Benfica-Al Nassr is a friendly and is played on Thursday at 21:30: news, formations, predictions, live TV and streaming
Ronaldo and Brozovic’s Al-Nassr three days ago literally collapsed in the friendly – the third since the Saudi club has been in training in Portugal – against Rafa Benitez’s Celta Vigo.
A two-faced performance, as all five of the Galicians’ goals (5-0) came in the second half, coincidentally as soon as the Portuguese and the Croatian, the latter having arrived in the current market from Inter Milan, were recalled to the bench. For the two most representative players it was the first game as starters since their return from holiday: coach Luis Castro, who a few weeks ago left Brazil’s top-ranked Botafogo to accept the proposal of the Riyadh club, will bet mainly on them to win the title that the Yellowoblù failed to win last season, finishing second behind Al-Ittihad. While waiting for Fifa to unblock the market – Al-Nassr cannot make any more signings for the time being due to an old dispute with Leicester over the Musa deal – Ronaldo and his teammates will try to regain their best condition in the friendlies they will play in the coming weeks. Before leaving Portugal, they will face Benfica, then leave for China, where they will face Psg and Inter Milan.
It is also the third pre-season friendly for Roger Schmidt’s men after those against Southampton and Basel, both of which they won (2-0 and 3-1). The Portuguese champions lost left-back Alejandro Grimaldo, but in return they welcomed back Angel Di Maria, who decided to return to Lisbon after 13 years, and picked up two interesting players, Kokcu and Jurasek, who arrived from Feyenoord and Slavia Prague respectively.
Brozovic
The Prediction
We expect a reaction of pride from Al-Nassr after the drubbing against Celta Vigo but Benfica have too much more quality than the Saudis to imagine a result other than a victory for the Lusitanians. Both, in any case, should score.
Benfica v Al Nassr matchday squad
- BENFICA (4-3-3): Vlachodimos; Bah, Morato, Antonio Silva, Jurasek; Florentino, Kokcu; Di Maria, Joao Mario, Rafa Silva; Gonçalo Ramos.
- AL-NASSR (4-4-2): Ospina; Al-Ghanam, Madu, Lajami, Konan; Ghareeb, Brozovic, Fofana, Masharipov; Cristiano Ronaldo, Talisca.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
