Lenglet set to join Benfica, but was slammed in Spain for errors | OneFootball

Clément Lenglet is the centre-back chosen by Benfica to fill the void left by Nicolás Otamendi. The 31-year-old French international is expected to sign a contract valid for two seasons, becoming the experienced reinforcement the Eagles’ hierarchy wanted for the heart of the defence.

Despite still being under contract with Atlético Madrid until 2028, Lenglet was not among Diego Simeone’s main options. The defender lost ground in the Madrid side’s pecking order, often ranking behind names such as Robin Le Normand, Marc Pubill, David Hancko and José María Giménez.

After a positive first season in the Spanish capital, in which he made 33 appearances, scored three goals and provided two assists, the Frenchman ended up seeing his role reduced the following campaign. Lenglet’s last season was also marked by some difficult moments.

One of the most high-profile incidents came against Barcelona in the second leg of a competition’s quarter-finals, when he lost the ball to Lamine Yamal while building an attack, allowing the Catalans to cut the deficit in the match. Months earlier, he had already been sent off away to Celta de Vigo after receiving two yellow cards. The decision sparked strong protests from Diego Simeone, who publicly challenged the refereeing.

Despite feeling comfortable in Madrid and not expressing any desire to leave, Lenglet is now very close to starting a new challenge in his career. According to the Spanish press, Atlético Madrid even considered transferring the defender to Real Sociedad, but the deal did not go through.

Watch Lenglet’s mistake against Barcelona:

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