Lenglet seeks to end Benfica’s decades-long French ‘curse’ | OneFootball

Clément Lenglet, a left-footed centre-back aged 31, has been chosen by Benfica to replace Nicolás Otamendi, who left at the end of his contract and has signed for River Plate. According to Glorioso 1904, the France international joins from Atlético Madrid, adding to the recent arrival of Gabriel Índio in central defence.

French players have been rare at Benfica and, in many cases, their stays have been brief and low-impact.

The most recent example was Meïté, signed in 2021, who made 27 appearances in one season before departing on loan moves and eventually leaving permanently.

Sébastien Corchia featured only eight times for the first team in 2018/19, while Lionel Carole also logged few minutes before moving on.

Looking further back, Laurent Robert struggled for continuity in Portugal and Manuel dos Santos, despite being one of the more used from this group, never became a lasting reference. Goalkeeper Yannick Quesnel made just one appearance.

Lenglet arrives with a clear aim to buck that trend and establish himself as a defensive pillar. With experience at Barcelona, Tottenham and Atlético Madrid, he will look to steady the back line during a period of change.

Source: Glorioso 1904