AZ Alkmaar v Benfica: Deteriorating Dutch to struggle
“AZ Alkmaar have won just one of their last five matches, they’ve scored just three goals in that period, and coach Dick Advocaat is jumping ship in the summer.”
Back Benfica -0.5 & -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 1.9720/21
Benfica are hoping to reach the Europa League final for the second season running, and their opponents AZ Alkmaar have hit a bad patch of form, writes Kevin Hatchard.
AZ Alkmaar v BenficaThursday 20:05Live on BT Sport 2
Match Odds: AZ 5.59/2, Benfica 1.774/5, the draw 3.8514/5
After a heartbreaking conclusion to last season which saw the Europa League, the Portuguese League and the Portuguese Cup slip through Benfica’s fingers, Jorge Jesus’ men are on a mission to put things right. They are seven points clear at the top of their domestic league, they are in the quarter-finals of the Taca De Portugal (1-0 down from the first leg against Porto), and they are on course to reach the final of the Europa League for the second successive season. Having been knocked out of the Champions League, Benfica have overcome PAOK and Spurs to get this far.
Bar a late wobble in Lisbon that nearly proved costly, Benfica were largely impressive against Tottenham. They were excellent in a 3-1 win at White Hart Lane, looking dangerous on the counter-attack and at set-pieces. That recent cup defeat at Porto was their first reverse since March, and they have won 18 of their last 21 games in all competitions. It’s also worth noting that Benfica have no fresh injury concerns.
AZ Alkmaar have racked up some impressive Opta stats – they are unbeaten in the Europa League (five wins, five draws), and on their own turf they are unbeaten in their last 12 European clashes. This is all very well, but there are several reasons why I think AZ should be opposed. They have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, failing to score in three of those matches. They scraped past a very limited Anzhi Makhachkala side in the last 16, drawing 0-0 in Russia after a 1-0 win at home. USA international striker Aron Johannsson is AZ’s most potent attacking threat, but he has netted just three goals in his last ten appearances.
To make matters even worse, AZ coach Dick Advocaat has recently confirmed he’s quitting the club at the end of the season, and I always think an early announcement like that is bound to have a negative effect on morale. It’s surely more difficult for a coach to motivate and have authority if the players know he is jumping ship at the end of the campaign.
Given all of these negative factors, I just can’t see past Benfica, who are generally soild
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