Benfica in energy-saving mode with brutal fixture list | OneFootball

Benfica’s squad has been managed in a surgical manner in recent matches. As observed, José Mourinho, coach of the Eagles, has been very careful in managing some of the main players of the team, given the current schedule.

According to what was reported by the newspaper A Bola in today’s edition, December 20, the Special One has made a point of allowing some recovery time for key members of the squad, in order to maintain a balance between fatigue and recovery, since the Benfica squad does not have a great deal of depth in terms of options.

Thus, in recent matches, several changes made by José Mourinho have been quite noticeable. Right from the duel against Napoli, where, for strategic and management reasons, the Setúbal native chose to bench Vangelis Pavlidis and start Franjo Ivanovic. However, these kinds of moves did not stop there.

In the following match, against Moreirense, the Special One once again changed the starting eleven, fielding the main lineup so as not to take any chances in a venue traditionally difficult for Benfica. After overcoming Moreirense, the Portuguese coach sought to give some rest in the Portuguese Cup, a competition in which he started players like Ivanovic, Prestianni, Manu Silva, and Tomás Araújo, instead of Aursnes, Pavlidis, Barrenechea, and Dedic.

With the upcoming match against Famalicão in mind, it is expected that José Mourinho will once again rely on the main figures, as he does not intend to take any chances in the league. Even so, in the game scheduled for next Monday, December 22, at Estádio da Luz, the Special One will have one confirmed absence in the squad.

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