Juve’s official website published a note about the Bianconeri. Here is the statement, “Benfica’s all-time legend is Eusebio. A Portuguese footballer born in Mozambique, star of the Lusitanian national team that stroked the dream of winning the World Cup in 1966, he made the fortune of the Lisbon team. Anyone visiting the club’s museum adjacent to the stadium would realize-from the space dedicated to him-the place he holds in Benfica’s history and heart. Juve crossed paths with him in 1968, in the semifinals of the Champions Cup. On the eve of the confrontation with Benfica, Hurrà Juventus presents Eusebio with just one term that is enough to define him: “Irresistible.” The brief card accompanying the photo as he is seen intent on kicking describes him thus, “Born on January 25, 1942, he is considered the strongest active striker in Europe, considered second only to Pelé.”
Il periodo storico
“But it is not only Eusebio who made Benfica a colossus of the 1960s. The cover of Hurrà Juventus recalls that the club has already won 2 Champions Cups, with the historic merit of being the team capable of breaking Real Madrid’s monopoly on the competition. After 5 consecutive victories by the blancos, Benfica won 2 editions in a row: in 1961-62 by defeating Barcelona in the final; the following year with a 5-3 win right over Real Madrid and Eusebio the absolute protagonist with the double that determined the final result.
In the doubleheader with Juventus, Eusebio always scores, both in Lisbon and Turin. The 2-0 home win in favor of Benfica finds confirmation at the Comunale, where one goal is enough to safely enter the final. The champion scores his goals with chronometric punctuality, always midway through the second half. For the Lady, the generous onslaught is not enough: the photo shows a Bianconeri attack going close to the net. In the last act Benfica will lose 4-1 in extra time to Manchester United. The icon of ’68 will not be Eusebio, but the triumphant George Best.” Meanwhile, here is the latest Champions<<
The article Juve-Benfica, Eusebio’s memory of the match comes from JuveNews.eu.
