the net, a moment that brings happy tears to every Red Devil’s eyes. 19-Year-old birthday boy Brian Kidd added the third and as though it was written in the stars, the iconic skipper Bobby Charlton rounded off the scoring with his second of the game. That was that, Manchester United had become the first English team to be crowned the Champions of Europe.
AET: Manchester United 4-1 Benfica
"He's lost the plot completely"
Chelsea’s rise on the domestic front was coincided by arguably Sir Alex’s worst spell as United’s gaffer. United had come third in the League the season before and had qualified for the Champions’ League after beating Debreceni in the play-offs. The Red Devils’ group included Villareal, Benfica and Lille. United had 6 points on the board, tied second with Lille with Villarreal on top just a point ahead. Benfica where rock bottom, although just a single point behind United. SAF’s men took the lead via Paul Scholes and the away fans went berserk. Their joy was however, short-lived as the Portuguese side equalized through Geovani. The fans feared the worst and it came true, as Beto scored on the 33rd minute. Manchester United had been knocked out of the Champions’ League in the group stages for the first time since the 1995-96. The aftermath included headlines like “Fergie has lost the plot” and many pundits saw this painful defeat as the end of the Old Trafford Empire.
FT: Benfica 2-1 Manchester United
The Saha-shank Redemption
How Fergie would’ve laughed after the draw. As fate would have it, he got an opportunity to redeem his United side the very next year. Man United drew Benfica yet again in the group stage along with Celtic and Danish opposition Copenhagen. Having failed with a customary 4-4-2, Sir Alex set out with a more measured and defensive 4-5-1 formation in Lisbon. It was a rather cagey affair as both teams lacked the cutting-edge. Ferguson’s purpose was to play the opposition out and get a goal on the break. And he got hit spot on as Louis Saha scored with a moment of inspiration to give Manchester United their first away win in the Champions’ League for nearly three years. Sweet revenge.
FT: Benfica 0-1 Manchester United
Trivia:
- The two sides have met 7 times in Europe with the Red Devils coming out on top on 6 out of 7 occasions. #Nemesis.
- United's record in Champions League's first group stage matches- Played-16, W-9, D-6, L-1. The only defeat came to Juventus 14 years ago.
- Manchester United's last 5 CL defeats have been to teams with 'B' as their first letter: Benfica, Barca, Besiktas, Bayern & Barca. #‘B’ollocks.
- Twice as good after 4 games:
League position: United-1st, Benfica-2nd
Goals scored: United -18, Benfica- 9 - .Rooth-less: Wayne Rooney averages 2 goals a game this season, scoring 8 in 4 matches.
Football Finesse Verdict: United have brushed aside everyone thrown at them so far and have been scoring goals for fun and this is down to, in no uncertain terms, the form of Rooney, Young and Anderson. Benfica may not be a European powerhouse but they certainly can’t be underestimated. Players such as Nolito, Aimar and Saviola will ensure that United do not rest up in Portugal. This will be a good test for United’s young defence and players such as Phil Jones and Ashley Young will be making their CL debuts. Dimitar Berbatov has warmed the bench enough for food to be cooked on it and is desperate to get a start. The team will be set out by Sir Alex keeping Sunday’s Chelsea encounter in mind. It will be interesting to see if United can replicate their impeccable domestic form in Europe.
Prediction: I've predicted like a practical fan this season and they're proving me wrong time and again. So I'm gonna be ambitious now and go for a 0-4 United win.
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