Saviola aims for Euro boost

Posted Wednesday, October 20, 2010 by PA

Benfica striker Javier Saviola is hoping their upturn in form on the domestic front will now spill over into the Champions League as they prepare to face Lyon.

The Portuguese champions made a slow start to the Liga, losing three of their opening four matches, but a run of three successive victories has catapulted them up to second in the standings.

Their Champions League campaign has also made a stuttering start, with victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv followed by a defeat to Schalke last time out.

But Saviola believes the players are beginning to find their way.

"The season did not start well, but the team are performing much better now," the Argentinian told www.slbenfica.pt.

"We are working really hard to find our top form again. We have very important players, we kept the base of players who won the league title last season, and I think everything is working in our favour on the road to getting more titles and good results."

Benfica travel to Lyon looking to inflict a first defeat on the group leaders, who have beaten both Schalke and Hapoel so far.

Lyon's success in Europe is in stark contrast to their Ligue 1 form however, with Les Gones lying a disappointing 14th in the domestic table.

A 3-1 win over Lille at the weekend gave the team something of a lift, but midfielder Michel Bastos admits they cannot afford to let their concentration slip in their fight to climb the standings.

"Football moves forward so quickly," he told www.lequipe.fr.

"Obviously we would like to say `that's it, we've won, we'll move on and soon find a place at the top of the table'. But the league is so complicated and so-called small teams may well beat us.

"We're all in this together, we're all responsible and we all have to work hard."

Midfielder Jeremy Toulalan will miss the visit of Benfica with a foot injury he sustained in the win over Lille, with Maxime Gonalons expected to take his place in the side.