The Portuguese Football Federation is currently debating if there will be a Taca de Portugal final this season due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The Taca de Portugal which is normally the last game of the Portuguese season was set to take place on May 24 between Benfica and FC Porto but unless the the P.F.F. gets the green light from the Directorate of General Health that the game can be played amid under strict restrictions the P.F.F. will not proceed with the game. The Federation has said it will not reach this conclusion without speaking to the two clubs involved but would not go against the Directorate if they were told the game could not be played. The Federation has accepted that if the game was to go forward it would be played in an empty stadium with the date and stadium to be determined.
Carlos Gabriel is the latest Brazilian linked with a move to Benfica according to reports coming out of Portugal. The 20 year old Gabriel is on Benfica's list of future targets and has been loaned by parent club Atletico Mineiro to Parana until the end of November. Gabriel plays the left back position and could be seen as the heir apparent to current starter Alex Grimaldo. Gabriel came through the Mineiro youth system and spent the past two seasons with the main squad before being loaned to Parana in January for more playing time. Gabriel is known in Brazil as Hulk due to his build and is strong on the ball while being surprisingly quick. Benfica hopes to see the player in person in the near future once the world is back to a somewhat normal place.
Benfica have not been in action since drawing 1-1 with Setubal on March 7th and the squad was given vacation a month later on April 7th with no definite time table to return back to work with the club. The SAD officials are said to be currently working on how the
players will return to work safely at Seixal in accordance with the new league
guidelines set up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports say that Benfica is leaning on having all players and staff back by months end or early May to resume training while the league looks at options on how to recommence the season behind closed doors. Benfica currently sit one point behind league leaders FC Porto with ten league games remaining in the season.
