´When I win I´m always lucky´ – Lage takes swipe at Hutter as Benfica progress

Benfica coach Bruno Lage took a swipe at Adi Hutter after they eliminated Monaco from the Champions League, as his opposite number suggested their 4-3 aggregate win was lucky.

Benfica, holding a 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg, played out a 3-3 draw in Tuesday’s second leg at the Estadio da Luz, with Orkun Kokcu scoring a late equaliser.

The Lisbon giants have now reached the last 16 on three of their last four attempts in the Champions League (in 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2024-25), only failing in 2023-24.

After the game, Monaco boss Hutter suggested Benfica were fortunate to progress, also slamming referee Glenn Nyberg for awarding a 76th-minute penalty to the hosts when his team were 2-1 up.

Benfica boss Lage was asked about those comments in his own post-match press conference, saying: “It has been my fate, when I win, I’m always lucky.

“I’ve faced the opposing coach five times, either it’s a complaint about the referees, or it’s our luck.

“In one of the games, there was a gross error by the referee against us and I haven’t heard as much about the referee as these two weeks.”

Benfica hold on for a place in the round of 16 #UCL pic.twitter.com/8R8bE8WJs0

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 18, 2025

Benfica’s 10 matches in the Champions League this season have seen 36 goals scored (21 for, 15 against), an average of 3.6 goals per match.

Only in 2022-23 have Benfica’s matches featured more goals per game in a single season in the Champions League – 39 goals in 10 matches at a rate of 3.9 per match.

“It was another great football game, we always played games like this, with many opportunities,” Lage said.

“Goal accomplished. We are happy for that, for going through the tie against a good opponent. We are in the Champions League and we know the quality of our opponents.

“We were the best team, and we deserve to move on. Monaco had some very good moments, especially after their first goal.”