Benfica have secured the rights to Pacos Ferreira 19 year old striker Diogo Almeida by paying the youngsters buy out clause of €500,000. Benfica are now currently in discussions with the players agent on a new contract and are closing in on a five year agreement. The deal should become official once the transfer window opens in January and Almeida will likely join Benfica's B squad were he will get regular playing minutes. Almeida made his first team debut for Pacos early this season when he made an appearance in the clubs Taca da Liga cup game in August, he has gone on to appear in four league games this season but has yet to score for the club. Benfica acted quickly to acquire the Portuguese striker beating out other interested clubs, Almeida will join a growing list of recently acquired youngsters Vasco Pacienca, Joao Borges, Joao Resende and Molnar as they battle for a place with the main squad.
Benfica's first opponent in the 3rd round of the Taca de Portugal qualifying will be second division side Cova da Piedade. Benfica will take on Cova da Piedade on October 20, in what will be short 20 minute bus ride for the club. Cova da Piedade currently sit 14th in the second division and knocked out Vasco da Gama Sines with a 4-0 win to set up this clash with Benfica. Benfica reached the semi-finals of the competition last season were they were eliminated on away goals to cross town rival Sporting. Benfica will be looking to add to their nation leading 29 Taca de Portugal championships. Benfica last won the Taca de Portugal in 2017.
Benfica's Champions League struggles continue as they drop another decision in their second group game 3-1 away to Russian side Zenit. Benfica who have won only four games out of their last twenty Champions League group games, really stunk up the joint in this one. The game started with a chance for each side in the first two minutes of the game before the clubs slowed the tempo down for the next 15 minutes. Pizzi would then break out on the left wing but his shot attempt would go right into the arms of Zenit keeper Lunev. A sloppy clearance from Vlachodimos to Fejsa just a couple minutes later would see Zenit open up the scoring as Dzyuba's low shot from an Ozdoev steal sent the striker in alone for the finish. Taarabt would then force Lunev to make another stop as Benfica looked for the equalizer. Zenit's defensive strategy had Benfica's lone striker in the game Seferovic isolated for the majority of the half, while Zenit continued to carve Benfica up and down the right side of the field until the half time whistle.
The second half saw Zenit get a chance to double the lead right off the whistle but Azmoun's shot was defended by Vlachodimos. Dzyuba would have Zenit's next chance as his looping header had Vlachodimos back peddling to make the save. Benfica would then make a double change at the hour mark with Vinicius and Caio Lucas coming in for Pizzi and Fejsa. Zenit though would double their lead when a Karavaev cross towards the back post was bundled by Ruben Dias for an own goal at the 70th minute. Zenit would make it 3-0 just eight minutes later as striker Azmoun would stay onside and round Vlachodimos for a tap in into an empty net. Benfica would get one back when substitute Raul de Tomas would intercept a cheaply cleared ball from the Zenit defense and score a golaco from outside the box for his first goal in Benfica colours but that was as close as the Lisbon would come. Benfica will next play Lyon on October 23 at home as they look for their first win of the campaign and manager Bruno Lage will need to stop coaching this squad like he is Rui Vitoria 2.0, only time will tell.
