Benfica put on a brilliant display in a 4-0 Champions League demolition of Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, taking them to two wins from as many games in the competition. (More Football News)
Bruno Lage's side ran riot in Lisbon as Kerem Akturkoglu, Angel Di Maria, Alexander Bah and Orkun Kokcu all got on the scoresheet⛎ against a shell-shocked Atleti team.
A mistake by Atletico's defence led to Akturkoglu taking in Fredrik Aursnes' pass unmarked in the area to slot home a 13th-minute opener, while Vangelis Pavildis missed a huge chance to double Benfica's advanta﷽ge in first-half stoppage time.
However, Coඣnor Gallagher's 50th-minute foul on Pavildis granted the hosts another chance to go 2-0 up from the spot, and Argentina great Di Maria made no mistake against Jan Oblak from 12 yards.
Di Maria was then denied by Oblak from a tight angle as Benfica continuꦍed to prไess for more goals, and they were out of sight in the 75th minute as Bah headed Jan-Niklas Beste's corner home.
T💟he rout was complete eight minutes from time as Reinildo fouled substitute Zewki Amdouni to grant Benfica another penalty, which Kokcu blasted into the top-left corner.
Benfica are flying high in third in the competition's new league phase, behind Borussia Dortmund and Brest only on goal difference, while Atleti are aꦡ lowly 23rd on three points.
Data Debrief: Atleti's road struggles continue
Diego Simeone ꦫwill be furious with Atleti's defending after they conceded four goals in a Champions League game for the first time in four years, since a 4-0 loss at Bayern Munich in October 2020.
It was Benfica's joint-biggest margin of victory in a home Champions League game (alongside a 5-1 thrashing of Club Brugge i﷽n March 2023), and Atleti'𒁃s heaviest-ever defeat to Portuguese opposition in the competition.
On their travels, Atleti have now won just one of their last 10 Cha🐻mpions League matches (two draws, seven losses). With their next continental road trip taking them to Paris Saint-Germain on matchday four, that record simply must impro💞ve.
