Benfica kept up the sparkling form that saw them drub Everton 5-0 in the Europa League as they beat Nacional 6-1 in Portugal’s Liga Sagres.
Oscar Cardozo grabbed a hat-trick while Javier Saviola scored two and Nuno Gomes the other.
The result puts Benfica top of the Liga Sagres on goal difference, having scored a massive 30 goals in eight games while only conceding five. Braga occupy second after dropping their first points of the season against Rio Ave. They have a far inferior goal difference having scored only 13 and conceded four.
Goals galore
Benfica’s Cardozo is the league’s top scorer with eleven goals, and Benfica’s ability to score, or rather inability not to score, is the most noticeable difference between how the side are playing now and how they played last season.
Their home fixture against Nacional last season ended 0-0, and a glance down their results for last season reveals a smattering of zeros and ones. At one point last season they went four games without scoring from open play – a statistic that is completely unimaginable under new coach Jorge Jesus.
Benfica’s resurgence under Jesus makes them a good bet to pick up some kind of silverware.
For anyone interesting in hitting the bookies you can still get odds of between 16/1 and 20/1 on them winning the Europa League. The odds on them winning the Liga Sagres are a much less profitable evens.
Quique Flores goes to Atletico
Benfica’s former manager Quique Flores has taken up the reins at Atletico Madrid following Abel Resino’s dismissal.
Flores left Benfica by mutual consent at the end of last season after a disappointing third-placed finish.
He’s now entrusted with turning around Atletico’s season. They currently sit in 17th place with seven points from eight games.
Flores has a decent record managing La Liga sides. He got newly-promoted Getafe to 13th place, was rewarded with the Valencia job and got them to third place in La Liga and the Champions League quarter finals.
The top
Benfica 22
Braga 22
Porto 19
Nacional 11
Rio Ave 11
Sporting 11