Exclusive: Mourinho’s plan to cover Benfica absences | OneFootball

José Mourinho will make use of Benfica's youth academy to address some of the problems regarding the physical condition of the team. Our Journal reveals, in Exclusive Glorioso 1904, that the Portuguese coach sees the youth ranks as a solution, at least until the January transfer window.

Benfica started the 2025/26 season early due to the Champions League qualifying rounds, and with virtually no preseason, due to participation in the Club World Cup. The Eagles have played numerous matches in the two months of competition they've endured, and the physical condition and freshness of the team is a cause for concern at the Clube da Luz.

Adding to these challenges, José Mourinho has also been dealing with several injuries in the squad, which have prevented the team from reaching its potential. Midfielder Manu Silva and winger Bruma are two of the names unavailable to contribute to the team due to serious injuries from which they are still recovering.

In this context, José Mourinho is considering leveraging Benfica's youth academy to address some issues that may arise in the main squad. It is worth remembering that some names, such as João Veloso, João Rego, or Leandro Santos, participated in the preseason with the senior team and are in line for a call-up to the A team.

The Benfica coach touched on the subject, reminding of the substitutes he has at his disposal after the defeat to Chelsea: "Having a super young bench also has its beauties, its challenges. All great players, at some point, were young".

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.