“Zenith” has dropped out last year’s rival – Kommersant

Champions League

In the opening round of the play-off Champions League Petersburg “Zenith” in February will play with the Lisbon “Benfica”. This seems to be quite a good draw for the Russian club. Together with the Portuguese team, which he has already beaten in the main European Cup last year, Zenit look, perhaps favorites.

“Zenith” has done a lot to yesterday’s draw for the 1/8 finals of the Champions League has turned out well for him, he’s great spending group stage. First place in the quartet secured him a place among the seeded and served as a hedge against a meeting with the overwhelming majority of the giants of European football. Among the runners-grants were too, but not as much, and the intersection with PSG, “Juventus” and “Arsenal” Petersburgers happily escaped.

“Benfica” – is a middle option. On the one hand, how about a Christmas gift about it, of course, to say stupid. The club with the name, reputation, constantly performing at an elite level. On the other – it should not cause the players “Zenith” no nervous trembling. Rather, it is the players, “Benfica” that should cause some jitters though, because many of them still remember quite fresh last year’s games against the St. Petersburg club in the Champions League.

In fact, the previous rally usually attributed to the failure of “Zenith”. But failure was still a relative. “Monaco” and “Bayer” Zenit conceded in the group, but at least from a European cup is not taken off after moving into the Europa League. And they flew out just “Benfica”, which twice lost “Zenith”: at home with a score of 0: 2 away – 0: 1.

Since then, something changed in her. Well, let’s trains “Benfica” no longer Jorge Jesus, and Rui Vitoria and several transfers in summer it cranked. However, it is, in principle, from the viewpoint of the status, whether that nothing has changed.

“Benfica” – this is still a club that comes with quality players (in the present composition is, for example, the goalkeeper Julio Cesar, defender Luisão, midfielder Nicolas Gaitan, often clogging forward Jonas) with a focus on Latin America, but on expensive superstars does not apply. Its price niche is approximately the same as that of the “Zenith” – that is, for the next one, which is home to major grants. Moreover, according to the portal Transfermarkt, St. Petersburg cost the basics pretty well ahead lissabontsev – € 192,2 million versus € 162,7 mln.

If you take the current season, his results Again, speak in favor of “Zenith”. In national championships case the teams are about the same. “Zenith”, is known to play in the Russian league straight, well and “Benfica” in the Portuguese suffered 12 rounds of three defeats – a lot of its standards.

In this case, Zenit, at least in the Champions League, have demonstrated the highest class. But “Benfica” in the group acted without shine, even with difficulty. The group was not the worst, and extracted a ticket to the play-off can hardly be equated to feat. “Benfica” was published in 1/8, behind Spanish “Athletics” and leaving behind Turkish “Galatasaray” with Kazakhstan “Astana”. Such a fact: the most convincing victory, she won it on an outsider from Kazakhstan. And it was the victory of a 2: 0. And in his field, “Astana” the way divorced “Benfica” world.

Bookmakers quotes correspond roughly to those impressions. Yesterday, estimating the chances of opponents of reaching the quarter-office William Hill, for example, exposed to the “Zenith” coefficient of 1.73, on “Benfica” – 2.0. In other words, St. Petersburg considered the favorites in the pair, albeit with shaky margin, close to the convention. However, the very fact that they considered the favorite – achievement.

Alex Armor

Draw 1/8 finals of the Champions League

 

 

“Benfica” (Portugal) – “Zenit” (Russia)

 

“Gent” (Belgium) – “Wolfsburg” (Germany)

 

“Roma” (Italy) – “Real” (Spain)

 

“Paris Saint-Germain” (France) – “Chelsea” (England)

 

“Arsenal” (England) – “Barcelona” (Spain)

 

“Juventus” (Italy) – “Bavaria” (Germany)

 

PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) – “Atletico Madrid” (Spain)

 

“Dynamo” (Ukraine) – “Manchester City” (England)

 

The first matches will be held February 16 and 17 on the fields of teams listed first response – March 8 and 9.