Marco Silva ‘to drop’ Sudakov if standards do not rise at Benfica | OneFootball

According to Glorioso 1904, Marco Silva has issued an ultimatum to Georgiy Sudakov, demanding immediate improvement or the midfielder will be dropped from Benfica’s starting XI.

He is still viewed as one of the squad’s highest-potential players, yet his output since his 27 million euro move has fallen short of expectations.

Last season, under José Mourinho, he never nailed down a place. Personal issues linked to the war in Ukraine played a part, and the No 10 struggled to influence the final third, returning only four goals and five assists. That slump cost him his starting role in 2025/26.

Marco Silva has restored him to his natural role as an attacking midfielder and used him regularly in pre-season, signalling trust. Even so, the 23-year-old’s performances remain below the level expected by the staff.

Silva still believes Sudakov can justify the investment, but wants an immediate response on the pitch. Another year without asserting himself could see the SAD led by Rui Costa consider a sale in an upcoming window to recoup part of the outlay.

Source: Glorioso 1904