Benfica President Luis Felipe Vieira has admitted that the club offered Jose Mourinho the managerial job with the club after Rui Vitoria was sacked at the start of the year but the recently sacked United manager did not have any interest in returning to Portugal to manage. Vieira had informed intern manager Bruno Lage that if Mourinho accepted Benfica's offer that he would be taking over, in which Lage told Vieira he would pick up Mourinho at the airport himself if that move came to fruition. Benfica in the end would not land Mourinho and decided to make B club manager Bruno Lage the permanent manager after the clubs performances improved during his intern.
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.
