Alexis Borges: “We are on the right track”

The contrast could hardly be any bigger: Benfica are former title holders and have participated in all five seasons since the inauguration of the EHF European League in 2020/21; Limoges are taking part for the very first time this year – in any European club competition. Benfica have multiple domestic league and cup titles; Limoges have none yet.

What the Portuguese and French team do have in common, though, is their winning start to the 2024/25 group matches last week.

Benfica sealed a 26:25 victory over Kadetten in the closing 20 seconds of the match in Switzerland, while Limoges celebrated a triumphant debut with a convincing 31:24 home win over Tatran Prešov.

On Tuesday night (live on EHFTV at 20:45 CEST), Benfica host Limoges in Lisbon as the teams will duel for the top spot in group C.

Benfica head coach Jota Gonzalez underlines the significance of the duel with Limoges, the fifth-ranked team from the French league last season.

“Whoever wins this game, takes a giant step for qualification. This match is important for us because we play at home,” Gonzalez says. “Limoges are a compact team — all players defend and attack — and have several options in all positions.”

Benfica would send a strong signal to their rivals by beating Limoges for their second straight win. Since they lifted the trophy in 2021/22 after that memorable final victory over SC Magdeburg at the home EHF Finals in Lisbon, the Portuguese side has not won both their first two matches of a new European season.

Now in his second year with the Benfica, Gonzalez has in-depth knowledge of French club handball, since he arrived in 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain Handball, where he worked as an assistant coach for five years.

Being familiar with French club handball also applies to Benfica line player Alexis Borges, who spent the 2020/21 season with Montpellier HB before arriving at the Portuguese side.

“Limoges have very good players, but we are on the right track and we will fight,” says Borges, who contributed seven goals to the victory in Schaffhausen last week.

Borges won the EHF European League in his first season with Benfica but acknowledges that the club has failed to live up to their billing in Europe since.

The following year, Benfica lost 72:54 on aggregate to SG Flensburg-Handewitt in the Last 16; last season, they even failed to advance from the group matches — though, in fairness, they shared an incredibly tough group with the likes of Rhein-Neckar Löwen and HBC Nantes.

Even though their current group might seem easier on paper, Borges won’t take anything for granted.

“All the teams in this competition are good and difficult,” says the Cuban-born Portuguese international, adding that self-belief is a key factor for Benfica.

“In 2021/22, we were not considered favourites and ended up winning the competition,” he says. “So, it’s very important for us to believe.”

images © 2024 profifoto.ch (main and team photo); Victoria Ribeiro (in-text photo)