Benfica in talks with Chelsea about Joao Felix loan

Benfica are said to be in talks with Chelsea about former Seixal academy graduate Joao Felix according to reports out of Portugal, as the club looks at a possible six month loan spell for the out of favour 25 year old when the transfer window opens up in January.

Chelsea acquired Felix from Atletico Madrid for €52M in the summer, but new Chelsea bench boss Enzo Maresca does not seem to be a fan of the former Golden Boy winner, having used Felix in only 293 minutes of action in the Premier League. Felix has scored once while providing one helper although he does have four markers in the UEFA Conference League.

The rumours of course, have now heated up that Felix is unhappy with his role, or lack of a role with Chelsea and would be open to a move back to Lisbon to join Benfica even if it is only on a temporary basis. Felix would welcome a move that would give him regular playing time.

Felix left Benfica for Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019 for what is still a club record €127M sale. His career since the departure has been full of highs and lows, with more lows then highs over the past couple of seasons.

Benfica need more scoring from their strikers

Benfica's current season goals reflect a pressing issue that cannot be overlooked. With strikers Pavlidis, Cabral, and Amdouni combining for only 15 goals in over 2,500 minutes on the pitch, across all competitions, their performances are starting to raise serious questions. 

If Benfica aims to compete in both the Portuguese league and Europe, an urgent need for improvement in scoring from their striking options is evident. The current tally of 15 goals is alarming when considering the time spent on the field. On average, this translates to a meager goal every 166 minutes, far from what is needed for a club of Benfica's stature. This inefficiency isn't just numbers; it's a barrier to success.

With key matches approaching in both the Liga Portugal and the UEFA competitions, an upturn in offensive production is essential. Benfica can't afford to miss opportunities if they aim to secure important victories.

Pavlidis, the regular starting striker shows promise with his physical attributes and ability to play in the attacking role. His work rate is commendable, but he often struggles to convert chances into goals. Improving his finishing would give the club a huge boost. He has converted a mere 6 goals in 1522 minutes while providing 4 assists.

Cabral has been a mixed bag since joining the club last summer. While he possesses great technique, consistency in front of goal has been elusive. He's capable of brilliance but must find a way to replicate that on a regular basis if he is to be a key player for the squad. He has 4 goals in 493 minutes.

Amdouni has had some impressive moments during his loan spell. His pace and positioning are assets; however, identifying his strengths could help him make a more significant impact moving forward for the club. Amdouni has hit the twine 5 times in 499 minutes and started 5 games from the clubs 23 to date.

Benfica’s attacking statistics lag behind teams like Sporting and FC Porto when you compare each club's attack from the striker position. Sporting star striker Gyokeres himself has chipped in 27 goals while his back up Harder has added 7 goals himself for a whopping 34 goals combined, more the double of Benfica's attack.

While FC Porto's new arrival Samu has scored 15 goals as he adjusts quickly to the club and his back ups Gul and Namaso have provided 5 goals combined. Although their tally is not much higher then Benfica's, you can not compare the overall talent edge that the Lisbon club has over their northern rivals.

Bruno Lage's tactical style favours an attacking style and he encourages his players, especially his wingers to find space in the attacking half of the field. It is important to have player movement especially from his striker when the club has possession in the final third of the pitch.

There is not one simple solution to the lack of goals the club is getting from their strikers and time might heal this current issue but all three club strikers need to be more clinical when they get the opportunity in front of goal, as addressing this issue is critical in setting the stage for a successful season.

Benfica even up games but remain a point behind top spot

Benfica traveled to Madeira to take on Nacional today in a rescheduled Week 8 contest, which brought all the teams games played in the league leveled to 14 a piece. Benfica prevailed with a 2-0 victory behind a pair of Angel di Maria second half goals.

With the result Benfica now sit in second spot in the league just one point behind Sporting for the league lead and one point ahead of third place FC Porto. Benfica and Sporting go head to head December 29 at the Estadio Alvalade and the outcome will see who holds the league lead going into the new year.

Benfica have taken advantage of both Sporting and FC Porto's struggles of late to close the gap on top spot a stretch that has seen the club win eight of ten league games while playing the other two to draws.