Benfica have announced the closing of its Official stores and their restaurant at the Estadio da Luz indefinitely due to COVID-19 also known as the corona virus as a way of preventing the spread of the virus. The closures are effective as of today as the club deals with the spread of the virus through Portugal and the world. Benfica have not been in action since a draw last Saturday against Setubal and the club along with the rest of the world awaits to get back to normal everyday life. Benfica have provided their players with a diet and training regiment while the club is in hiatus and have asked players to remain isolated at home and to leave in only causes of emergency. The club will continue to monitor players through an electronic bracelet as they do during the season. Benfica are also going through the process of refunding purchasers of tickets to this weekends Tondela game and will move on others on a game to game basis.
Benfica's run for the Portuguese League title has been put on hold as the Portuguese League has suspended play due to COVID-19. The league has decided that Week 25's games which earlier in the week were set to be played behind closed doors would be better off to not take place at all with pressure coming from the players syndicate to cancel these games. The League decided that it would be in the best interest of the fans and players to suspend plan indefinitely to avoid the spread of the virus from large crowd gatherings. Portugal currently have 78 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and have not suffered any deaths at this time with one of the infected having completed a full recovery.
Benfica have acquired their first player for next season landing Corinthians midfielder Pedrinho for a reported €20M and signing the 21 year old for five seasons while adding a €120M buy out clause to the players contract. Benfica have been linked with Pedrinho since the winter transfer market but have now only made the move official announcing the players signing earlier today.
Pedrinho has been a member of Brazilian side Corinthians since the age of 14 and joined the main squad in early 2017, he has appeared in 92 games across all competitions scoring eight goals while adding another eight assists. Pedrinho will return to Sao Paulo and compete with Corinthians in the Brazilian Serie A until the transfer window re-opens in Portugal during the summer months.
/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_bc8228b6673f488aa253bbcb03c80ec5/internal_photos/bs/2020/c/D/5w8ZqmTZOdl5gxRmD1gg/pedrinho-7-thumbnail.jpg "Pedrino")