Benfica set to start talks for new left back

With contract talks with current starting left back Alex Grimaldo not moving forward, Benfica are already looking at options to replace the 27 year old Spaniard who is set to become a free agent at the end of this current season and are ready to begin talks with Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro for Guilherme Arana.

The 25 year old suffered a left cruciate ligament injury in September costing him a chance to represent Brazil in World Cup 2022, with no timeline yet to on his potential return, Arana could yet miss at least the first few months of the Brazilian league season. Benfica are hoping that acquiring the left back while his value is low will pay off dividends for the club in the future.

Arana would be looking to make amends after his first failed trip to Europe in which he joined Sevilla in January 2018 but appeared in only twenty-five games across all competitions for the Spanish club, spending most of his time away on loan. Arana returned permanently to Brazil in the summer of 2021 making his loan at Mineiro permanent after spending 18 months with the club.

Enzo pays tribute to Benfica during interview

It took almost two weeks but former Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez paid tribute to his former club during a post game interview with English channel BT Sport. Enzo thanked Benfica for giving him the opportunity to make the move to European football and that he would always be grateful to everyone at the club, saying his experience was beautiful and that he learned a lot while there.

Benfica sold Enzo to Chelsea on deadline day for a Premier League record of €121M just six months after acquiring the midfielder from River Plate for €10M with an additional €8m in add ons. Enzo went on to win a rare winter edition of the World Cup in December with Argentina, being named the young player of the tournament which only added to his value and eventually clinching his move to Chelsea.

Braga end Benfica run in Taca de Portugal

Benfica are out of the Taca de Portugal at the quarter final stage after suffering a penalty shootout defeat to Braga after playing 120 minutes to a 1-1 draw. Benfica took an early lead on a Goncalo Guedes header but at the 30 minute mark, right back Alexander Bah lost his cool and took an idiotic red card for stomping on former Benfica midfielder Pizzi. Braga would then equalize just six minutes after the infraction as Al Musrati would tap in the ball at the far post after what looked like a harmless corner kick.

A game that Benfica started fluently until the red card was given would go into additional time as both clubs failed to score the rest of the way. Benfica would then be handed their second red card of the game when defender Morato received his second yellow with minutes remaining in additional time. The final whistle blew and the game would be heading to penalties...

Benfica would miss just one kick from the penalty spot as midfielder Fredrik Aursnes would be stopped by Braga keeper Matheus but it was more then enough with Braga converting all five of their kicks to advance to the Taca's semi-final stage. Braga continues to be a thorn in Benfica's side, having handed Benfica their only two losses of the current season, the first during league play at the end of 2022.