Benfica baffles in season opening loss to Famalicao

Benfica's season kicked off with an unexpected thud as they fell 2-0 to Famalicao. Fans were left scratching their heads, not just because of the loss, but also due to the strange lineup chosen by coach Roger Schmidt. With three defensive midfielders and no wingers on the field, many are wondering what he was thinking.

Starting the season with a solid game plan is crucial, but Schmidt's choices left many questioning his strategy. Instead of employing dynamic wingers who can stretch the field and create scoring opportunities, he opted for his favourites playing out of position. What was meant to be a tactical masterclass turned into a perplexing puzzle.

With three defensive midfielders on the pitch, in Florentino, Aursnes and Barreiro it felt like Benfica was playing not to lose rather than going for the win. This defensive posture is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. They might have had good intentions, but it certainly didn't work out.

Benfica supporters are notoriously passionate and vocal. After just one match, frustrations began boiling over. Fans flooded social media, expressing their discontent. How could a club with Benfica's rich history come out with such a dud after last season's disappointing campaign.

The uproar was palpable. “We need attackers, not a fortress,” one fan exclaimed, perfectly capturing the sentiment of so many others. It’s hard to blame them. A season opener should inspire hope, not dread, what was the point of a line up lacking wingers when there where two sitting on the bench.

Famalicao deserves credit for coming out with a clear game plan. They capitalized on Benfica’s uncharacteristic lack of offensive threat. By pressuring the midfield and exploiting the mistakes created by the club to score a goal in each half, much to the delight of their home crowd fans.

With the season just starting, it’s clear that adjustments are needed. Will Schmidt continue with this unorthodox lineup, or will he adapt to the mounting pressure. The next few matches will be crucial. Consistency is key in football, and if Benfica hopes to challenge for the title, they need to quickly find their rhythm and use players in positions that they will thrive.

We need to learn from last season's mistakes not start creating new ones in 2024-25. The Hysteria just one game in may be a bit over board but with rivals Sporting and FC Porto picking up season opening wins. You can't blame the fans for just feeling that they were right all along in wanting Schmidt gone last season only to see club President Rui Costa bring him back.

On a bright note, Tomas Araujo looked very good in the starting center back role and a UEFA Youth League reunion with partner Antonio Silva that saw the pair capture the championship in 2022, could be a very promising twosome for the upcoming season.

Benfica will look to get things right in their season opening home game against Casa Pia next week but the clock is already ticking on Schmidt and Costa's futures with the club.