Richard Ríos scores, but Benfica midfielder says sorry: I apologise | OneFootball

Richard Ríos admitted Benfica’s disappointment at finishing the league in 3rd place. The Colombian midfielder, who scored the first goal against Estoril in the final round of the Liga Portugal Betclic, ended up apologizing for the final part of the season.

"I thank the fans for their support. We did not achieve the objective we set from the start of the season, and I apologize, because what we did at the end was a bit complicated. Even so, they continued to support us and I’m very grateful for that. They never abandoned the Club, wherever we played, and it’s hard to find that at another club," he began by saying, in statements to Sport TV.

The 25-year-old said he does not know whether Otamendi and Mourinho will leave. "I hope he can stay," he stressed. But he let slip: "I would like Mourinho to stay, but now it doesn’t depend on me", he said, commenting on his development with the "Special One" at the helm and his strong performances in the final part of the season.

It is worth remembering that Richard Ríos is among the players who could leave Benfica in the next summer transfer window, at a time when the club’s board is preparing a major squad overhaul. Although the Club intends to keep some of its main figures, failure to qualify for the Champions League could force the sale of at least one of the team’s most valuable assets — and one of them is the Colombian midfielder.

This season, playing for Benfica, Richard Ríos — valued at €22 million — made 45 appearances: 27 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 12 in the Champions League, three in the Portuguese Cup, two in the League Cup and one in the Super Cup. In the 3,638 minutes he was on the pitch, he recorded eight goals and six assists.

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