Benfica Lisbon is one of the top clubs in European futsal, but does not take Futsal Minerva lightly in the sixteenth-finals of the Champions League, despite being favorites.
Published: 01/15/2021, 3:42 pm—
–The kings of Europe: Minerva’s opponent Benfica Lisbon won the Uefa Futsal Champions League in 2010.
Photo: Benfica Lissabon website
In the summer of 2010, three futsal-crazy students founded Futsal Minerva in Bern. In the same year, the traditional Portuguese club Benfica Lisbon won the Uefa Futsal Champions League for the first time in its club’s history thanks to a 3-2 win after extra time in the final against Interviú Madrid.
In contrast to Switzerland, the sport of futsal has enjoyed great importance in Portugal for a long time. It is common practice on the Iberian Peninsula that juniors train their technique, creativity and game intelligence in the hall and learn to make quick decisions in the smallest of spaces. The five-time world footballer Cristiano Ronaldo also played in the hall as a child.
The football clubs will also benefit from this in the long term. It’s no wonder that big clubs like Sporting or Benfica have had their own futsal department for decades. There has been a championship operation in Portugal since 1990, which has become more and more professional over the years. Today 16 teams play in the top division.
Benfica is full of juice
Unlike Futsal Minerva, which has not been able to fight a serious fight in Switzerland for months, Benfica Lisbon is full of juice. Coach Joel Rocha’s team was still in action on January 9th in the championship. The final rehearsal for the Champions League succeeded Benfica with a 4-0 away win at Modicus-Sandim. After 17 rounds (15 wins, 2 draws!) Benfica are tied with Sporting Lisbon at the top of the table.
One thing is clear, however. The Portuguese pros will definitely not take the city of Bern lightly in the sixteenth finals of the Champions League. The former world-class player and current team manager Gonçalo Alves even speaks of Futsal Minerva with a healthy dose of respect on the Benfica website.
«Interesting Team»
«Minerva is a very interesting team. A club that also knows our team very well because they have some Portuguese in their squad and the coach Pedro Santos is from Portugal, ”says Alves. Former top player Alves believes that Minerva is a team that would give Benfica some work.
The seven-time champions of Portugal have prepared meticulously for the guest appearance in Switzerland. “The knockout format with only one game is unusual for us. It’s all or nothing, so we’ll get into the game with full concentration and try to show our best form, ”explains Benfica’s team manager Alves.
Published: 01/15/2021, 3:42 pm-
