Benfica face Porto on Wednesday in a clash that will define Jose Mourinho’s season.
The pair come together in the Taça de Portugal quarter-finals having both failed to make it to the final of the Taça da Liga.
For Mourinho, the eight-team League Cup presented his best chance of silverware upon his return to Benfica, but a 3-1 semi-final exit against Braga has left the Portuguese Cup as very likely his only route.
A Champions League win is almost impossible, and a 10-point gap to Porto in the Primeira Liga table is near-insurmountable.
So all eyes will be on the Taça de Portugal, especially stoppage time.
Statistics show Benfica have lost six points in stoppage time in the league, the highest total of any team.
They were against Santa Clara (1-1), under Bruno Lage’s command, Rio Ave (1-1) and Casa Pia (2-2), already with José Mourinho at the helm.
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