Marco Silva to start Benfica pre-season without World Cup sextet, Sudakov back early | OneFootball

According to Glorioso 1904, Benfica return on Thursday, 25 June, at Seixal to start preparations for 2026/27, with several internationals absent because of the 2026 World Cup.

Tomás Araújo, Alexander Bah (Dedic), Richard Ríos, Fredrik Aursnes, Dodi Lukebakio and Andreas Schjelderup remain with their national teams at the tournament. Others may be permitted to report later as the build-up is staged.

In recent weeks, several squad members have shared social media posts showing greater focus and preparation. After a season that fell short, finished in third, ambition is rising inside the dressing room, especially among lesser-used players seeking roles with the new staff.

One example is Georgiy Sudakov, the Ukrainian attacking midfielder whose debut season returned four goals and five assists in 36 games. Marco Silva has said he is counting on him and indicated a specific plan to boost his output. Sudakov reported back early and is already working at Seixal.

Samuel Soares, António Silva, Vangelis Pavlidis, Manu Silva, Bruma, Tiago Gouveia and Anísio Cabral have also begun individual work before the official start. In most cases they are using personal fitness coaches, a sign of strong motivation to convince the new staff. The coaching staff who succeeded José Mourinho are preparing a season in which the club intend to fight for titles again.

Source: Glorioso 1904