Benfica may no longer be considered as a European heavyweight but that will not stop Roger Schmidt from dreaming of an unlikely Champions League success.
The Benfica coach declared "nothing is impossible" when the question was posed as to the Primeira Liga side's hopes in UEFA's top club competition this season.
Schmidt's men host Club Brugge in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday, boasting a 2-0 lead from the first meeting in Belgium.
The first priority for Benfica will be reaching the quarter-finals for a second successive campaign in the competition, having last done so between 1967 and 1969 in the European Cup.
"I think all the teams who are in the knockout stages can win the Champions League but not with the same probability," Schmidt said at Monday's pre-match news conference.
"For the teams with the lowest budget, there's always a small chance. For the big teams, there is a bigger chance. But actually, of course, it's possible."
Benfica have lifted the famous European trophy twice in their history, when they were crowned champions in 1961 and successfully defended the title the following year.
However, no Portuguese side has triumphed in the Champions League since Jose Mourinho's Porto in the 2003-04 campaign.
While eyeing unlikely continental glory, Schmidt says the first challenge will be securing the "big achievement" of making the last eight.
He added: "Nothing is impossible in football at this level, but at the moment we are very focused on reaching the quarter-finals, which would already be, for a club like Benfica, a big achievement.
"So we have to do it. It's not done, as I said before. So step by step and tomorrow we will try to bring it to the end."
As well as having a two-goal lead in the tie, the omens for the last-16 second leg are in Benfica's favour given they have never lost in 10 previous home games against Belgian sides in all competitions (W8 D2), winning each of the last six in a row.
Victory in Portugal would also mark Benfica's fourth Champions League success in a row, last winning more consecutively in Europe's premier club competition in the 1989-90 campaign (six).
Sheffield United 1-3 Nottingham Forest: Hudson-Odoi hands visitors huge survival boost
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice as Nottingham Forest climbed further clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 away victory over Sheffield United.
Chris Wilder’s men took the lead through a Ben Brereton-Diaz spot kick, but the visitors roared back to score three goals without reply.
Hudson-Odoi sealed an impressive brace just after the hour mark, after Ryan Yates had put the visitors in front.
Forest remain in 17th, but this win takes them three points clear of Luton Town in 18th and the other side who can catch them, Burnley, were well beaten by Newcastle United. The already-relegated Blades, who were reduced to 10 men late on, remain rock bottom.
Chris Wood was unable to cap an excellent start for Forest. With just over a minute gone, the Kiwi missed a superb early chance, side-footing his volley wide of the far post after Morgan Gibbs-White had made a great break down the right.
In a frenetic early period, Sheffield United’s Brereton-Diaz won a penalty, with Gonzalo Montiel punished for a lazy challenge in the box. The Chilean international dusted himself down and slammed home his sixth goal of the season.
Forest absorbed further pressure when Murillo slid Cameron Archer’s attempt away bravely in the 19th minute. After holding firm, Forest then levelled emphatically in the 27th minute. Danilo linked up with Hudson-Odoi and the wideman did the rest. Cutting inside from the left with a fine first touch, the former Chelsea man left Jayden Bogle in his wake and found the top-right corner with a powerful, curled effort.
United responded well, and the half closed in a chaotic spell as they laid siege to the visitors’ goal. Murillo was forced to make two fine blocks, before goalkeeper Matz Sels stepped up to produce two excellent saves.
At the other end, Wood had a great chance to put Forest ahead late in the half, but he could only direct his header onto the bar.
Forest came out swinging in the second half and took little time to take the lead. Captain Yates was the scorer, volleying home after Willy Boly had nodded the ball down to him from an Anthony Elanga cross.
The Blades continued to show fight as Brereton-Diaz forced a fine stop out of Sels, but the knockout blow felt inevitable. Again drifting in off the left, Hudson-Odoi danced across the box before finding the bottom corner with ease to add Forest’s third.
Forest continued to search for goals as Danilo fired over in the 73rd minute, and Wood forced a fine save from Wes Foderingham following a Gibbs-White free-kick five minutes later. The Blades held it to three in the end, but that will be of little consolation to Chris Wilder and his side, and particularly Anel Ahmedhodzic, who was sent off in the final moments.
Blades making unwanted Premier League records
The second of Hudson-Odoi’s strikes brought up a century of goals conceded for Sheffield United.
The Blades are the first side to concede 100 goals in a 38-game English top-flight campaign since Leicester City in 1908-09 (102), while they have matched Swindon Town’s unwanted record in the 1993-94 Premier League (also 100 goals conceded).
Hudson-Odoi key to Forest survival hopes
Hudson-Odoi got both his sixth and seventh goals in the Premier League this season, and they could prove crucial to Forest's short-term future.
With two games remaining, at home against Chelsea and away at Burnley, plus the possibility of points coming back from their PSR appeal in the coming days, Forest might just be on the brink of sealing a third straight season in the top tier.
Sheffield United 1-3 Nottingham Forest: Hudson-Odoi gives visitors huge survival boost
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice as Nottingham Forest climbed further clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 away victory over Sheffield United.
Chris Wilder’s men took the lead through a Ben Brereton-Diaz spot kick, but the visitors roared back to score three goals without reply.
Hudson-Odoi sealed an impressive brace just after the hour mark, after Ryan Yates had put them in front.
Forest remain in 17th, but this win takes them three points clear of Luton Town in 18th and the other side who can catch them, Burnley, were well beaten by Newcastle. Already relegated Sheffield United remain rock bottom.
Chris Wood was unable to cap an excellent start for Forest. With just over a minute gone, the Kiwi missed a superb early chance, side-footing his volley wide of the far post after Morgan Gibbs-White had made a great break down the right.
In a frenetic early period, Sheffield United’s Brereton-Diaz won a penalty, with Gonzalo Montiel punished for a lazy challenge in the box. The Chilean international dusted himself down and slammed home his sixth goal of the season.
Forest absorbed further pressure when Murillo slid Cameron Archer’s attempt away bravely in the 19th minute. After holding firm, Forest then levelled emphatically in the 27th minute. Danilo linked up with Hudson-Odoi and the wide man did the rest. Cutting inside from the left with a fine first touch, the former Chelsea man left Jayden Bogle in his wake and found the top-right corner with a powerful, curled effort.
United responded well, and the half closed in a chaotic spell as they laid siege to the visitors’ goal. Murillo was forced to make two fine blocks, before goalkeeper Matz Sels stepped up to produce two excellent saves.
The first came in the 37th minute when he rushed off his line to smother a shot from Archer. Then, just a minute later, the Belgian tipped over smartly from a fierce Gustavo Hamer strike.
At the other end, Wood had a great chance to put Forest ahead late in the half, but he could only direct his header onto the bar.
Forest came out swinging in the second half and took little time to take the lead. Captain Yates was the scorer, volleying home after Willy Boly had nodded the ball down to him from an Anthony Elanga cross.
The Blades continued to show fight as Brereton-Diaz forced a fine stop out of Sels, but the knockout blow felt inevitable. Again drifting in off the left, Hudson-Odoi danced across the box before finding the bottom corner with ease to add Forest’s third.
Forest continued to search for goals as Danilo fired over in the 73rd minute, and Wood forced a fine save from Wes Foderingham following a Gibbs-White free-kick five minutes later. The Blades held it to three in the end, but that will be of little consolation to Chris Wilder and his side and particularly Anel Ahmedhodzic, who was sent off in the final moments.
Blades making unwanted Premier League records
The second of Hudson-Odoi’s strikes brought up a century of goals conceded for Sheffield United.
The Blades are the first side to concede 100 goals in a 38-game English top-flight campaign since Leicester City in 1908-09 (102), while they’ve matched Swindon Town’s unwanted record in the 1993-94 Premier League (also 100 goals conceded).
Hudson-Odoi key to Forest survival hopes
Hudson-Odoi got both his sixth and seventh goals in the Premier League this season in this victory over Sheffield United.
His goals meant Nottingham Forest scored three goals in a game for the first time since a 3-1 win over Fulham at the start of April.
Hudson-Odoi’s efforts will be integral as Forest look seal a third consecutive season in the Premier League.
Real Madrid 3-0 Cadiz: Ancelotti's side on brink of clinching LaLiga title
Goals from Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham and Joselu earned LaLiga leaders Real Madrid a 3-0 win over lowly Cadiz.
Carlo Ancelotti's side will seal a record-extending 36th Spanish title later on Saturday if Barcelona fail to beat Girona.
With four games remaining, Real climbed to 87 points and extended their lead to 14 points over second-placed Barcelona and 16 clear Girona in third.
Real manager Ancelotti rested several key players ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich and his side did more than enough to secure the three points.
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