Benfica and Lucia Alves are aiming for another significant Champions League outcome against Lyon, following their stunning victories over Barcelona and Bayern Munich, embodying the belief that “there are no impossibilities.”
The Portuguese star has been experiencing a breakthrough season and aims to maintain that level of performance as her team competes in their inaugural UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final.
When Benfica clashed with Barcelona in late January, few believed the Portuguese side stood a chance. Barcelona had won all 22 of their matches in the season, netting 105 goals and conceding only four times. Despite this, Benfica managed to secure a memorable 4-4 draw, narrowly denied victory by Lucy Bronze’s 96th-minute equalizer.
“It was one of the most remarkable games I’ve ever been a part of,” Lucia Alves, a rising talent for Benfica, tells GOAL. “Barcelona boasts players who are genuine icons, and the opportunity to compete against them is undeniably a massive source of motivation. Benfica showcased their identity and the quality within the team. We left everything on the field and refused to surrender. Everyone knows that in football, nothing is impossible.”
This resilient attitude offers a glimpse into the mindset the Portuguese champions will carry into their maiden UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final against another powerhouse, Lyon. Once again, Benfica will be considered underdogs against the eight-time European champions. However, they possess players capable of troubling the French side, including the dynamic Kika, former Lyon standout Jessica Silva, and Alves, the playmaker who has garnered attention from Women’s Super League clubs during what she describes as a breakthrough season.
