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What the fans have to say: Benfica
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Written by Ian Shine
Benfica reportedly have the most fans in the world and in the 1960s were arguably the best team in the world. They won what was then the European Cup - now the Champions League - twice and were runners up three times.
Now they’ve gone five years without winning the Portuguese league, sit firmly in the domestic shadow of Porto, and are playing in the Europa League. 90minutesonline spoke to PlanetBenfica about the club’s present and future.
Robert Lewandowski silenced some of his critics as he scored the only goal in Lech Poznań’s 1 - 0 win over current Ekstraklasa champions Wisła Kraków.
Lewandowski slipped between two defenders to collect Semir Stilić’s looping pass and coolly slide the ball under Wisła keeper Mariusz Pawełek.
In doing so he subjected Wisła to their first defeat of the season and reined back the runaway leaders. Wisła now sit only three points ahead of Ruch Chorzów, but still have a comfortable eight point cushion between them and Lech Poznań.
Crunch time came and went on Wednesday night for several nations hoping to qualify for next summer's World Cup. A lot of the group winners for the European qualifying section had been decided before it's final matches. Instead most fans imagination came to rest on the fate of Argentina, who were dicing with missing their first tournament since 1970.
Of course the South American power- house is perennially mentioned as a possible favourite for each and every World Cup. They are a nation who's past achievements seem to fore go any need to worry about form and players, as with Brazil and Germany (amongst others) there is a fear and an aura when it comes to facing them.
Icelandic owners, the Tevez and Mascherano affair and hooliganism have each blighted West Ham fans’ last few seasons.
The 2009/10 season hasn’t exactly started brilliantly either. The club sit in 19th with five points from seven games, but 90minutesonline found Graeme Howlett, editor of Knees Up Mother Brown, in fairly optimistic mood.
After a seven year stint in the Premier League under Alan Curbishley, Charlton have in recent years experienced relegation twice and now find themselves in League One.
2009 has already seen them set a new club record of 18 games without a win, but things are getting better. The Addicks currently sit second in the league having lost one of their last 11 games and have just received a significant financial injection.
90minutesonline spoke to Grant Wyn, author of Addick's Championship Diary, about his team and his hopes for this season.
Benfica reportedly have the most fans in the world and in the 1960s were arguably the best team in the world. They won what was then the European Cup - now the Champions League - twice and were runners up three times.
