Arsenal: Benfica’s strengths, weaknesses, style, form and key men

Benfica Form

Last seven matches:

Moreiense 1-1 Benfica – 14/02/21
Estoril Praia 1-3 Benfica – 11/02/21
Benfica 2-0 Famalicao – 08/02/21
Benfica 0-0 Vitoria SC – 05/02/21
Sporting CP 1-0 Benfica – 01/02/21
Benfica 3-0 B-SAD – 28/01/21
Benfica 1-1 Nacional – 25/01/21

Benfica are way off the pace at the top of Primeira Liga, with Sporting racing ahead undefeated after 19 matches. A solid opening to the season has tailed off since the turn of the year with disappointing results against sides they’re expected to beat in the league.

Two wins from their previous five matches may not seem all too disheartening, but factor in that they came against sides in the bottom of Primeira Liga and the second division respectively, and their form is less than inspiring.

Benfica Key Men – Pizzi, Alejandro Grimaldo, Darwin Núñez

Pizzi – The versatile midfielder can play anywhere in across the middle from box-to-box up to second striker, fitting in with Jesus’ ethos of positional interchangeability in his side.

For Pizzi, the 31-year-old has followed a growing trend of players reaching their peak in the latter stages of their career, with his best goalscoring season last term (30) surpassing his previous best the year before (15). His 31 outings this term have produced 11 goals and three assists, but the key is six of those coming in six Europa League appearances as Benfica remained unbeaten in the group stages.

He’s a difficult customer to dispossess and there are no better finishers in the squad on their right foot than him.

Alejandro Grimaldo – Coming through the famed La Masia academy, left-back Alejandro Grimaldo possesses all the traits one would expect in a Barcelona full-back. While he never played a minute for the senior side before moving to Benfica in 2015, he has continued to develop his skills across his 162 outings for the club.

An offensive defender with superb delivery, Jesus has also used him as a left midfielder on occasion as well as a wing-back in a 3-4-3 system. Pacey and with excellent dribbling, Hector Bellerin can’t afford to go to sleep like he did for Leeds’ second goal last time out. Arsenal will get punished.

Darwin Núñez – The aforementioned spell Darwin Núñez has had in front of goal in Primeira Liga may offer some encouragement but he is not a striker to take your eye off, and the reasons for top sides such as Barcelona snooping around are not without reason.

Despite his height, he offers pace in behind and the expected aggression in the air, with his five goals in this season’s Europa League all demonstrating natural composure in front of goal.

Rob Holding tends to thrive on individual battles with physical forwards. This is a duel he won’t be able to shirk.