Bernardo Arévalo, 51, is optimistic about tonight’s game, despite the draw against Real Madrid.
“In Europe we won the first game, the team is well trained and I believe we will play a good game”, he predicted in statements to EFE.
Arévalo was with a group of friends, all of them coming from Ciudad Real and wearing the Atlético shirt, taking the opportunity to take a walk through the center of Lisbon, before heading to Estádio da Luz.
At his side was Ángel Carrillo, 53, who is confident that the Madrid team will beat the Portuguese 3-1, although he highlighted to EFE that “in general, all teams want to win and put pressure on when they play at home, so if If you don’t go up, it’s complicated.”
This group of rojiblancos sees Benfica, third in the Portuguese championship standings, as “a good team”, with an important tradition and a great fan base.
Both Arévalo and Carrillo criticized last weekend’s episode of the derby, which had to be suspended for 17 minutes after Real Madrid’s goal, when lighters and a bottle of water were thrown into the area of Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
For the two friends, the most important thing is to maintain respect, despite the rivalry. They advocated that the board intervene, as there are groups that do not reflect the behavior of the majority of fans, who go to the stadium just to enjoy the game. However, they consider that Atlético’s fans are “the best in the world”.
Near one of the restaurants around Praça do Comércio, Alicantino José Luis López, 47, believes that the recent change of coach at Benfica, which replaced the German Roger Schmidt with the Portuguese Bruno Lage, can be taken advantage of, as this type of change “always affects a little in the first few games”.
López, who is in Lisbon with a group of more than ten people, hopes for a 3-0 victory over Benfica, in a game that will be played with a new Champions League format, which, for him, is better, as it makes it easier for the public to follow all the matches.
Some took advantage of the arrival of Atlético fans in the Portuguese capital to make a profit, informally selling scarves and flags in Praça do Comércio, where drinks kiosks were also set up.
Benfica hosts Atlético de Madrid this Wednesday, in a Champions League group stage match, a competition in which they will also face Barcelona.
