Benfica players set for International break

Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has given the club's players a five day break until Friday for those who will not be departing on International duty for their respective countries Benfica is currently carrying 26 players on their first team and thirteen of those players will be on duty with their home nations.

Benfica players set for International Duty:

Portugal: Antonio Silva

Portugal U21: Samuel Soares, Joao Neves, Tomas Araujo

Argentina - Nico Otamendi, Angel di Maria

Norway - Fredrik Aursnes

Croatia - Petar Musa

Turkey - Orkun Kokcu

Ukraine - Anatoliy Trubin 

Denmark - Alexander Bah

Brazil U23 - Morato

Japan U22- Leo Kokubo

Benfica find out Champions League group opponents

Benfica have learned their fate after their Champions League group draw that saw last seasons Portuguese League champions drawn with a famaliar for in Inter Milan and the two clubs are joined by Spanish side Real Sociedad and Austrian club RB Salzburg.

The group stage will kick off for Benfica on September 20 at home against RB Salzburg.

Benfica group schedule

Game 1 September 20 vs RB Salzburg

Game 2 October 3 at Inter Milan

Game 3 October 24 vs Real Sociedad

Game 4 November 8 at Real Sociedad

Game 5 November 29 vs Inter Milan

Game 6 December 12 at RB Salzburg

Benfica have a crazy deadline with flurry of moves

Benfica had a wild final day of the summer transfer window that saw five players move clubs as they get set for the next few months to compete with the players that remained or arrived at the club.

Benfica negotiated the arrival of Spanish left back Juan Bernat from PSG on loan for the season in hopes that the 30 year old can replace the production lost from the departed Alex Grimaldo. Benfica will pay half of Bernat's €5.5M salary as part of the loan and the deal will not include an option to buy at the conclusion of the season.

Benfica saw the departure of four players with keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos being the highest profile player to move on from the club. The former Benfica number one will be joining English side Nottingham Forest for €10M + add ons and signs a four year contract with the Premier League club. 

Benfica then made three smaller moves sending midfielder Paulo Bernardo to Celtic and Andreas Schjelderup to Nordsjaelland, both on loan. While left back Mihailo Ristic joined Spanish side Celta Vigo on a permanent basis with Benfica receiving €1.5M for the move.