Sunday, September 27, 2020

Will Seixal academy players get a chance with Jorge Jesus at helm

Benfica Blog
Benfica are set to sell Ruben Dias this week to Manchester City, Dias is also the lone Seixal academy product in the starting eleven of the club and his departure could be the end of Seixal made players getting regular minutes under current manager Jorge Jesus. The veteran manager is known to lean heavily towards veteran players when at the helm and has made it clear what players he will be leaning on during the 2020/21 campaign. These players do not include academy players Florentino Luis (joined Monaco on loan), Ivan Zlobin (sold to Famalicao), Tomas Tavares (to join Alaves on loan), Jota and Ferro who find themselves looking at other clubs to find regular minutes.


The lone exceptions on his current roster are Nuno Tavares, who is the only other option at left back behind starter Alex Grimaldo and Diogo Goncalves who Jesus has decided to make his project player, with the 23 year old seen training at the full back position. Jesus used a similar move successfully to convert Fabio Coentrao from the midfield to the left back position but unsuccessfully on Bernardo Silva who left the club on loan to Monaco and never returned. Jorge Jesus' previous run at Benfica from 2009-2015 saw notable Seixal players Bernardo Silva, Andre Gomes, Joao Cancelo, Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Costa all depart on loan during his spell with none receiving regular playing time under Jesus.
This has many Benfica supporters concerned that the same thing is set to happen this time around with Jesus at the helm as the exodus of Seixal academy players has already begun. Many fans have their eye currently on B team striker Goncalo Ramos who trains with the main squad during the weekdays but has yet to appear in any league games. The 19 year old Ramos has been on fire to start the season, scoring seven goals in just four games and eleven goals in his last seven games between Benfica B and the clubs youth side that made a run to the UEFA Youth Finals. Jesus will have a decision to make if Ramos' form continues, will he give the youngster the playing time that he has earned or will he anger the clubs faithful once more when another Seixal academy product departs to never return.

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