“Completely absurd” – Rangers dragged into drama as manager could face sack if Philippe Clement’s men win.
Benfica are under a lot of strain as they prepare to face Philippe Clement’s Rangers in the opening leg of the Europa League round of 16 this week.
The Eagles were humiliated 5-0 by Portuguese rivals Porto over the weekend, and Roger Schmidt’s career could be on the line before the Rangers game.
In an interview with Radio Renascença’s Bola Branca, former Benfica vice-president José Manuel Antunes predicted the potential consequences of a poor performance versus Rangers.
“It will always be a decision for the board, but as a fan I would find it difficult [to keep Schmidt] if we went out with Rangers and didn’t win the league and cup.”
Antunes even said that the coach should not have apologized for the outcome.
“Saying that to Benfica members is a complicated mistake. It is not comprehending the club’s culture. That disturbs me; you’ve been here for a year and a half and should understand a little better.”
Benfica and Rangers will play the opening leg of the round of 16 on Thursday at the Estádio da Luz, followed by the decisive game a week later at Ibrox.
It’s difficult to imagine the Eagles sacking the coach between the two games, but elimination from the competition makes it far more likely.
Benfica is far from having a dreadful season, as they are presently second in the league table, behind only Sporting by one point and having played one less game.
However, the crushing defeat to Porto surprised their fans, and Roger Schmidt will be much more motivated to play Rangers now.
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