Benfica to return to action on Holy Day

Benfica will host Chaves on Good Friday as the club goes into the final stretch of the season looking to capture the Portuguese league title for the second consecutive season. Benfica has eight contests left and trails league leaders Sporting by one point, although their club rival has a game in hand and could stretch the lead to four points.

Benfica will travel to Alvalade to take on Sporting in a Week 28 clash that could all but decide this season's champion. A victory by Benfica could go  a long way in putting pressure on Sporting, which will still need to face nemesis FC Porto at the Dragao at the end of next month. Benfica are also still alive in the Europa League, so they will have more games on the docket than their competitors.

Taarabt says he and Vitoria were not fond of one another

Former Benfica midfielder Adel Taarabt, who is currently in the UAE playing for Al-Nasr, recalled his time at the club during a recent interview with the national news in the UAE. Taarabt admitted that he had no interest in joining Benfica at first, but it was the insistence of former club President Luis Felipa Vieira, who offered Taarabt a five year contract after spending four hours with the midfielder, that changed his mind.

Taarabt, who is now 34 years old, also mentioned his cold relationship with former Benfica coach Rui Vitoria, stating that the two were not fond of one another during their time together, which all started in the summer of 2015 when the Moroccan international arrived at Vitoria's first camp in charge 17 pounds overweight. 

The former Benfica bench boss went on to punish Taarabt by not giving him a minute of playing time during his first camp at the club and went as far as not even saying good morning. Taarabt's career at Benfica did get better as he went on to appear in 129 contests for the club across all competitions, scoring twice while providing fourteen helpers.

 

Benfica with eyes on Famalicao midfielder

Benfica are one of the various clubs with their eyes set on Portugal U21 attacking midfielder Gustavo Sa, who currently applies his trade with Famalicao in the Portuguese League. Famalicao is said to not have been approached by any club for the services of the 19 year old, but according to reports out of Portugal but, this should change as the summer transfer window closes in.

Sa has come up through Famalicao's youth system since joining at the age of 14 and made his senior debut last season with the northern Portugal club. Sa has appeared in 24 games across all competitions this season, scoring three goals while also providing three helpers.

Famalicao is a financially healthy club and holds all the cards in negotiations with Sa signed until the summer of 2027. Benfica will have to fight off league rivals FC Porto for Sa's signature, while clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Stuttgart have also been linked to the midfielder.