Rui Costa confirms signing, slams Porto: even when they win... | OneFootball

President Rui Costa answered journalists’ questions on matters related to Benfica’s team before the trip to Scotland for the clash with Hearts - without Aursnes. The Benfica leader is calling for a win in Edinburgh.

"We left Lisbon with an important advantage. But representing this club means representing it in the best possible way at all times. Whether it’s in a friendly or in a knockout tie that seems won, we have to play with the utmost respect to secure the play-off", he began by saying at Humberto Delgado Airport.

Regarding António Silva’s replacement, the Club President confirmed that a centre-back will be signed. "There has been a huge uproar and a big issue over this, and I understand the fans. António Silva left and a centre-back still hasn’t arrived. But we are not building a squad for August, and a centre-back will arrive in the coming days. We want to choose well, not quickly. We do not feel that urgency and would rather spend a few more days on it. Negotiations do not always go as we expect, sometimes they take time, and above all we want to choose well," he revealed.

Rui Costa did not want to go into specific details about João Palhinha. "If I were to talk about the players you are talking about, the plane would take off, land in Scotland, and I would still be here... Benfica’s squad is not going to stay like this, and there will be departures before the end of August. As with the centre-back issue, we want to choose well. There are negotiations that take a little longer, and the important thing is to build a squad that offers guarantees," he stressed.

The President also commented on the draw against Académico de Viseu, lamenting the result and the empty stands at the Estádio da Luz. "I think the coach gave a perfect analysis. We played well, but the truth is we did not win. We saw some good signs and I am very optimistic, but the truth is we did not win a match we absolutely had to win, on a very special matchday. This had not happened since Covid-19. It is regrettable, and it is up to us and the fans to make sure it does not happen again. It is regrettable that only Benfica fought to prevent this from happening, when not only a Benfica match was at stake, but Portuguese football, and the football authorities were not on our side. Outside the stadium we saw fans who did not get the outcome they deserved, but I thank them for the support they gave. A very serious precedent has been set in Portuguese football, and what was done to Benfica cannot go unnoticed in relation to what happens at other stadiums. At a time when so much care has been taken over the issue of centralising rights, we witnessed a depressing spectacle. It is shameful that this happened in Portuguese football", he vented.

The issue of centralising audiovisual rights was also raised, with Rui Costa reiterating the Club’s position on the matter. "Benfica Benfica will continue the fight, and we do not believe that centralisation will benefit Portuguese football. As such, Benfica has tried everything to postpone it", he stated.

To conclude, the Benfica chief commented on statements coming from Porto about the counting of penalties. "Even when Porto win, they talk about Benfica. Benfica really are a very big club. It is what it is... We know the weight we carry, and it is good that, even when they win, our rivals talk about us", he concluded.

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