José Mourinho has an ace up his sleeve for Benfica v Sporting | OneFootball

Fredrik Aursnes is José Mourinho's big bet for the tactical board in the derby between Benfica and Sporting. The Norwegian midfielder, known for his versatility, is in enviable physical form and has been identified by the coaching staff as the key piece to dismantle the rival's game construction in the decisive match.

The midfielder's ability to cover ground and press high without losing effectiveness throughout the 90 minutes is one of the great assets of his game. According to recent data collected by the performance team, the number 8 shows above-average endurance metrics, allowing Mourinho to design a high-intensity strategy to suffocate Sporting's midfield from the first whistle.

This inexhaustible stamina will be crucial in the mission to win the derby. With Benfica focused on closing the gap in the standings, Aursnes' intelligence, his trademark, is the ingredient that the Portuguese coach considers essential to win the midfield battle and control the game's rhythm against Sporting.

This season, wearing Benfica's jersey, Fredrik Aursnes – valued at 20 million euros – has played 25 matches: 12 in Liga Portugal Betclic, nine in the Champions League, two in the Portuguese Cup, one in the League Cup, and another in the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup. In the 2,221 minutes he has been on the pitch, the 29-year-old athlete scored two goals and made four assists.

The Benfica – Sporting match is scheduled for next Friday, December 5th, at 8:15 PM, at Estádio da Luz, and the Eagles have already started preparing for the duel. The match, valid for the 13th round of Liga Portugal Betclic, will be broadcast on BTV and is essential for the aspirations of the team led by José Mourinho in the title race, currently in third place.

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