Benfica’s sporting director, Mario Branca, expressed his confidence in his team’s ability to eliminate Real Madrid from the Champions League round of 16 playoffs, stating that “nothing is impossible” in football.
Benfica defeated Real Madrid last Wednesday in the final round of the league, securing José Mourinho’s team a place in the playoffs, before the draw pitted the two sides against each other again in the round of 16.
Speaking to the Portuguese media after the draw, Branca said, “Nothing is impossible for Benfica. We aspire to qualify for the round of 16, whether we face Sporting Lisbon or Manchester City.”
He added, “We knew very well that we would face a very difficult draw, whether against Real Madrid or Inter. Real Madrid is a great club, but now the situation is completely different. We are in the knockout stage with a two-legged format, and the calculations are much more complicated.”
“What we saw last Wednesday confirms that nothing is impossible for Benfica. We are used to magical European nights, and we will try to repeat that. Real Madrid and Benfica are historic clubs in Europe, and it will certainly be a great match.”
