Benfica-Amadora

i think this is a done deal: Benfica need a win badly while useless Amadora are already relegated. the hosts are 5 1 0 10 - 2 in their last 6 games, best team in portugal in the last 2 months. Amadora lost 0-4 to Sporting a few weeks ago. any team news from portugal?

[bagehot]

Not much time ATM, but anyway...

Benfica miss regular starters Petit and Simão and Camacho will sit Tiago on the bench. Of course this has home win written all over it, but the prices are just far too short for my liking at a meagre 1.10-1.12.

Sporting have a tough game in Leiria, and won't have Rui Jorge and captain Pedro Barbosa available for selection (red cards last week). Leiria is a very tricky pitch to play at, Benfica drew there 2-2, and I can see the home side causing Sporting a lot of trouble. No value in backing Sporting tonight I feel and the only temptation might actually be Leiria @ 5.00 with Victor Chandler...

Porto are available at an excellent price IMO at 1.25 (BlueSq, Interwetten). Of course it's 31 home wins in a row for the league ATM, and a packed Estádio do Dragão with the added incentive of ensuring the league title with a win should be more than enough to see them through here. Alverca was not a threat at either Benfica nor Sporting and though they will fight to the last I don't feel there's enough in their squad to trouble Porto.

Sorry I'm late, but I just had a lot of trouble posting...

i tried to post earlier but many time outs.

my reply was


hi Adrian,

your right in thinking Benfica should walk this one but stranger things have happened in this league and Amadora are playing for pride.

@1.10 home win - whats the point?

I have not checked it out yet but i believe Tiago/Simao & Petit are injured or suspended so the midfield must be Aguiar, Geovanni, Joao Pereira & Alex or Manuel not sure

Nuno and Sokota will be upfront

porto and nacional probably better value for home wins - sure Bagehot has some news on those games...

galea

and yes Benfica are best team in Portugal

[bagehot]

porto and nacional probably better value for home wins - sure Bagehot has some news on those games...

Well I don't really care about Nacional, but there's major news as far as Porto is concerned:

Derlei is back!

4 months after tearing his knee ligaments, he should play the latter stages of the 2nd half tomorrow.

I'll make sure he gets his round of applause

And yes Benfica are probably the most in-form team of the league... let's see what the Cup Final come May 16th brings

Benfica are improving but sadly make little progress away from home especially against Porto or Sporting...next year maybe...

Derlei's return is a huge boost for Porto though - he was having his best season yet and to be fair Benny has done more than expected but Porto for all their flair lacked a striker this season.

hope he is fit for the second leg of the Champions League in Spain and the game is better

nice tip on Maniche @17.00 by the way - hit the post from 30yrds - very close...


galea