Nuno Miguel Ferreira assesses Benfica’s changes against AVS | OneFootball

Nuno Miguel Ferreira's analysis of Benfica's victory against AVS is clear. The management promoted by José Mourinho "yielded the desired results." The editor emphasizes that, although the opponent "barely or not at all" posed a threat, it is important to remember that the Eagles started the match with only five starters who began the previous game against Real Madrid — Anatoliy Trubin, Nicolás Otamendi, Rafa Silva, Andreas Schjelderup, and Vangelis Pavlidis — and yet, they achieved "one of the most tranquil victories without needing to exert much effort", he stated in a piece for the newspaper Record.

When asked about who gained ground in the fight for a spot, Nuno Miguel Ferreira highlighted José Neto, considering that the player "was a cut above, showing qualities that might earn him more minutes in the short term". The commentator also praised Alexander Bah, who returned to the lineup more than a year after a serious injury and scored.

Nevertheless, the analyst had no doubts in pointing out who remains firmly at the forefront of the choices. "It was Rafa and Schjelderup who asserted their status as starters", he stressed, implying that despite the rotation, the core hierarchy of the squad remains well-defined.

Regarding the drop in pace in the second half, Nuno Miguel Ferreira admitted to understanding the management but offered a critique: "Given the rotation that Mourinho (who was criticized by Adebayor) implemented from the start, I believe a different speed was justified in the second 45 minutes." The editor was particularly critical of some players, noting that, "if in Franjo Ivanovic's case the expectations at Luz are not very high, Dodi Lukebakio is different".

Finally, regarding the absence of Gianluca Prestianni, the journalist was direct: "Looking at the final result, I would say no", acknowledging that Benfica won 3-0. However, he noted that "both Sidny Cabral, initially, and Lukebakio, later, failed to match the Argentine's performance in recent times."

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