Benfica have extended the contracts of promising youngsters Tiago Dantas and Nuno Tavares, both players have signed on for five additional seasons and the club has added €88M buy out clauses to each players contract. Dantas is a creative attacking midfielder and is his name has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Joao Felix in this coming season while left back Tavares will be Alex Grimaldo's understudy for the upcoming season with the departure of Yuri Ribeiro to Nottingham last week. Benfica's Seixal academy continues to turn up some gems and these two youngsters should be kept an eye on for this season.
Benfica are set to play their second preseason game tonight at 8:15pm WEST in Coimbra against Academica before departing to the USA to take part in the International Champions Cup. Benfica have named 25 players to the squad for the upcoming friendly.
Keepers- Vladchodimos, Mile Svilar, Ivan Zlobin
Defenders- Ruben Dias, Ferro, Joao Ferreira, Nuno Tavares, Grimaldo, Jardel, Conti
Midfielders- Samaris, Gabriel, Florentino, Fejsa, Pizzi, Chiquinho, Salvio, Tiago Dantas, Rafa Silva, Taarabt, Caio Lucas, Franco Cervi
Forwards- Raul de Tomas, Seferovic, Jota
Benfica's opening preseason game to Anderlecht resulted in a 2-1 loss with Chiquinho scoring the loan Benfica goal. The night was all about retiring striker Jonas and the result of the game was of little importance to many of the clubs fans that turned up at the stadium. The concern that has come into play is that Benfica lost two players to injury in their first tune up as Jhonder Cadiz went down with a right thigh injury and youngster David Tavares left the game having suffered a twisted left knee. The two players were not expected to be part of the teams plans this season but with four preseason games remaining we hope that the injury trend does not continue in the games that lie ahead.
