Is Clément Lenglet Benfica's new Otamendi? Spanish press recalls blunders | OneFootball

The arrival of Clément Lenglet fills a major vacancy in Benfica’s starting eleven, caused by Nicolás Otamendi’s departure to River Plate. The French international, who has played for clubs such as Sevilla, Barcelona, Tottenham and Atlético Madrid, brings competitive experience comparable to that of the former Argentine captain. However, the similarities between these two players end there, guarantees Ismael Medina.

"He has a completely different profile from Otamendi. Lenglet is a less aggressive, less forceful player defensively. It is important that he has a different kind of player alongside him, perhaps someone more aggressive", he said in comments to the newspaper 'O Jogo'.

The Spanish journalist from Movistar and co-founder of the podcast Informe Morrocotudo pointed out some of the French centre-back’s best qualities, without forgetting the less positive aspects. "One of his main virtues is bringing the ball out from the back; he is a player with great technical ability. He is also not bad in the air, and physically he has the capacity to play several matches in a row. I would also highlight his work ethic; he is a very professional player, usually in good physical condition, and knows how to take care of himself. He knows what to do with the ball when he is under pressure. On the other hand, he is a player who struggles in open spaces, with pace, and at times has one or two lapses in concentration, and the price ends up being costly, especially at clubs like Barcelona. He is not a very quick player", he analyzed.

The Spanish journalist explained the context that allowed Benfica to sign Lenglet from Atlético Madrid. "He lost his starting place due to David Hancko’s performances, and he had some mistakes that cost him dearly, however, Diego Simeone liked him, always spoke well of him, and he was his signing", he recalled.

Ismael Medina believes the French defender has all the conditions to establish himself at Benfica, and stressed the importance of a good start. "He is a player who arrives at Benfica with a lot of experience, he really stood out at Sevilla, played a huge number of matches for Barcelona, and spent time in the Premier League. I believe he will have a strong impact on Portuguese football, in a dominant team such as Benfica. He arrives at 31 years of age, which is a good age. If he has the coach’s confidence, he will have a good impact. The first matches will be very important for gaining confidence, and for convincing Benfica’s fans too, because he is coming in to replace Otamendi", he warned.

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