Camacho upbeat on Benfica prospects

SL Benfica coach José Antonio Camacho is refusing to write off his side's chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Group D leaders AC Milan.

Success essential
"We're going out to win, and we'll do the same in the next match," insisted the Spaniard. After three defeats in their opening four games, Benfica could certainly do with a victory to maintain their hopes of bettering last season's exit at this stage. They trail both third-placed Celtic FC and FC Shakhtar Donetsk, in second, by three points, and depending on the result between those two clubs in Glasgow, a draw in Lisbon may also sustain Benfica aspirations of progress.

Morale high
In contrast to their Group D status, the Eagles are flying high domestically – the second-placed team are unbeaten in the Portuguese Liga for more than a year and have won their last five matches. "Morale is high at the moment," said Camacho. "We are on a good run." Although missing the suspended Augustin Binya, who was sent off in the Matchday 4 loss at Celtic FC, the coach will be able to call on David Luiz: the defender having made his return in Saturday's victory at A. Académica de Coimbra following three months out with a foot injury.

Experience
Whatever the personnel, Camacho expects a tough assignment against the European champions. He also believes his side's 2-1 reverse in Milan in September can be partially explained by their relative lack of experience. "Milan are a team of the moment," he stressed. "We are an improving team, a team of the future. There's a great difference between the sides. But we will try to play our best. We're not going out there with a negative mentality, thinking it's going to be difficult."

Aim to win
Camacho's counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, has been quick to move away from suggestions that the tie holds more importance for Benfica than for the visitors. Indeed, the Rossoneri know a win at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica will seal their passage to the knockout phase regardless of results elsewhere. "It's important for both teams. Of course we want to win in order to go through," he said. Finishing first in the pool is also on the Italian club's agenda: "So we have the second leg of the next round in Milan."

No crisis
Ancelotti, who played for Milan in the 1990 European Champion Clubs' Cup final when they beat Benfica 1-0, also refutes talk of a crisis caused by his charges' patchy domestic form – they are placed ninth in Serie A. "I don't think there is one. We've won our last two away games, in Donetsk and against Cagliari [Calcio]," he said. Nonetheless, the 48-year-old is anticipating an even tougher encounter than the Portuguese outfit helped to provide on Matchday 1. "Their team are very different from in that first game," he said, pointing out that the younger players in the Benfica ranks are turning them into a force to be reckoned with. "They have a very promising young squad," he stated.