Match Highlights

Pre Match Video

Zenit St Petersburg manager Andre Villas Boas looks ahead to Champions League encounter with Benfica in round of 16.

Benfica head coach Rui Vitoria said on Monday (15th February) that his side “will play to win” in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 contest against Russian side Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday (16th February).

Rui Vitoria, Benfica coach:

“Whoever our opponent tomorrow our perspective is always the same when it comes to Benfica, we play to win. Tomorrow playing in the round-of-16 of the Champions League will be no different, we want to start well and win the match.”

“We are really happy to be playing in the round-of-16 of the Champions League. We are among the 16 best European teams and tomorrow there will be two matches with four teams competing, one of those being Benfica, and that is a motive of great satisfaction for us. On the other side we are not euphoric, this is our place, this is where we want to stand and tomorrow we will play to win. At this stage the only thing that matters for us is tomorrow’s match”

Andre Villas-Boas, Zenit St Peterburg coach

“The motivation of the Champions League is a dream for everybody and you kind of overcome these fatigues that you feel from dragging on into a season too long. So our great challenge tomorrow will be being able to last the 90 minutes at a high intensity that the Champions league demands.”

Team Lineups

Zenit substitutes: Mauricio, Kokorin, Neto, Yusupov, Kerzhakov, Zhirkov, Dolgov.
Zenit starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Lodygin; Anyukov, Garay, Lombaerts, Criscito; Witsel, Javi Garcia; Shatov, Hulk, Danny; Dzyuba.
Benfica substitutes: Ederson Moraes, Jimenez, Goncalo Guedes, Silvio, Talisca, Carcela, Nelson Semedo.
Benfica starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Julio Cesar; Andre Almeida, Nilsson Lindelof, Jardel, Eliseu; Samaris, Renato Sanches; Pizzi, Jonas, Gaitan; Mitroglou.