Friday, January 31, 2025

Benfica add interesting name to striker want list

Benfica Blog

Benfica is creating waves in the winter transfer window. President Rui Costa recently hinted at roster changes, stirring excitement among fans and analysts alike. As speculation grows, Italian striker Andrea Belotti has emerged as a potential addition to the squad. However, this move hinges on whether Arthur Cabral will leave the club during this transfer period. 

Such a strategic decision highlights Benfica's ambition to stay competitive and raises important questions about their attacking setup moving forward. Belotti is known for his physicality and ability to find space in the box. His strengths include his aerial ability and strong finishing skills. However, he has faced challenges in consistency, particularly with injuries. 

Should Cabral leave, Benfica would need to reassess their attacking options as Cabral has been linked to West Ham, Torino, Atlanta FC and clubs in Brazil, hence during the past week, Benfica have been linked to a host of strikers that would replace the Brazilian.

The financial impact of Cabral's transfer would allow Benfica to reinvest in a new striker and potentially strengthen the club in other areas of the squad. The 31 year old Belotti is said to be open to a move to Lisbon as he has been used sparingly at Como this season, playing only 650 minutes across all competitions, while scoring two goals.

Benfica will face Monaco in Champions League Playoff

Benfica will face Monaco in the Champions League playoff for a place in the round of 16 in what will be an interesting two leg affair. The first leg of the match up will take place on February 12 in Monaco in a rematch of game 5 of the league phase in which Benfica came from behind to win 3-2. While the second leg will be back at the Luz a week later on February 18.

The winner of this contest will face either Liverpool or Barcelona in the round of 16 and pocket €11M for advancing to the next round. League rivals Sporting have been drawn to face Borussia Dortmund while FC Porto will take on Roma in the Europa League.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Benfica will find out Champions League opponents tomorrow

Benfica Blog
Benfica came off a big victory in Italy over Juventus yesterday to earn a spot in the Champions League playoff on the last day of this revamped competition. There next opponents will be learned on the 31st of January.

Benfica ended up finishing 16th in the 36 team league and will find out tomorrow who their opponents are in the next round of games which will be a home and home encounter all the way until the one game final.

Benfica will be drawn against French clubs Monaco or Brest tomorrow with the winner of the two leg set moving on to face either Liverpool or Barcelona in the round of 16.

Benfica will earn €1M for making the playoff round to add on top of the €9.1M that they earned over the eight league games and the €18.6M for qualifying for the league phase. While €11M await the club if they are to advance to round of 16.

 

Benfica to test Genk resolve on leading scorer

Benfica Blog
Benfica have started to look around with the hopes of adding another striker to replace Arthur Cabral who is looking likely to join M.L.S. club Atlanta United. The American side have been aggressive in their pursuit of the Brazilian striker and now are rumoured to be ready to go as high as $18M for his services.

Reports coming from Africa state that Benfica have turned their attention to the Belgian Pro League's leading scorer, Tolu Arokodare. The Genk striker has scored fourteen goals in league play while providing six helpers in 23 games of action while chipping in another two goals and an assist in Belgian Cup play. 

The Nigerian striker has been with Genk since joining from French side Amiens in the winter of 2023 for €5M and is in the middle of his best season as a pro player. Genk are said to be hesitant to move on from the 24 year old who has been a key member of their first place squad.

Benfica are hoping to test the resolve of the Belgian club and are said to have made an initial offer of €10M for Tolu's services, but Genk is said to be looking for close to double that amount if they are to move on from their current starting striker.

With the transfer window set to close for most leagues next week, look for Benfica to press forward for a striker if they are to lose Cabral.

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Benfica hanging onto Playoff spot in Champions League

Benfica Blog
Benfica head into Turin to play their final league game of their Champions League campaign needing at minimum at least one point in their encounter with Juventus if they are to reach the knockout rounds of the competition.

Benfica are coming off a shocking defeat to city rivals Casa Pia in the Portuguese League over the weekend and the heat is on manager Bruno Lage to turn around the club's fortunes around and remain alive to play another day.

A Benfica win or draw will move them into the knockout round and if the club suffers a loss, it does not necessarily knock them out, but they will need to have other results go their way if they are to continue moving forward.

Benfica rivals Sporting are also just hanging on and will face Bologna at home needing a win or draw to remain in the competition. In a worse case scenario for Portugal, both clubs could be out of the competition once 10pm WEST comes around tomorrow night. Now that would be a disaster.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Benfica with eyes on yet another striker

Benfica Blog
Benfica are in the market for what looks like another striker that can actually score regularly and this time have their eyes set on 21 year old attacker Cristian Shpendi who currently applies his trait in Italy with second division club Cesena.

Benfica have spent an exuberant amount of funds on strikers since the departure of Goncalo Ramos to PSG in the summer of 2023 but have yet to find one that can provide goals on a regular basis from the number nine position.

Benfica will need to sell one of their current strikers if they are to make a move for the Italian-Albanian striker, with the departure of Arthur Cabral looking more and more likely during this transfer window as he has interest from Brazilian clubs, Botafogo and Palmeiras and Benfica seem ready to cut their losses.

Shpendi currently sits second in scoring in Serie B with ten goals over nineteen games and looks to fit what the club is looking for in an attacker (We would hope). Cesena is said to be open to moving on from Shpendi for €15M, which is the sum that Benfica is likely to obtain for the sale of Cabral.

Benfica are hoping that if this move does materialize, that it will not be another swing and miss.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Benfica choked... its simple even through all the chaos with Barcelona

Benfica Blog
Almost 24 hours have passed since Benfica and Barcelona clashed in Lisbon under rainy conditions in a game that would turn into being the most exciting of this new Champions League format and also its most controversial.

Benfica choked away two two-goal leads against Barcelona and allowed a goal in the final play of the game while their players were busy surrounding the match official asking for a penalty that was not given, instead of manning their positions, and went on to lose 5-4 to their Spanish counterparts in a last-ditch play of the game.

The loss took away from a first half hat-trick performance from striker Vangelis Pavlidis, his best scoring performance since joining the club in the summer. The officiating left many shaking their heads on penalties given and penalties missed. While we all try to understand what the point of VAR is, if all they seem to do in most occasions is go along with the referee's decision, no matter how wrong it actually is.

Bruno Lage will need to take some blame his way for his poor decisions when it came to substitutes, bringing on attacking players that defend poorly in Angel di Maria and Alexander Bah while the club was ahead 4-2, left many scratching their heads.

The final whistle was not the end of it, as Benfica President Rui Costa had seen enough and went down to the tunnel area to confront the match officials on their decisions, while police were called to break up a scuffle that unfolded between the two teams in the dressing room area.

The club will need to take a hard look in the mirror today and wonder what went wrong; the two penalties awarded to Barcelona kept them in the game, even though one was a dive from Yamal, a player who committed a foul just ten seconds prior to the call that was not called.

Some will say that Benfica's own penalty given was soft and should not have been awarded and they may be correct, but we can all question if the roles were reversed, would Barcelona have been awarded a penalty right at the end if it was their own player who was checked off the ball into the ground while in the box?

This is a question that cannot be answered, but what can be answered is that Benfica choked. Sure, the officiating was piss poor, but it is up to the club to use their heads in protecting a lead and earning the points that they rightly deserved.

Bruno Lage needs to show that he is a big game manager; his untimely substitutions and the players involved in them are the moves of an idiot and not a manager who deserves to be on the sideline of the country's biggest and most popular club.

Benfica have one left game in the competition as they travel to Juventus and may still get into the knockout playoff even with a loss, as long as certain results go their way, but the club needs to find that killer instinct, the one that sees a boxer put in the final blow when he has his opponent's legs wobbling in the corner. 

The club and the manager still have a lot to learn if they are to go deep in the competition, yesterday was a learning experience. A pretty costly one.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Benfica snag Guimaraes midfielder away from Wolves

Benfica Blog
Benfica performed a coup over the weekend when they snagged Guimaraes midfielder Manu Silva away from a certain move to England and away from Wolverhampton. It had been widely claimed in the media that Manu was on his way to Wolves and was even held out of the club's weekend game against Arouca.

Benfica stepped in on the recommendation of manager Bruno Lage who is also the former manager of Wolverhampton and made a deal with their Portuguese counterparts to bring Manu to Lisbon. The 23 year old plays in the defensive midfield role and can also cover the center back position when required.

Manu is said to have preferred the move to Benfica over Wolverhampton as it presented him with the opportunity to play in the Champions League. Benfica will pay €10M to Guimaraes with €2M in potential incentives and will give Guimaraes 20% on the future sale of the player. Manu is signed until the summer of 2030 with a €70M buy clause.

Manu has appeared in 28 games across all competitions this season, scoring four goals while providing two helpers. Manu joined Guimaraes from Feirense in the winter of 2023 for €325K and will provide Benfica with some depth as the season progresses.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Benfica will return to action in Champions League

Benfica Blog
Benfica who are coming off a come from behind victory over Farense in the round of 16 Taca de Portugal, will return to action in the Champions League, league phase when they go head to head against Barcelona at the Luz on Tuesday January 21. Benfica will then travel to Italy to finish this stage of the competition on the road against Juventus the following week on Wednesday.

Benfica currently sit in 15th spot with the top 24 moving into the knockout stages of the competition. Barcelona currently sit in second spot while Juventus are just one place ahead of Benfica going into the final two games. A victory in either of these games would see Benfica continue in the competition, a draw or a pair of losses and the club will need some help in other games.

Benfica will take on Famalicao tomorrow in an important league game before their encounter with Barcelona mid-week. The club is hoping to have Angel di Maria back for these games after he suffered a knock in the Taca game and was substituted in the first half of the game. Early reports say that the injury is not considered serious.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Farense keeper back on Benfica radar

Benfica Blog
Farense keeper Ricardo Velho is once again being discussed with a potential future move to Benfica, with the two clubs set to go head to head in the Taca de Portugal's round of 16 tomorrow. The 26 year old will have a lot of the club's eyes on his performance against the club.

Farense is hoping to cash out on Velho, who holds a €10M buy clause, one that the Algarve club does not want to budge on, hence his longer than expected stay in Faro.

Velho has appeared in 90 games with Farense across all competitions after joining from Braga's organization in the summer of 2020. His appearances include action across all competitions that include both Portugal's top league and the second division.

Velho is no longer a keeper who just plays on a small club in Portugal after earning his first call-up to Portugal's senior squad this past October. Look for Benfica to bring the asking price for Velho down if any agreement is going to happen between the two squads.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Benfica capture their 8th Taca da Liga title over rivals

Benfica Blog
In a gripping showdown, Benfica clinched their 8th Taca da Liga title against their fierce rivals, Sporting. The competition, which gives clubs another opportunity to capture a trophy during the season, featured a nail-biting match that ended in a 1-1 draw, leading to a dramatic penalty shootout. Benfica showcased their nerve and skill, converting all their penalties in a 7-6 victory, capturing their first title since 2016.

Benfica opened the scoring in the first half when youngster Andreas Schjelderup danced past his defender and got a low shot past Sporting keeper Franco Israel but Sporting would equalize before the half as star striker Viktor Gyokeres would convert from the penalty spot, to bring the game level.

The second half failed to match the exciting first half that both clubs put on display as both managers decided to shift into a tighter defensive style of play, hoping to capitalize on a mistake. The game went straight to penalties after 90 minutes and  after 13 straight conversions by both clubs, Benfica keeper Anatoliy Trubin would make a save on Francisco Trincao to give the Eagles the title.



Friday, January 10, 2025

Benfica open talks with United for Antony loan

Benfica Blog
Benfica have opened discussions with Manchester United for out of favour 24 year old winger Antony, who has yet to make one start in league action since the arrival of new club manager Ruben Amorim.

Benfica are looking to strengthen their depth at the right wing position and feel that Antony would be a perfect backup to current starter Angel di Maria and be able to supplement the 36 year old star, who the club would prefer to rest on occasions. 

Benfica is in competition for Antony alongside Real Betis and Olympiacos, but it is still uncertain if United are looking to move out the player who arrived at the club for a hefty price tag of €95M in the summer of 2022.

His career at United started off exceptionally well under the guidance of the club's former manager, Erik Ten Hag, but his career has flopped to the wayside for some time now with what can only be a lack of confidence in his own game.

Benfica will have to negotiate with United on the player's remaining salary for the season if a loan were to take place, with Antony still set to earn over £5M to finish off the season.

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Torino want to bring Arthur Cabral back to Italy

Benfica Blog
Torino has made an initial offer to Benfica for striker Arthur Cabral according to Sky Sport Italy, as they look to bring the Brazilian back to Italy for a second stint in Serie A after Cabral spent 18 months with Fiorentina before joining Benfica in the summer of 2023 for €20M.

Despite his struggles in Portugal and limited playing time, Cabral is still an in-demand striker and would likely welcome any move that would have his playing time increase. Cabral has appeared in 20 games at the club this season across all competitions, scoring five goals while providing one helper in 544 minutes of action.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Benfica blow chance to move back to top of league

Benfica Blog
Benfica had the opportunity to move back into top spot after league leaders Sporting played Guimaraes to a 4-4 draw on Friday but the Lisbon club stumbled at the Luz, losing to Braga 2-1, their second straight loss in league action after losing to city rivals Sporting the previous week.

Benfica had another lackluster first half against Braga which led to their downfall as they went into the half down 2-0, it was the same disappointing performance that proved costly in their loss to Sporting. 

There second half was much better but they could not come back to take any points in the game and now sit in third spot as the season reaches the halfway point of the campaign.

Benfica will face Braga in a rematch on Wednesday in Leiria for a place in the League Cup Finals, then travel to the Algarve for a round of 16 Taca de Portugal game against Farense and then kick off the second half of the season versus Famalicao on the 17th.

Thursday, January 2, 2025

What Benfica needs to do in Winter Transfer Window

Benfica Blog
With the winter transfer window now officially open, Benfica will look to make some minor moves to the squad while resisting making any player sales during this period.

Benfica coach Bruno Lage feels that the current squad has the right pieces to claim the Portuguese League crown and if the club is to look at a move it would be at the right back position, with the club ending the loan of Man City right back Issa Kabore early.

Lage could also look to the Seixal academy to add a player to back up current starter Alexander Bah, with the names of Leandro Santos and Diogo Spencer being mentioned.

Benfica may also look at a winger to provide some relief for 36 year old  Angel di Maria. The club is still competing in four competitions at the moment and would like to manage Di Maria's minutes, so that they continue to get the best from the player.

The winter transfer window will remain open until February 5th, 2025.