Benfica has teamed up with WME in a sports partnership to find a lead sponsor for the Estadio da Luz, it is the first time that the club has had a naming rights partner and WME will also lead the search for a sponsor for the teams youth academy. The Estadio da Luz has not had a sponsor since opening in October 2003 and the club is looking globally to sell the naming rights of its two most prized possessions. Benfica are hoping that this move will give the club more international exposure as it looks to maximize its brands potential. WME has plenty of experience in the sponsorship game working in the past few years with the NFL's Denver Broncos and NBA's Los Angles Lakers.
Jorge Jesus was excited with news received today of the potential return of fans to the stadiums in April before the end of the season. Jesus said at Benfica, the fans are the 12th man of the club and although he knows that the stadiums will not be full to capacity, the warmth and affection from the clubs fans will be as if it was. Jesus also said that any amount of fans would be good for the game with players unaccustomed to the sound of a crowd in a long time. Benfica last played in front of a large crowd on March 2, 2020 when they took on Moreirense at the Estadio da Luz, over 40,000 spectators attended the game.
Benfica and Brazilian club Bahia are currently talking about a move for central defender German Conti who has not played for Benfica since January of 2019 after arriving in the summer of 2018 from CA Colon. The 26 year old who has a contract with Benfica until the summer of 2023 failed to impress in his short ten game stint with the club and spent the 2020 year on loan with Mexican club Atlas. Conti rejoined the club at the start of the year but is not in manager Jorge Jesus' plans and has been training separately from the main squad, whether the clubs are discussing the sale or the player or a loan has not been released at this time.
