Benfica, Sporting or Porto: Who lost most to the international break? | OneFootball

The first international break of the current season has already begun, causing a significant number of absences in the squads of Benfica, Sporting, and Porto. This factor greatly influences the choices of the coaches of the 'big three' in Portuguese football, who will have to manage their players with great care for the demanding schedule ahead.

Benfica ends up being the most affected of the three clubs. The Eagles have 18 players absent from the squad due to this break, while Sporting has 14 absences and Porto has 10. Thus, to fill the gaps in training, Bruno Lage is forced to rely on younger players.

Very soon, in addition to the Liga Portugal matches, Benfica will also begin its journey in the regular phase of the Champions League, so the international break for the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches disrupts Bruno Lage's preparation work, as he only has eight first-team players available for training.

Samuel Soares, Tomás Araújo, Enzo Barrenechea, Diogo Prioste, Gianluca Prestianni, Fredrik Aursnes, Henrique Araújo, and Dodi Lukebakio are the eight names Bruno Lage can count on at Benfica Campus to prepare for the match against Santa Clara.

Benfica – Santa Clara is scheduled for September 12, at 8:15 PM, at Estádio da Luz, and a sold-out crowd is expected for the return of the Reds home, after the victory at Alverca's ground. The match corresponds to the fifth round of the Liga Portugal Betclic and will be broadcast on BTV.

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