Heat turning up on Roger Schmidt as season winds down

The heat has turned up on Roger Schmidt's future at Benfica after a disappointing season that saw the club capture only the Super Cup to kick off the club's 2023-24 campaign. On too many nights, the club lacked creativity and saw too many poor performances from a squad that, on paper, was the best in Portugal, but Schmidt's tactics and lack of utilization of players contributed to the club's downfall.

Benfica's SAD is now in the process of holding meetings to discuss whether Schmidt is the right man to lead the squad into the 2024-25 season. According to reports out of Portugal, the sacking of Schmidt and his staff would prove to be costly to the club, with the figure said to be €22M over the next two seasons. 

Benfica President Rui Costa now faces the most difficult decision of his term: keep or dismiss Schmidt. The majority of Benfica supporters are against the German continuing as the bench boss of the club. The way Schmidt has lost games, more so than the results of those games themselves, is what has irked supporters to the point of wanting the coach gone.

If Rui Costa goes against the grain and continues with Schmidt, he will then become the main target of supporters, a decision that could prove costly to his future as the President of the club. Benfica fans will look to get Costa's attention tomorrow with a planned protest on the ouster of Schmidt and hope that the President has all eyes on them.

Benfica's Schjelderup excited to return to club after loan

Benfica's 19 year old winger Andreas Schjelderup has spent the season on loan with his former Danish club Nordsjaelland and has been in fine form during the season. Schjelderup has scored seven goals while providing ten assists across 32 competitive games.

Schjelderup recently spoke to Danish radio about his excitement about returning to Benfica in the summer and being prepared to fight for a place with the club next season.

The loan at his former club looks to have brought back the confidence that the youngster seemed to lose after not getting into much game action after arriving at the club during the winter transfer window last year for €9M.

Benfica are happy with the strides that Schjelderup has made this season and hope that this translates onto the field with the club next season.

What now for Benfica after a disappointing season

Benfica President Rui Costa will need to figure out the direction of the club for next season after a deifying past two weeks that saw the club fall twice to rivals and league leaders Sporting in league and Taca de Portugal action and although they do remain mathematically in the title chase, the chances of capturing the league title are slim at best.

Benfica also exited the Europa League in penalties to an inferior opponent in Marseille when manager Roger Schmidt decided that his game plan in the second leg was to protect their first leg win by doing so without high pressure and playing a defensive block. He was punished for his choice of a poor strategic plan, as the club lacked any offensive dynamics.

Schmidt is the big question mark in all of this, as moving on from the German bench boss will cost the club a hefty price tag, but the blame for this dilemma lands squarely at the feet of club President Costa. It was Costa who decided that German deserved an extension to his contract only a few months into his tenure. A decision that the President may have felt differently about if he had just waited for the season to conclude.

Schmidt also continues to show little flexibility and adaptability when his style of play does not work, his lack of proper use of substitutes, even when it clearly calls for them, is one of the more worrying signs for Benfica's future. The club now must decide if they will invest more funds in acquiring the players that fit into his style or move on from him and bring in a new sideline boss with a new identity who can get the most out of what the club already has on hand.

There is no doubt that Benfica, on paper, has the best squad in Portugal, but unfortunately, the game is not played on paper but on grass and on grass is where the club has faltered at almost every turn this season. Benfica fans require someone's head on a platter and President Rui Costa needs to decide what now for Benfica? Before that head is his.