Team Summary
Benfica have already made history this season by reaching the knockout stages for the first time. Filipa Patao’s side is unbeaten in 18 and with a comfortable domestic league, they can focus their attention on securing a shock result in Europe’s most prestigious competition.
Road to the Knockouts
Benfica’s campaign started over six months ago, thrashing Cliftonville 8-1 and SFK Rīga 4-0 to reach the playoffs. An incredible 11-0 aggregate win over Apollon meant As Águias cruised through.
The group stages started in sobering fashion, with a 5-0 loss to Barcelona before a tense 1-0 win over FC Rosengård was followed by a decisive doubleheader against Eintracht Frankfurt. A 1-0 win in Portugal and a 1-1 draw in Germany put qualification in their hands. Matchday 5 saw them grind out a 2-2 draw against Rosengård before their group stage concluded with a ridiculous 4-4 draw against defending title holders FC Barcelona.
Key Player: Jessica Silva
After tough years at Lyon and in America, Jéssica Silva has found tranquillity at Benfica and is producing some of the best football of her career. A true crowd-pleaser, she shows unbelievable skill and ability to manipulate the ball on the wing and in the forward areas, and more often than not delivers deadly end product too.
With an impressive league goalscoring record, she has managed to translate those skills in the Champions League, with four goals in six appearances this season. What this doesn’t account for, however, is the number of attacks she kick-starts due to her lightning turn of pace and fantastic ability to dribble past opponents, either to create chances for herself or to lay in on a plate for teammates.
Having barely had a chance at Lyon a few years ago, Silva will be keen to show them exactly what they missed out on and help try and pull off a shock that will echo throughout all of European football.
Tactical Insight
SL Benfica’s domestic dominance means they are used to cruising through matches and being able to exert their attacking muscles at every opportunity. They’ve only conceded seven goals domestically, but have found it heavier going in the UWCL, largely due to the improved quality of the opposition. Nonetheless, Benfica do play an attractive brand of football, focusing on keeping the ball on the ground and getting it forward quickly using sweeping passes through the middle third in order to allow their pacey attackers to do damage.
Lena Pauels' ball-playing and sweeping ability is important behind a back three which usually comprises of the experienced Laís Araújo and prodigious Ana Seiça and Christy Ucheibe. This strong and mobile defence allows them to play a higher line and means that Lúcia Alves and Andrea Falcón can press up high as the wingbacks, although they are hard workers and will tuck into the defence when required.
In the engine room, Anna Gasper and Andreia Faria provide energy and impetus in both boxes, strong in the tackle and also adept at picking out neat passes to allow the front three to do real damage. Jéssica Silva’s direct running off the wing and Marie-Yasmine Alidou’s impressive finishing skills mean that Benfica can be extremely strong in the transition. Nycole Raysla can also finish expertly inside the box, but she also works extremely hard for her side, playing with her back to goal and bringing teammates into play to allow them to press up the pitch.
Predicted XI: (3-4-3)
Lena Pauels
Laís Araújo-Ana Seiça-Christy Ucheibe
Lúcia Alves-Anne Gasper-Andreia Faria-Andrea Falcón
Marie-Yasmine Alidou-Nycole Raysla-Jéssica Silva
Future Star: Christy Ucheibe
Versatility is the name of the game for the talented young Nigerian, who has shown herself equally adept at fitting in as a central defender, defensive midfielder and central midfielder for As Encarnadas. Tough in the tackle and a strong passer, she has a lot of the traits that make her ideal for Benfica’s high-intensity style.
Having impressed with the Super Eagles at the 2023 World Cup in Australia, Ucheibe has taken that form into her club performances and continues to go from strength to strength. Ucheibe also has shown a useful habit for causing chaos in the opposition box from set pieces and already has opened her account in the Champions League.
At 23, she has time on her side and with her rate of growth, it seems inevitable that a move to a bigger league is a matter of when, not if. If she continues to develop at this pace, we’ll likely be talking about her as one of the outstanding enforcers in the world’s game very soon.
Watch Benfica vs Lyon in the UEFA Women’s Champions League live for free on DAZN.