Benfica stun Bayern to finish top of group

In a historic upset at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, Benfica secured their first-ever victory over Bayern Munich with a gritty 1-0 win at the Club World Cup in a Group C decider to finish atop of the group over the German powerhouses.

The match, played under blisteringly unbearable 36°C heat, showcased Benfica’s defensive resilience and clinical finishing, propelling them to the top of Group C and into the Round of 16, where they will face Chelsea on Saturday in Charlotte, while Bayern settled for second place and will take on Flamengo.

Benfica’s triumph was anchored by a 13th minute goal from 21-year-old Norwegian winger Andreas Schjelderup, who capitalized on a low cross from compatriot Fredrik Aursnes to fire a first-time shot past Manuel Neuer. 

The goal came after a lively start from the Portuguese side, with Angel Di Maria forcing an early save from Neuer, setting the tone for Benfica’s aggressive approach in the first half that could have saw the Eagles score two or three goals.

Bayern, already assured of knockout stage qualification, fielded a heavily rotated lineup with seven changes from their previous 2-1 win over Boca Juniors. The changes looked to have led to a lackluster first half that saw the German giants with no shots on target.

Bayern coach Kompany would bring in the big guns with three key halftime changes, as Kane, Kimmich and Olise came into the game and the Germans would take control of the contest but they had difficulty breaking down Benfica's defensive compactness and when they did keeper Trubin's heroics would take hold.

Benfica’s 1-0 win was a testament to their tactical discipline, defensive solidity, and ability to seize key moments. Trubin’s goalkeeping and Schjelderup’s goal were decisive, while Bayern’s rotated squad paid the price for a sluggish start.

This historic result not only boosted Benfica’s confidence but also sent a message to their knockout opponents, Chelsea, that they are a force to be reckoned with as the tournament begins the knockout phase.

 

Portuguese Super Cup date and place announced

Benfica's Portuguese League season for 2025-26 is set to take place against rivals Sporting as the two are set to face off in the Portuguese Super Cup (SuperTaca Candido de Oliveira) on July 31, 2025 at the Estadio do Algarve at 8:45pm WEST.

Benfica and Sporting will meet for the Super Cup for the 7th time when you include 1944 and 1964 editions, with the clubs having evenly split the first six games. Benfica will be looking to capture their tenth Super Cup and avenge their league and taca defeats to Sporting.

Benfica want to add Tigre youngster to summer shopping list

Benfica have initiated talks to acquire 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Lorenzo Scipioni from Tigre, according to multiple sources. It is being reported that Benfica see enormous potential in Scipioni, who can play both central midfield and as a defensive midfielder.

His contract with Tigre runs until the end of 2026 and it is said that he does not have a release clause written into his contract, so Benfica will have to negotiate directly with the club if they are to acquire the services of Scipioni this summer.

Tigre has already rejected approaches from Greek club Olympiacos and MLS side Colorado Rapids, although no figures are being reported it does look like Tigre will be looking for what they feel is top dollar to move on from the midfielder.  

Although Olympiacos remain inerested, Benfica are actively pursuing a deal to bolster their midfield for the 2025-26 season. Scipioni has been with Tigre since January of 2022 and has appeared in 31 games since moving into the main squad during the 2023-24 season. 

 

Benfica need second half to get going in win over Auckland City

Benfica delivered a convincing 6-0 win over amateur club Auckland City at the Club World Cup but the game was far from straight forward thanks to a terrible first half by the Lisbon side and a lengthy weather delay that didn't see the second half commence after a two and a half hour delay.

Benfica showcased their superiority in the end, led by Angel di Maria but Auckland City's first half resilience was the talk of the first forty-five minutes of this contest. Benfica were fortunate to take a 1-0 lead to the half with a late penalty given to the club and Angel di Maria once gain coming up aces from the penalty spot.

When the second half did begin, Benfica capitalized on the fading energy of the Auckland players, Vangelis Pavlidis would score a pretty goal set up by Orkun Kokcu just eight minutes into the second half. Renato Sanches would then make it three after just entering the game, when his shot was deflected past Auckland's university keeper.

Leandro Barreiro would score a quick brace within two minutes to take the score up to 5-0 with both goals set up by striker Pavlidis. Angel di Maria would seal Benfica's 6-0 victory with his second goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

The scoreline was flattering to Benfica who struggled at times to break down the a semi-professional squad, especially in the first half. Lage's substitutions in the second half looked to spark the club's attack led by Sanches who could have added to his tally if not for some key misses and some key saves from the Auckland keeper.

Benfica will now finish off their group stage against Bayern Munich on Tuesday in Charlotte, with advancement to the knockout stages still up in the air, the club will be happy that they where able to boost their goal differential which may be the deciding factor if the club's participation is to continue in the tournament after Tuesday. 

Benfica set to land RB Salzburg right back

According to reports from sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, Benfica are set to secure a move for RB Salzburg right back Amar Dedic, as the club looks to shore up a position that has lacked depth over the past two seasons.

The 22 year old Bosnian would cost the Lisbon club around €10M to secure his services and would be given the green light to battle current starting and often injured right back Alexander Bah for a regular spot in the club's starting XI as he looks to bring an attacking flair that the club lacked from the right back position for most of the season.

Dedic spent the second half of last season on loan away from Salzburg with French side Marseille. The Bosnian international appeared in 35 combined games for both clubs across all competitions, failing to score a goal but providing seven assists in 2,234 minutes of action.

Look for this to be one of a few moves that Benfica will look to make this summer, as the club looks to add another central midfielder, winger, striker and a likely left back before the start of their season.

Benfica battle back to earn draw in Club World Cup opener

The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami was rocking, as Benfica and Boca Juniors delivered the most exciting and controversial game of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup thus far, with the game ending in a 2-2 draw. This clash was a spectacle to watch, turning from a football game to a WWE Royal Rumble by the time the game concluded. There where three red cards, four yellows, and 22 fouls committed in the contest that had fans on the edge of their seats in joy and anger.

Benfica started the game strong, controlling over 60% of possession early on and creating chances through the likes of Renato Sanches and Angel Di María, while Bruma clanked one of the post before being called off side. However, it was Boca Juniors, who struck first in the 21st minute with Lautaro Blanco’s incisive run and low cross path finding its way to Miguel Merentiel, who finished with a clinically goal to give Boca a 1-0 lead.

 

Boca would strike again just six minutes later, when Rodrigo Battaglia's header off of a corner found it's way into the back of the net. The Argentine side capitalized on a pair of mistakes by Benfica, who then struggled to regain their composure for much of the half until just before the break, when Otamendi went down under contact inside the box, a VAR review would award a kick from the penalty spot.

 

Angel di Maria stepped up to the spot and coolly placed the ball into the lower left corner of the net, beating his former international teammate Agustin Marchesin and cutting the lead to 2-1 before the half time whistle would sound, reigniting Benfica's hopes. 

 

The second half would see tensions boil over, queuing the circus music, Benfica did their best to try to equalize but Boca made sure to slow the tempo to a point where the first 25 minutes of the second half actually saw as little as 9 minutes of action. The frustration got the best of the Portuguese club as at the 70th minute mark Andrea Belotti who was just brought in at the half would see a straight red card from a high foot that caught the Boca defender in the head.

 

But Benfica unlike the officials in this match, were relentless and scored the equalizer from a corner set piece as Orkun Kokcu's ball whipped into the box found the head of captain Otamendi who would bring the game level at the 84th minute of the game. Boca would then see a straight red as Jorge Fical went in with a reckless challenge on Florentino at the 88 minute mark leaving both clubs with ten men on the pitch.

 

The final whistle would come quicker then most fans would have expected with the match officials only adding five minutes of injury time to the clock, infuriating hardcore and casual fans alike, who expected at minimum to see double digits from the officials for the time wasting that brought most of the second half to a stand still.

 

Benfica fans can be happy that the club played right to the end and earned a draw but they can also be disappointed with the poor starting XI chosen by Bruno Lage to commence this contest. The officiating was some of the worse seen in sometime and the match crew lost control of this game when they chose to withhold obvious card infractions from the start of the game.

 

Benfica will next face amateur club Auckland City on Friday and know very well that advancement to the next round of the competition may come down to goal differential and they would be wise to hit the New Zealanders with everything they have and pad the scoresheet before they face Bayern Munich next week.

Benfica watching Wolves manager Vitor Pereira

Benfica are set to kick off their Club World Cup tomorrow against Boca Juniors but an interesting report has emerged in regards to the club's managerial situation, with many news outlets reporting that the club has their eye on Wolverhampton's current Portuguese manager Vitor Pereira.

The club has denied that they have any intentions of replacing current manager Bruno Lage and stated that these reports are just out to cause destabilization towards the club.

Pereira became Wolves manager in December 2024 and helped turn around the club's season, keeping them up in the Premier League after taking over the role.

The 56 year old is already a fan favourite in England and has spent stints managing Al-Shabab, Flamengo, Corinthians, Fenerbahce Shanghai SIPG, 1860 Munich and Olympiacos over the past ten seasons. His last managerial role in Portugal was with FC Porto in 2013 but he also managed Santa Clara before this. 

Look for the noise to only get louder about a Pereira move to Benfica if Bruno Lage does not get off to a good start with the club in the upcoming season. Pereira did capture the Portuguese League title on two occasions while at FC Porto. 

Benfica announce squad for Club World Cup

Benfica have released their squad for this summers Club World Cup which is set to kick off Saturday in Miami. 

Benfica's first game of the tournament will be June 16 against Boca Juniors, followed by Auckland City on June 20 and their group stage wraps up June 24 against Bayern Munich.

Benfica Club World Cup Squad:

Keepers- Anatoliy Trubin, Andre Gomes, Diogo Ferreira

Defenders- Nico Otamendi, Antonio Silva, Alvaro Fernandez, Samuel Dahl, Leandro Santos, Joshua Wynder, Goncalo Oliveira, Adrian Bajrami

Midfielders- Orkun Kokcu, Florentino, Fredrik Aursnes, Leandro Barreiro, Renato Sanches, Rafael Luis, Joao Veloso, Diogo Prioste

Forwards- Vangelis Pavlidis, Angel di Maria, Andrea Belotti, Kerem Akturkoglu, Gianluca Prestianni, Andreas Schjelderup, Tiago Gouveia, Bruma, Joao Rego 

Botafogo land Benfica striker Arthur Cabral

Benfica have come to an agreement to sell striker Arthur Cabral to Botafogo for €12M with an additional €3M in potential incentives and will retain 10% on a future sale of the player. Botafogo have signed Cabral for the next three seasons and will have his services for the Club World Cup which is set to commence in the next couple of weeks.

Benfica acquired the 27 year old striker from Fiorentina in the summer of 2024 for €20.5M to replace outgoing starting striker Goncalo Ramos who was sold that same summer to PSG. Cabral could never become the striker the club was hoping for and had fallen down the pecking order of the club with the arrivals of Vangelis Pavlidis and Andrea Belotti.

Cabral appeared in 77 games for Benfica across all competitions scoring 18 goals while providing 5 helpers in 2,865 minutes of action with the majority of his game action coming at his first season with the club. Cabral did score two goals for the club in the Champions League over the past two seasons, both victories.

Cabral returns to his native Brazil where he last played in 2019 when he suited up with Palmeiras. Cabral came up through Brazilian clubs Ceara and Campinense and captured his only club trophy at the senior level this season when Benfica won the 2024-25 Taca da Liga earlier in the year.

Should Benfica make a move for Empoli midfielder Jacopo Fazzini

Benfica continue to look around as they try to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season and the club would be wise to add to its midfield this summer in a cost effective move that could pay dividends on the field and in their cash box.

With Empoli's relegation to Serie B this season it opens the doors to summer moves for many of its squad's players who are not looking to play division two football next season. One of the players that could be of interest to Benfica is midfielder Jacopo Fazzini.

Why Benfica should consider such a move for the 22 year old Fazzini comes down to his potential on both sides of the ball from the midfield position. Fazzini plays well in a box to box midfield and excels in high possession, high energy system as evidenced by Lazio's interest in him joining their club system.

Fazzini's age also fits well into Benfica's model of acquiring and investing time in young talent who can develop and contribute to the main club. The club hopes to bring out the best in a player like Fazzini and in doing so, sell the player for a profit to a bigger club in Europe.

Fazzini is currently with Italy's Under 21 squad as they prepare to play in this summers edition of the Euro U21 championship. The 22 year old scored six goals last season across all competitions for Empoli while providing one helper in 1,556 minutes of action. 

Benfica would be challenged by Italian clubs Lazio and Torino who have both been linked to the services of Fazzini and Empoli is said to be asking for around €15M to move on from a player that has been with the club since 2017. 

Benfica looking at Braga youngster for summer move

According to reports out of Portugal, Benfica are looking at Braga's 19 year old winger Roger Fernandes as a potential summer replacement for the departing Angel di Maria.

Benfica have been in contact with Braga to inquire about Roger's transfer conditions, Braga value the winger at €20M but he has a release clause of €40M which gives Braga the leeway to negotiate for a price tag that they are comfortable moving on from the player.

Benfica's interest remains strong for Roger even though Braga's current value of him is currently beyond what Benfica are willing to pay to acquire the players services. Benfica are hoping to negotiate a reasonable price with Braga for the move to happen.

Roger has already appeared in 84 games across all competitions with Braga and has scored 11 goals while providing 15 assists, he is currently with Portugal's U21 who will be headed to Slovakia to compete in the UEFA Euro U21 tournament.

Benfica monitoring situation of Joao Palhinha at Bayern

Recent reports indicate that Benfica are closely monitoring the situation of Joao Palhinha at Bayern Munich and are interested in signing the Portuguese midfielder for the 2025-26 season although no formal offer has been made.

Palhinha has struggled to secure a consistent spot in Bayern's starting XI and the club may be open to selling Palhinha to recoup the €55M plus bonuses that they paid Fulham in the summer of 2024 to acquire the 29 year old.

A transfer fee slightly lower then what the German giants paid could be enough to get the deal done or Benfica could look at purchasing 50% of the players rights to make the switch to the Lisbon based club.

Palhinha would have to agree to join Benfica and after spending nine seasons with cross town rivals Sporting, it may be a tough sell on Benfica's part to convince Palhinha to return to Portugal and don the club's red jersey.

Palhinha appeared in only 24 games across all competitions with Bayern this season and failed to score or provide a helper in 941 minutes of action. Palhinha did miss around ten weeks of action due to a right abductor injury suffered during his time with the Portugal national team in November.