Benfica wants to write a new golden page

The Roller Hockey Intercontinental Cup begins this Friday, December 15_th. Benfica, Reus (Spain), the European champions in 2016 and 2017, respectively, Andes Talleres and Concepción (both from Argentina), winners of the last two editions of the Roller Hockey South American Club Championships, are the teams that will fight for the trophy in the Spanish city of as Reus.

At 6:30 pm on Friday, the reds entered the rink to face Andes Talleres. Pedro Nunes, before the departure to Spain, spoke to BTV:

“We tried to study them, to get to know this team the best we could. We know they have good individual players, they depend a lot on the individual actions, in half-distance situations, quick spontaneous finishing. A team that may – eventually– have a rhythm and a game intensity different from ours. It will be a difficult game, and in the type of competitions does not matter the past, the history or the current form of the teams. It is a concentrated final and whoever performs better in this two days will be the winner of the competition”, said the coach.

This match marks the reunion of Benfica with their former player Carlos López, a moment that Pedro Nunes highlighted.

“If this team already deserved our special attention in the collective point of view, knowing that Carlitos is there, that forces us to be even more careful and aware”, he confessed.

And what about the possible opponent in the final?

“It does not make sense to think beyond the first match. The focus is on the semifinal and then will think about the rest”, concluded the eagles' coach

In case of victory, Pedro Nunes's men will face the winner of the other semifinal, between Reus and Concepción. The encounter is scheduled for Saturday, December 16th at 7:45 pm.

This may be the second world champion title for Benfica that won the Intercontinental Cup in 2013, when they beat Recife by 10-3.

Text: Sónia Antunes and João André Silva

Pics: João Paulo Trindade / SL Benfica