Muscle injury sidelines Benfica playmaker | OneFootball

Georgiy Sudakov was left out of Benfica’s 5-2 win over Estrela da Amadora, in a friendly played in Seixal, due to a lower back injury. The physical issue is not considered a major concern, but it led Marco Silva to rest the Ukrainian midfielder in the Eagles’ second pre-season match ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

The absence comes at a time when Sudakov is trying to revive his career at Benfica after a difficult debut season. Under José Mourinho, the midfielder never managed to truly establish himself and even admitted he was going through a difficult spell, ending the season without leaving the bench in the final six league matches. The information was first reported by Record.

The change in the dugout has, however, brought new signs of confidence for the player. During his official presentation, Marco Silva made it clear that he is counting on the Ukraine international for the new season: "He is a Benfica player, and we are counting on him."

Before this physical setback emerged, the start of pre-season represented an important moment for Sudakov. The 24-year-old midfielder saw Marco Silva’s arrival as an opportunity to relaunch his path at the Luz and earn a more important role in the squad.

Despite his absence against Estrela da Amadora, everything indicates that the injury should not keep the Ukrainian out for long, allowing him to return to training soon and continue preparing for the new season, in which Benfica’s first major objective is to get past St. Gallen in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

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