Ivanovic given green light for Benfica move – Vitória de Guimarães | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic is expected to return to the starting lineup against Vitória de Guimarães. According to reports, the Croatian forward, who has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, is very close to rejoining the Benfica starting eleven for the match counting towards the 27th round of Liga Portugal Betclic.

According to the newspaper Record, if this scenario is confirmed, it will mark Ivanovic’s return to the starting lineup for the Eagles, something that hasn’t happened in three months, when the number 9 was chosen by José Mourinho for the match against Feirense in the Portuguese Cup, where Benfica won 2-0.

At a time when several national media outlets are reporting the possibility that José Mourinho – who will be present at the game against Guimarães – may make some changes to Benfica’s attacking line, given the Croatian’s current form and the fact that Vangelis Pavlidis has not scored in six consecutive matches across all competitions.

Another question that arises is whether Amar Dedic will play or not. According to the same source, Benfica is still awaiting the decision on the appeal filed following the two-match suspension handed to the Bosnian. For now, the number 17 is not being considered, and Alexander Bah is expected to be included on the match sheet.

This season, playing for Benfica, Franjo Ivanovic – valued at 20 million euros – has already played 35 official matches: 18 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 11 in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, and two in the League Cup. In the 1,169 minutes he has spent on the pitch, the Croatian has recorded six goals and two assists.

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