There are only two days left until the end of Benfica’s election campaign and the candidate who has spoken least about proposals for the club is the current president. Rui Costa’s main electoral message is based on seniority: “Benfica fans have known me since I waseight years.” It’s a fact. However, has Rui Costa known Benfica since he was eight years old? If you remember Benfica from the eighties, you will remember a Swedish coach who said that “second place doesn’t exist. If we don’t win with Benfica, it’s a failure”. It is precisely because they remember of this Benfica, which did not trivialize the defeat, that the partners will not want Rui Costa as president during eight years.
Attempts to differentiate themselves from the competition have, however, been bolder. The main weapon against João Noronha Lopes was the fact that the manager had invested in a boneless chicken chain. Rui Costa was superior here, positioning himself as a man who prefers when the chicken comes whole: in the past, he even told Benfica fans that they couldn’t cut his legs. During this campaign, Rui Costa e Luís Filipe Vieira they were together in disinformation. They want to manage Sport Lisboa and Benfica, but they signed a Union of Lamas. It was a collaborative effort to arrive at the mixture that creates the mud: Vieira digs up the dirt; Rui Costa, as usual, takes the piss.
Luís Filipe Vieira also stroke Rui Costa. However, you are not entitled to retaliatory flash communications. Rui Costa not only reacts with pusillanimity to the accusations that Vieira directs at him, but also protects him. The apprentice seems to have so much affection for his master that, in the debate on BTV, it is possible that Rui Costa hugs Vieira, amidst tears of longing. It will be a good strategy: Rui Costa usually scores points when he gets emotional in friendly matches. As for Vieira, I believe he could achieve an unsatisfactory result. Supporters who accompanied him at the last General Assemblies should not have time to vote, as World Karate Day is celebrated on October 25th.
It is possible that Rui Costa misses Vieira, because he has been alone a lot. The Benfica fans who have publicly defended the current president’s legacy are Rui, Manuel, César and Costa. As a player, he isolated strikers. As a leader, he is isolated with his associates. The exception was Fernando Tavares, outgoing vice-president, who wanted to help the candidacy of Rui Costa, the candidate who has criticized the “dirty campaign”. In what way? Calling another candidate stupid. We are talking about a manager who was less concerned with defending the club’s modalities and more concerned with defending payment methodsof the club. It is strange that Tavares is so alarmed by the possibility of the defeat of the project he was part of – the man has already admitted in a General Assembly that is comfortable with second place.
Returning to the proposals. After accusing Noronha Lopes of plagiarism, Rui Costa admitted not having read his program. We are faced with a refreshing novelty. For the first time, Rui Costa admits to having responsibilities in a document he did not read. Basically, Rui Costa assumes that Noronha Lopes has a good program, so much so that he was relieved of the need to draw up one. Presented a PowerPoint with just 15 slideswhich makes sense – during his presidency, Benfica has not often had a positive day. Furthermore, he is committed to continuing the work carried out during his mandate – a mandate in which he won a single championship, with a coachsuggested by a vice presidential candidate on the competing list.
Eventually, Rui Costa will vote for Noronha Lopes. After all, Costa is a Benfica fan and is tired of suffering. I risk guessing that he shares with many of us the urgency of resolving this in the first round. It’s like my nutritionist tells me, with unbridled frustration: the sooner you change your diet, the better – why wait two weeks? If you still feel Benfica like we do, Rui Costa, on Saturday, will head to the Luz pavilions as soon as he wakes up. A quick shower, Ventil and at 2:30 pm sharp you will be in line to vote for the change.
From October 25th to 26th, the clock goes back, but Benfica progresses. It is the changing of the hour and the time of change. Another important change will occur in the calendar: Benfica’s founding date will return to 1904. This will be the end of the idea that the club was invented by Luís Filipe Vieira. The partners will prove that Benfica does not have to be a mere platform for professional contacts, full of dubious people, which was founded in 2003 – that is LinkedIN. A site that will prove to be very useful to those who tried to turn Benfica into a monarchy: they will really have to start sending CVs.
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