Real Sociedad has also grown bigger in Europe. In Lisbon they dominated Benfica and once that superiority materialized with Brais Méndez’s goal, they had the opportunity to secure with ball control a victory that is worth its weight in gold and clears the way to the Champions League round of 16. From the start the ‘txuri urdin’ team exhibited a cheeky attitude, electric on the sides with Kubo and Barrenetxea as stilettos. This is how they bottled up in their domains a rival very pressured by necessity after two defeats. Life is no longer the same for the Águilas without pillars like Gonçalo Ramos and Enzo Fernández, but the Portuguese champion was shaking off the opponent’s dominance as the minutes passed until the goal disallowed for Musa due to Rafa Silva’s previous offside.
It was a warning that the initial dynamics of the clash had changed and a sign of the Portuguese danger on the counterattack against Real’s innocuous ball control, which needed more speed in circulation to generate danger. Aware of the importance of the duel, the Alguacil team scored in the last third of the rival field with a deflected shot from Aihen, the goal annulled to Brais Méndez for an illegal position after a great pass from Merino and another shot from Kubo to the side of the grid. The Basque team was better on points and Barrenetxea finished the first act with a shot that hit the post, sweetening Real’s feelings during the break.
Benfica
Trubin, Bah (Chiquinho, min. 81), António Silva, Otamendi, Jurásek (Bernat, min. 59), Joao Neves, Aursnes, Neres (Gouveia, min. 69), Rafa Silva, Joao Mario (Kokçu, min. 46 ) and Musa (Cabral, min. 46).
0
–
1
Real society
Remiro, Traoré (Aritz, min. 70), Zubeldia, Le Normand, Aihen Muñoz, Zubimendi, Brais Méndez, Merino, Kubo (Carlos Fernández, min. 76), Oyarzabal (Ali Cho, min. 92) and Barrenetxea (Zakaryan, min. 76).
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Goal:
0-1: min. 63, Brais Méndez. -
Referee:
Clément Turpin (France). He cautioned Aritz, Merino and Bernat. -
Incidents:
Match of the third day in group D of the Champions League played at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon.
Roger Schmidt did not see it clearly, with water up to his neck in the Champions League, so he moved the bench in search of Benfiquista’s reaction. However, after passing through the locker room the 0-1 score was still closer, especially with a left-footed shot from Zubimendi that Trubin thwarted as best he could. Kubo continued to accumulate merits but the jackpot came from the other side, that of Barrenetxea. The San Sebastian player surpassed Bah in the cut and served for the incorporation of Brais Méndez, a sweet among the cream of the Old Continent with the title to the well-deserved ‘txuri urdin’ advantage.
La Real was cherishing a fundamental victory and demonstrated the craftsmanship that it had lacked in Europe in recent years to tie it up as it knows best, with the ball. He adds seven points out of a possible nine, keeps the fight on Inter for first place and leaves Benfica practically without options. The ticket to the second round seems increasingly closer.
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