Enzo Barrenechea facing a tough spell at Benfica | OneFootball

The injury suffered at the beginning of January, combined with Fredrik Aursnes’ return to midfield and the good connection between the Norwegian and Leandro Barreiro, complicated Enzo Barrenechea’s situation at Benfica. The Argentine midfielder, who had been a regular presence in the starting eleven, lost his place in the lineup and saw his path to a starting spot become narrower in recent weeks.

After being one of the most used players in the first half of the season, the athlete has taken on a more secondary role, appearing only occasionally in José Mourinho’s team. The change in the competitive context ended up pushing him to the bench, but the footballer is determined to change his current status.

The player arrived at Luz on loan from Aston Villa, with a fee of three million euros, in a deal that includes a purchase option set at 12 million, dependent on the fulfillment of certain objectives that the Argentine is close to achieving.

The scenario could become even more demanding with the imminent return of Richard Ríos. The Colombian, who is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained against Porto in the Portuguese Cup, is expected to return to competition in about a week and a half, and could be available for the match against AVS or for the trip to Madrid.

This season, wearing the Benfica shirt, Enzo Barrenechea — valued at 15 million euros — has played 33 official matches: 17 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 12 in the Champions League, two in the Portuguese Cup, one in the League Cup, and one in the Super Cup. In the 2,450 minutes he has spent on the pitch, the Argentine has recorded one goal and one assist.

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