Benfica's commanding defensive midfielder is to receive an award plate for his 50th senior cap for his country. The award will be given by the Portuguese Football Federation prior to tonight's crucial showdown at the Estádio da Luz against Poland for the Euro 2008 Qualifiers.

It is also worth mentioning that both Benfica atheletes Nelson Évora and Vanessa Fernandes will receive hounorable mentions for their gold medal achievements in triple jump and triathlon respectively.

Benfica have been drawn with Estrela de Amadora for the 3rd round qualifier in the Carlsberg Cup, which now consists of 16 teams, including the top 8 from last season's Liga BWIN.

Lourenço Coelho, Benfica's representative, made it clear that it is one of the club's objective to win this competition.

"Estrela has started well this season and Benfica is in great form at the moment. Things are running smoothly than the way they started."

"It's a new competition and we have great expectations of it. Benfica even takes friendly tournaments seriously and that is why this League Cup is also one of our objectives."

Benfica will visit Amadora at the «Roboleira» on the 26th September, in between the Sp. Braga and Sporting game. E. Amadora currently lie in 6th place with 4 points, having tasted all three possible outcomes.

The newly created competition Carlsberg Cup (equivalent to a league cup [Taça da Liga]) is to have its 3rd round draw this Friday 7th September at the city of Batalha, Portugal.

Benfica will be included in this draw, which begins at 16:30 in the 'FutebolShow' hall, and will find its first opponent in this competition where the higher placed teams from last season also enter this round.

Edcarlos, the latest Benfica signing, and Freddy Adu were present in today's «Kit Sócio» presentation and took the opportunity to say a few words about their current situations in Benfica. Both players, and also including Di María, all became members of Benfica in what was a joyful atmosphere in Seixal.

Edcarlos ready to play

"I am adapting quickly like the manager wants and the break was important, it gave me time to prepare myself for my debut game. I felel ready but the final word rests with Camacho. He has other options too, Miguel has been playing well, Zoro and Luisão are back from injuries and I will work hard to get my opportunity."

Freddy Adu will wait for his chance

"I knew Benfica was the biggest team in the world before arriving. It's incredible, I feel very emotional about belonging to a club of this stature."

"I have just arrived and I need time to adapt myself. I will wait for my turn, and when I get it I will take as much advantage as possible. The players are at a higher level than what I was used to, but I'm playing and thinking faster now."

Benfica announced this Thursday at Seixal the new «Kit Sócio» for the current season, and with it new objectives to reach.

Miguel Bento, the marketing director, affirmed that the new goal is to have 200,000 members behind the football club.

"We want to strengthen our position as the leading club with the most members in the world. It's an objective that we are bound to reach. but there is an important factor which we have to take into account; and that's to be National Champions. We want to win the Liga, because it's different when we don't."

With Nuno Gomes, Petit, Quim, Miguel Vítor, Romeu Ribeiro, Cardozo and Katsouranis representing their respective national teams, Benfica's morning session counted with only 17 players at Camacho's disposal.

Léo has been given permission to travel to Brazil for personal matters, whilst Luisão, Nélson, Moreira and Mantorras continue making progress on their recoveries.

Some of the session was open to the public and the Benfica «sócios» witnessed some great touches by the new 'number 20' Di María. The young argentine showed some killer passes and quality technique. Nuno Assis suffered a slight knock but without too much worries for the Portuguese player.

After the afternoon's training session at 17:00 GMT the squad will benefit from a weekend break and will return the following Monday.

The Brazilian central defender had an operation this Wednesday afternoon to treat a fracture on the fifth metatarsal of his right foot, from an injury during training before the second «jornada».

Benfica's medical department explained that the player underwent a radiologic exam this morning and the operation was carried off succesfully. Due to this intervention it is certain David Luíz will remain in the sidelines longer than the expected 5 or 6 weeks.

Benfica's highly productive Member's Kit [Kit Sócio] will be presented this Thursday for the 2007/08 season.

The Kit will come in a new format and the opening ceremony will take place at 12:00 GMT in the Caixa Football Campus. The presentation will be attented by selected first team players and Benfica's marketing director Miguel Bento.

The current Kit Sócio has proved to be a force in the financial side, with tens of thousands of new members joining since its launch.

Benfica moved up one position in the International Football Fedration of History and Statistics to 38th from 39th with 175.5 points. This makes the Lisbon side ranked much higher than any other club in Portugal including rivals Porto (68th) and Sporting (80th).

Sevilla leads the rankings with 303 points by staying top for 12 months consecutively and have beaten the record set by Roma in 1991 with 11 months. Whilst Chelsea (ENG) and Santos (BRA) occupy second and third place respectively.

Top Portuguese ranked teams:

38. (39) Benfica, 175,5
68. (71) FC Porto, 136,5
80. (75) Sporting, 130,5
81. (79) Sp. Braga, 128
209. (371) U. Leiria, 79,5
226. (224) Belenenses, 76,5

The expectancy rises with good performances. At the start, Camacho asked only for the winning attitude and now he expects the players to keep the ball better, less fear of making space, and above all, to control the game and keep the ball at their feet.

At the Sport TV flash interview, Camacho said that he asked the players to play more like Benfica even if they were winning.

"A great team has to play football! That did not happen in the first half. We offered them the game and didn't look to control it. I didn't like it one bit! There are players who don't look comfortable with the ball and that will only change with more work and training."

"We kept the ball [after the interval], and controlled the game. From then on the opponent suffered more because they had to stay on their back foot. We started creating many opportunities and scoring, could have got more too."

"The team has to get used to winning and not lose any more points. It's time to recover."

Rui Costa does not want to compare coaches

"Victories bring more confidence and higher morale to the team. Wednesday's game [Copenhagen] brought a little bit of that."

"Nacional made us work hard and we got lucky with Cardozo's first goal. After we moved the ball better and got the second goal, this allowed us to finish the game with calm, which didn't happen last season. Now we have to continue and not look back. From now on, we have to think only about being Benfica, always winning!"