Exclusive Glorioso 1904 - Marco Silva sees flaws in Benfica target | OneFootball

Souffian El Karouani still has aspects to improve at Benfica. Glorioso 1904 knows, exclusively, that Marco Silva has identified some weaknesses in the defensive phase of the Moroccan left-back, believing the new signing needs to develop in that area, which explains why the player is not Benfica’s plan A.

The new player was in the Netherlands, where he developed much of his career. The Dutch competitive context is known for valuing the offensive side and the freedom given to full-backs to take part in build-up play and in the final third, something that helped El Karouani put up standout assist numbers.

However, the reality he has found at Luz is different. According to what our newspaper has learned, Marco Silva wants the full-back to be more consistent in moments without the ball, increasing his defensive commitment and his ability to carry out the tasks required by the team.

Despite the quality El Karouani has already shown in attack, the Benfica coach believes the player needs to adapt to a new reality. At Luz, the demands are greater and every player has to show a better balance between what they do with and without the ball. The Reds’ coach is therefore keeping a close eye on the full-back’s progress and intends to work on the signing’s defensive aspects throughout the season.

The idea is to maximize his attacking qualities without neglecting an area considered fundamental in the playing model. El Karouani therefore has a period of adaptation to Portuguese football and to Marco Silva’s demands ahead of him.

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