europa league preview

following my europa league love-in of a few posts ago, i thought i'd put my money where my mouth is this week, helped in no small part by the absolute saturation levels of champions league coverage. there's no doubt that the prospect of liverpool being humbled yet again is far more exciting than wayne rooney's fucking ankle...but i'm getting ahead of myself.

although it's produced a fine set of matches thus far, UEFA are still doing their best to bury their new creation, whilst simultaneously bigging it up to all and sundry. whilst the champions league is given 2 matchdays per week, in order to maximise tv coverage, the europa league quarter-finals are all kicking off at 8.05 tonight. i know that the champions league is more lucrative, but surely UEFA can see the need to...oh never mind. onto the previews, before i give myself a headache. seeing as none of you are going to watch 2 games at once, i shall focus on the tastiest-looking tie, and do the same for the 2nd legs.

benfica v liverpool:

i don't often say this about a game involving liverpool, but i am very much looking forward to this. thinking about it, my excitement is quite possibly down to the fact that i fully expect them to be defeated, a pleasure which is becoming more common, but has in no way been diluted. anyway, this one is being billed as a clash between 2 champions league level teams, and i suppose it is, for benfica at least. they really have become one of the finest sides outside the major leagues this season, and would worry most of the remaining participants in the champions league. following their 1-0 win over braga on saturday, the liga sagres looks to be sewn up, and the europa league is an achievable target for jorge jesus, who will surely be dubbed 'the next mourinho' should he mastermind a victory over liverpool.

in actual fact, he is less wedded to 4-3-3 than the special one, preferring to employ a diamond with real madrid reject javi garcia at the base, ramires carrying the piano out on the right, with the attacking threat provided by the ever-improving angel di maria wide left, and either pablo aimar or carlos martins in the free role at the tip, dictating play. much will be made on british television of the injury to saviola, but he's looked tired in recent weeks, and alan kardec, a january signing from vasco, is a capable replacement. he and cardozo (quite possibly the best striker not playing in spain, england or italy) are more than capable of worrying the ageing carragher.

there is a lot of criticism of liverpool's continuing use of 2 deep-lying midfielders, but i think that against a team like benfica, who rely on the distribution of garcia and aimar, it can be effective. another interesting tussle will be between david luiz and fernando torres. i think the young brazilian has the talent to do great things in the game, but torres will be the toughest challenge he has faced, and it will be interesting to see how he does, or whether luisao (a less classy but vastly experienced defender) is forced to take a greater role in marking torres. the tie might not hinge on the above conflicts, but it's a decent starting point. either way it should be entertaining- benfica are an attacking side, with a great stadium, rowdy fans, and a promising young manager.

enjoy the games, whichever one you end up watching.