The number with the eagle is not new, among the club mascots of this world this animal is almost one of the standards. But the bird of prey named Vitória was remembered with its glider flight through the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. It floated majestically through the air and landed on the field to the applause of the 55,201 spectators, just as it always does when the Club Sport e Lisboa Benfica plays a home game.
It was not because of Vitória, God knows. The problem for Portugal’s record champions that evening was different: The German record champions flew by at least as impressive – and when they left the stadium, FC Bayern Benfica had a 4-0 (0-0) score in the club’s history. And that in a game in the group stage of the Champions League that everyone in attendance really enjoyed, even if they played it with the home team. All too often Benfica does not lose that high, but this time it was bearable because the opponent was of an even more voracious nature than a bald eagle could ever be.
The opponent was an FC Bayern, who threw himself into this surging, bubbling football game like a seafaring troop in the swell in front of the Cape. Bayern seemed to be animated by the Portuguese resistance, especially in the late stages of the game, which is why Manuel Neuer was quite outraged by his standards when he said: “The second half was outstanding.”
Adler Vitoria landed unerringly on the Benfica coat of arms against FC Bayern.
(Photo: Pedro Loureiro / SPP / imago images / Sports Press Photo)
The national goalkeeper has played 100 times in the Champions League, but you haven’t heard him say “outstanding” that often. So a lot must have happened on this company outing to the Tejo. And some things also had to do with new ones. The Bayern goalkeeper flew through the air like an eagle twice when he first caught one against Benfica striker Darwin and later in a similar scene against Diogo Gonçalves. For a long time this game moved from penalty area to penalty area, from goal scene to goal scene. Like a party with lots of little shows, it was blinking and boiling everywhere. And yet it was 0-0 because Bayern were denied two goals by the video referee amid huge hoots.
An enjoyable game, yes, but a lot of it also seemed unstructured. And maybe the wonderful chaos was also due to the absence of coach Julian Nagelsmann, who was working from home at the hotel at short notice. “Flu-like infection”, as the association announced, he only had the radio connection with his assistants Dino Toppmöller, Xaver Zembrod and with analyst Benjamin Glück. So how does a game go without the head coach, who definitely wouldn’t have had such a confetti football in mind?
The answer: it just takes off. “It was fun in an unusual role”, Toppmöller said afterwards, “the guys continued today what they started in Leverkusen”. Adjustments by Nagelsmann only came through in the second half, before that the technology had gone on strike.
“It’s not like I make my own decisions in Julian’s absence,” emphasized Toppmöller, whose experience as a coach has so far been drawn from the periphery of football. Means: The commands were given by the boss. And one of these instructions was to replace Serge Gnabry, who was initially spared, for Benjamin Pavard, who was lurching slightly. “It was a brave decision to bring Serge, but at the end of the day the right one,” said Toppmöller. You noticed “that Julian is sick, but still fit in his head. Well done, Julian!”
Dino Toppmöller gave the instructions in the absence of Julian Nagelsmann.
(Photo: kolbert-press / Christian Kolbert / imago images / kolbert-press)
With Gnabry Zug came into the number and with increasing tiredness at Benfica the goals fell: 1-0 by Leroy Sané’s free-kick cannon (70th), 2-0 by Ewerton’s own goal (80th) on presentation of Gnabry, 3-0 by Robert Lewandowski (82nd) after Ferserl by Sane and flat pass by Gnabry and finally the 4-0, again by Sané (84th). Hit in a chord, game turned around.
“The substitution of Serge was certainly a crucial point for us, because we became even more dangerous”, so the observation of Toppmöller, who at the same time was able to marvel at the successful comeback of Kingsley Coman after his heart operation and the new boss in the ten position : Sané, whose runs took him wherever it was dangerous. A “very, very good game” was played, the national player himself thought, and he was “very satisfied with the performance today.”
The fact that Bayern had wobbled in between, that Manuel Neuer mutated into a wall in the roar of the stadium and that Marcel Sabitzer was allowed to listen to a few hearty words from Joshua Kimmich about his running, quickly faded into the background. Nobody had to get the fado because of this performance, the muscular game of the Munich team turned out too clear in the end.
Another win, for example in the second leg against Benfica in two weeks, then the round of 16 would already be clear. And maybe the Portuguese will make it through in the race for second place in the group, then Vitória could turn its circles for a while when Europe looks on. This proud bird deserves a big stage.