Thiago Silva’s experience may secure derby start vs Benfica | OneFootball

Even before the winter market opened, FC Porto surprised everyone by securing Thiago Silva, who returns to the Dragons of Porto city nearly two decades later.

After terminating his contract with Fluminense at the end of the previous calendar year, the experienced center-back spent his vacation in Brazil and arrived in Portugal in the first days of January. He quickly adapted to his new teammates and joined the mid-season training camp that FC Porto held this week at Quinta do Lago, in Almancil.

Contrary to the possible expectations of the skeptics, the 41-year-old defender showed up at the training camp in excellent physical shape. In 2025, Thiago Silva, whose last match was on December 14 against Vasco da Gama, played an impressive 46 matches, in which he scored four goals and provided one assist.

Given the high number of games that the number 3 of the Dragons endured last year, Farioli could have opted to rest Thiago Silva in the match against Farense, placing him on the bench. However, the center-back was a starter in the defense alongside Jan Bednarek and seems likely to be so again on Wednesday against Benfica.

The absence of Francisco Moura, who is treating a left adductor injury, led the Italian coach to place Jakub Kiwior, normally Bednarek's partner, on the left side of the defense. Pripic, having been with the team longer, could have been the natural choice, but Farioli surprised by betting on the former Fluminense player – an option he might repeat in the Classic of the Portuguese Cup quarter-finals, scheduled for Estádio do Dragão in three days.

‘Well’ of experience in big games… in Otamendi's absence

With Nicolás Otamendi unable to play in the same match due to a red card received in the defeat against Sporting de Braga (1-3) in the League Cup semi-final, FC Porto has in its squad the player with the most experience in high-stakes confrontations.

At 41 years old, Thiago Silva has played on the biggest stages of world football and has more than fifty Classics throughout his stints with AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Fluminense, and even the Brazilian national team – against whom he has faced Argentina eight times.

In statistical terms, Lyon, Marseille, and AS Monaco are the teams he has faced the most in challenging matches: 17 games against each, all during his time at PSG. In Brazil, he experienced intense rivalries in Rio de Janeiro against Vasco da Gama, Botafogo, and Flamengo, as well as significant clashes with Palmeiras, Corinthians, and São Paulo.

From his experience in England, more than a dozen encounters stand out against Manchester City, Arsenal, and Manchester United, not to mention the intense rivalry between AC Milan and Inter, as well as special matches against Juventus.

It is not surprising, therefore, that Francesco Farioli might rely on Thiago Silva's vast experience in Classics to gain an advantage over Benfica in a game where every detail could be decisive.

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