If these nine records are worth qualifying, five, the defeats by the minimum difference, postpone the decisions to extra time, while only three, the defeats by two or more, would immediately eliminate Roger Schmidt's 'eleven', after the 2-1 in Luz.

In order not to fall in the 90 minutes, the 'incarnates' can only not repeat the defeats with Lyon, by 2-0 in 2010/11 and by 3-1 in 2019/20, and the defeat by 3-0 with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013/14, in a clash in which the Swedish Zlatan Ibrahimovic 'scored twice'.

After the 3-1 with Lyon four years ago, Benfica did not lose in the last two trips to France, the first last season, against PSG (1-1), by Mbappé (scored a penalty) and Messi (absent), in the group stage of the 'Champions'.

Already in the current season, and also after a 2-1 at home, against Toulouse, sealed by two penalties from the Argentine Ángel Di María, Benfica achieved a 'zero' in France, to seal the qualification for the 'last 16' of the Europa League.

With regard to victories, the last one dates back to 2012/13, on the way to the Europa League final, with Benfica winning 3-2 in Bordeaux, with a goal by Jardel and two by Cardozo, also after a tangential victory in Luz (1-0).

The 'incarnates' also won on French soil against Nantes (2-0, in 1978/79), with goals by Chalana and Nené, Montpellier (3-0, in 1988/89), with goals by Hernâni, Abel Campos and Valdo, and in the previous visit to Marseille, in 2009/10.

After a 1-1 draw in Luz, the Gauls, who would qualify with 0-0, reinforced their advantage in the tie with a goal by Mamadou Niang, but Maxi Pereira and the 'unlikely hero' Alan Kardec, in the 90th minute, gave the victory to Benfica (2-1).

With this result, the 'incarnates' equaled the balance in the Vélodrome against Marseille, which, in 1989/90, had won 2-1, in the first leg of the semi-finals of the European Cup, in a turnaround signed by Sauzée and Papin.

Lima's early goal in Marseille ended up, however, being the one that, because it was scored away, made all the difference, since, in the old Luz, Benfica later won 1-0, with that goal with the arm -- or the shoulder, according to himself -- by Vata.

With regard to draws, which are worth 'gold' on Thursday, Benfica added them against Lille (0-0, in 2005/06), Paris Saint-Germain (1-1, in 2010/11), Monaco (0-0, in 2014/15) and in the recent visits to PSG and Toulouse.

If the tie goes into extra time, it is because Marseille repeated the victory by the minimum margin of 1989/90 or those achieved by Saint-Étienne (1-0, in 1967/68), Bordeaux (1-0, in 1986/87), Bastia (1-0, in 1997/98) or PSG (2-1, in 2006/07).

In total, in 17 trips to France, Benfica has four victories, five draws and eight defeats, with 15 goals scored and 20 conceded.

The match between Marseille and Benfica, the second leg of the quarter-finals of the 2023/24 Europa League in football, will take place on Thursday, starting at 9:00 pm local time (8:00 pm in Lisbon), at the Stade Vélodrome, in Marseille, France.