Official SL Benfica Thread

Yes i read this myself and what i would like to ask all of you is who would you prefer Ajax or Benfica?
Personally i think ajax would be better for us as i think benfica are a stronger team with more capable players. Ajax are a shadow of what they once were and i think we would take at least 4 points from them but would struggle to get 4 point from benfica and would probably get 3 points with a home win and a defeat in portugal. What do you all think

 

I really reckon we can get max points from Ajax but I'm not sure about Benfica because they were pretty * good last year

 

i care about ma money that what i care about,i didn't work my balls of in the royal mail all summer to get a champions league away match,just for it to become a fvckin farce

 

I'd also prefer ajax,i think we have the beating of all teams at home it's just away we need that bit of luck and ajax replacing benfica is the little bit of luck we could well need

 

They couldn’t do this now because Celtic, Man U and Copenhagen fans will gave travel and accommodation booked. They might be banned from next years competition, but not this years. If and I think it’s a big if, they are banned from this year then FIFA or Benfica would have to pay back all the money that fans have spent on flights and accommodation.

 

personally i dont think they will be thrown out,,,but if they are there is no way anyone will be refunded for any flights or accomodation

 

THERE is nothing on the TXT about Ajax taking Benfica's place so I don't know where people got that information here is the link to the whole story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5309910.stm

Porto as well could get kicked out also as a spokesman form UEFA said ALL portuguse Clubs would be Banned!!!!

They are making there decision to the Portugal Football Association on 11 September but It still doesn't say Ajax will take Benfica

 

CELTIC'S Champions League rivals Benfica face being booted out of Europe because o f a huge scandalin Portuguese football.
​

FIFA are threatening to ban all Portuguese clubs and the national team from European competition unless they can resolve a domestic row.

And Ajax - beaten in the qualifiers by another of the Hoops' Group F opponents, FC Copenhagen - have been lined up as Benfica's replacements.

The scandal surrounds Gil Vicente who were relegated to the Second Division during the summer for allegedly breaking a rule concerning the mid-season registration of * players.

Amateurs must complete a year at that level before they can sign professional forms.

But Angolan international Mateus had only been involved for seven months whenGil Vicente recruited him last season.

They finished one place above the drop zone and relegated Beleneses have lodged a complaint.

After an investigation the Portuguese FA found Gil Vicente guilty and relegated them to the Second Division.


The club then compounded the error by applying to a Civil Court to clear the player's name - contravening more league rules.


FIFA are nowinvolved and have warned the Portuguese FA they have 15 days to find a solution or all their clubs will be BANNED from European competition.


That would be a huge boost to Gordon Strachan's side with Benfica one of the toughest third-seed opponents in the Champions League draw.


Benfica's fate is now in the hands of Gil Vicente president Antonio Fiova who must decide whether to take the matter out of the Civil Court. But sources in Portugal claim he is too stubborn and will take the matter all the way. ​

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4 September 2006
CELTIC FANS FACING NEW CHAOS OVER BENFICA TIE
By Anthony Haggerty

CELTIC fans could face a third bill for travel if FIFA today decide to axe their Champions League rivals Benfica.
The Parkhead side are due to fly to Portugal for the November 1 tie but the world governing body has threatened to chop all Portuguese clubs from European competition over legal action mounted by one of the country's sides Gil Vicente.
Celtic fans originally booked flights to take themto Lisbon for October 31 after that match date was incorrectly posted on the club's official website.
They then faced further costs for trying to fast forward their arrangements by 24 hours.
Now, if the FIFA threat is carried out, Celtic fans may have to abandon their Portuguese dream entirely and head for Amsterdam, as Dutch side Ajax are favourites to replace Benfica in Group F.
Not only do Porto and Benfica fear they could be kicked out of the Champions League, Portugal's participation in the Euro 2008 qualifiers is also in danger after the relegation row which has now reached the domestic civil courts.​

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Gil Vicente have gone to court to try to overturn their relegation from the country's top flight last season because ofaplayer eligibility row.

They were relegated to the Portuguese second tier for allegedly breaking the rules concerning the midseason registration of * players.

The storm centres around whether or not Angolan international Mateus completed a full year at * level before signing professional forms.

Mateus had only been involved involved for seven months before signing a deal with Gil Vicente.

Belenenses, who finished bottom of the Portuguese League and were relegated, have since lodged a complaint that has been upheld and the Portuguese FA have relegated Gil Vicente to the Second Division.

But Gil Vicente have turned to the law and going to court is in defiance of the international governing statutes of football laid down by FIFA and to which all national federations are signed up.

Federation president Giberto Madail flew to Zurich on Friday to try to defuse the row while simultaneously negotiating even the possible introduction of emergency government legislation today to try to halt Gil Vicente's drastic action.

FIFA have warned the Portuguese FA they have two weeks to find a solution or be banned from European competition at club and international level altogether.

Asource close to Madail said: "It's not looking hopeful. FIFA always take a hard line in cases like this.

"The big clubs are resigned to the prospect that, unless Gil Vicente step back from the brink, Porto, Benfica and Sporting will all be kicked out of the Champions League and Sporting will be dropped from the UEFA Cup."

Such a humiliating exit could cost all three of the clubs a minimum of £17million and open the way for promotion back into the Champions League for Italy's Chievo, Spain's Osasuna and Ajax.

Portugal's opening Euro 2008 tie against Finland on Wednesday is also in jeopardy.

But Benfica president Luis Felipe Vieira insisted he is confident a solution can be found.

He said: "We have full confidence in the federation's ability to take the right decision for the sake of all Portuguese football and its international image."

It is the second football scandal to hit European football in the last few months after Italian football was rocked by a match-fixing scandal which saw champions Juventus stripped of their title and relegated to Serie B.

Rivals AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio all clung to their Serie A status but were hit by massive points deductions.​

 

This is utterly shocking, i hope everyone who's booked flights and hotels etc. can maybe get their money back or flights changed at least. If not then Fifa should be active in dealing with the whole situation. Its totally down to them if this goes * up and theres no way id sit back and take any * from anyone about it.

 

We have a big problem....i hope that from next thursday on everything will be ok. Because next thursaday, gil vicente will decide if wants to continue with this *. They will be suspended...are they stupid??? YES, OFCOURSE THEY ARE. gggrrrrrrrrr

 

Gil Vicente better have a good reason for doing this.

It bothers me that airlines wont refund people that have been caught up in these exceptional circumstances. I'm sure Benfica fans have booked their flights for Glasgow aswell. The Airlines must show that they value their customers and not try to railroad them at every opportunity

 

Now lets compare what happened with the italian clubs who were clearly found guilty of improper practice to the situation we have here. AC Milan seem to still be in the draw for the CL. Now Benfica on the other hand are not guilty of any involvement in any malpractice!!

Common sense would tell us that there is absolutely no way they would be banned from competition.

Sadly we are talking about FIFA ... common sense does not apply ... therefore having booked and paid for everything i must admit to being a little concerned!!

 

remember though who owns AC Milan - Berlusconi ex president of Italy and a very rich and powerful man he owns and runs almost all italian TV channels. It wouldnt surprise me if he had a stake in bringing italy back in

 

dont disagree with that at all mate... part of me honestly says nothing to worry about here because it would be completely unjust... but fifa, like uefa are utterly inept (and im being kind there) at times and thats whats eating me a bit.

 

any of our benfica friends give us an unpdate on the FIFA v Portugal situation?? very quite in the press over here...any developments getting reported over there??

 

I can't see them banned.

anyway i was watching their last game against Boavista and they were * as *. got their arses beaten 3 nil and what is very important for us their players are really nervous... they were finishing the game with only 8 players on the pitch

 

Bumpity bump!

Time to get this one goin again now methinks!

It seems on trhe face of it that their result went ok for us tonight.. whatdya think?

I'll be watchin them l8r to get an idea of what we're facing, though I gather from the match report they were * hot in the first half, but just failed to get the breakthrough..

will post any news regarding suspensions, injuries etc that may affect our match asap.. unless someone gets there first!

hail, hail

 

well its clear to me that the next game is a vital one , if we can pick up 3 points against them then we could be 5 points clear of them coz i cant see copenhagen beating Man U . So the next game is vital if we are going to progress through to the last 16

 

Man Utd should beat Copehangen home and away

If we win at home and pick up at least a point away in Benfica

Then the group is all but mathematical, Man Utd 1st Celtic 2nd