Full-back was over the moon at Benfica move, but still fails to impress | OneFootball

Rafa Obrador, a left-back loaned by Benfica to Sassuolo, looked back on his move to Benfica in the summer of 2025, at a time when the club was also negotiating Álvaro Carreras’ departure to Real Madrid. The Spain under-21 international did not hesitate when Benfica’s offer arrived, seeing the transfer as an opportunity to take an important step in his career.

“When Benfica called me, I didn’t think twice. It was a great opportunity. Every player’s dream is to play in the Champions League, and Benfica always competes in Europe. It’s a massive club,” he told Sassuolo’s media channels.

Obrador’s spell at Benfica, however, ultimately fell short of expectations. The full-back was unable to establish himself in the first team and made just one appearance in Benfica’s shirt before being loaned to Torino. In Turin, he had more opportunities and made 17 appearances.

This season, the player returned to Italy, this time to represent Sassuolo. The Italian club secured a purchase option set at €7 million, meaning the full-back’s future will depend on the Spaniard’s performances and the club’s decision.

Obrador joined Benfica from Real Madrid for €5 million in a deal completed around a year ago. However, Los Blancos included a clause guaranteeing them 50% of the capital gain from any future transfer. Therefore, if Sassuolo goes ahead with a permanent signing for the agreed fee, Benfica will receive €3.5 million, while half of the profit generated by the deal will be reserved for Real Madrid.

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