Axel Witsel foi considerado o melhor reforço desta época em Portugal por 47 dos 197 leitores que participaram na última votação. Vindo do Standard de Liége, o médio belga rapidamente ganhou um lugar de destaque na estratégia do Benfica. O segundo mais votado foi o goleador sportinguista Ricky Van Wolfswinkel com 39 votos.

The Champions League group games are upon us once again and Benfica have announced their roster for this weeks upcoming encounter in Romania against Otelul Galati. Roster: Goalies: Artur, Eduardo, Mika Defense:Emerson, Garay, Luisao, Maxi Pereira, Jardel, Miguel Vitor, Luis Martins Midfield: Javi Garcia, Ruben Amorim, Nolito, Pablo Aimar, Witsel, Matic, Gaitan, Bruno Cesar Forwards:

Champions League Preview: Real and Barca the teams to beat - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

It seems that in almost every aspect of the game, two clubs dominate the footballing world. They are Spanish super heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona. Any team boasting multiple stars is said to echo Real's Galactico era, while teams from League Two to the K-League are said to be a mini-Barcelona.

The team is in Portugal tonight to play our last pre-season warm-up against Benfica. Kick-off is 7:45 UK time, 2:45pm Eastern, 11:45am Pacific. The liveblog will start an hour before the game. Come on by and give us your thoughts. Liveblog is at the bottom.
Benfica had a strong, strong team two seasons ago, winning the Portuguese league, but that squad has since been partially dismantled, some in high-profile moves to big European teams:

Fábio Coentrão and Ángel Di María went to Real Madrid, Ramires and David Luiz joined Chelsea, and Nuno Gomes (Euro 2004, anyone?

Benfica get set to kick off their European campaign at home tomorrow as the face Turkish side Trabzonspor in the first leg of Champions League play. Jorge Jesus has announced a roster of 19 players for the enounter: Goalies- Eduardo, Artur Defense- Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Emerson, Jardel Midfielders- Ruben Amorim, Javi Garcia, Matic, Bruno Cesar, Pablo Aimar, Enzo Perez, Nolito,

Benfica have signed Argentina centre-back Ezequiel Garay from Real Madrid for
an undisclosed fee.

Depois da saída do ex-capitão Nuno Gomes, Fábio Coentrão e de Moreira, o Benfica arrisca-se a ter apenas dois portugueses no seu plantel principal. Isto porque Rúben Amorim e Carlos Martins parecem ser os únicos com lugar garantido, já que a permanência de César Peixoto ainda é uma incógnita e os vários jovens que estão a estagiar na Suíça têm no empréstimo o destino mais provável.

ARQUEROSSergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar - Holanda)
Mariano Andújar (Catania - Italia)
Juan Pablo Carrizo (Ríver Plate - Argentina)
DEFENSORESEzequiel Garay (Real Madrid - España)
Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City - Inglaterra)
Nicolás Burdisso (AS Roma - Italia)
Gabriel Milito (Barcelona FC - España)
Javier Zanetti (Inter - Italia)
Nicolás Pareja (FC Spartak - Rusia)
Marcos Rojo (FC Spartak - Rusia)
VOLANTESEsteban Cambiasso (Inter - Italia)
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona FC - España)
Lucas Biglia (RSC Anderlecht - Bélgica)
Ever Banega (Valencia CF - España)
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid - España)
Javier Pastore (Palermo - Italia)
DELANTEROSAngel Di María (Real Madrid - España)
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid - España)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona FC - España)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester City - Inglaterra)
Sergio Agüero (At.

At last! Claude Puel having finally received his letter of dismissal, will probably move south, to Spain... or wherever. What matters now is that the club finally announce today what had been rumoured for several weeks now : Rémi Garde is our new coach.

With this nomination, the club will now be able to fully devote themselves to the reconstruction of a squad that should be amputated by some of their best elements : Jeremy Toulalan being gone, the likes of Bastos, Cissokho, possibly Kallström, Ederson and pretty much anyone who's not deemed absolutely untransferable.

Argentina Vs Nigeria on June 1st, 2011 in Nigeria.
Here is the complete roster:
Belluschi, Fernando (Porto – Portugal)
Bertolo, Fernando (Zaragoza – Spain)
Bolatti, Mario (Internacional – Brasil)
Boselli, Mauro (Genoa – Italy)
Cabral, Alejandro (Legia Varsovia – Poland)
Costa, Alberto (Valencia – Spain)
Cristaldo, Jonathan (Metalit – Ukraine)
Fazio, Federico (Sevilla – Spain)
Formica, Mauro (Blackburn Robert – England)
Gabbarini, Adrián (Independiente – Argentina)
Gaitán, Nicolás (Benfica – Portugal)
Garay, Ezequiel (Benfica – Portugal)
Insúa, Emiliano (Galasataray – Turkey)
Jara, Franco (Benfica, Portugal)
Musacchio, Mateo (Villarreal – Spain)
Perotti, Diego (Sevilla – Spain)
Piatti, Pablo (Almería – Spain)
Ruben, Marco (Villarreal – Spain)
Ustari, Oscar (Getafe – Spain)
Zabaleta, Pablo (Manchester City – England)

A sus 23 años, Tamara Gorro se ha convertido en colaboradora de varios programas de Telecinco. También puso su granito de arena en la final del último mundial de fútbol, animando a la selección desde el set que Telecinco instaló al aire libre en Madrid. Tamara Gorro ha protagonizado sesiones para revistas como Interviú y Primera Línea.

27.04.2011 - A los duelos catalán - madridista, Messi - Cristiano, Barcelona - Real Madrid, se suman en primera plana Guardiola - Mourinho.
Pep Guardiola se refirió a los arbitrajes (vídeo), Mourinho salió a la yugular (vídeo) y Pep volvió a contestarle (vídeo).

In reviewing the outcome of Real Madrid's 2-0 victory against Sevilla, Sid Lowe in his recent podcasts last week as well as in his guest spots at Real Madrid TV cleverly pointed out how Real Madrid had essentially ruined their streak of binary-code-like scorelines for the past few games.