Nicolás Otamendi sparks wild celebrations among Benfica fans | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi traveled with the rest of the Benfica delegation to the city of Porto. The experienced Argentine center-back made a point of accompanying his teammates on the bus, despite being unable to contribute. The locker room leader is currently serving a disciplinary suspension and cannot play in the Portuguese Cup match.

Nicolás Otamendi with the team before Porto - Benfica

This behavior is being widely praised by the fans, who flooded social media with messages of support. The supporters see this physical presence as an unequivocal proof of dedication to Benfica. The gesture symbolizes the strength within the team before this crucial match for the club's collective aspirations.

It is important to remember that the defender will not play at Dragão, as a consequence of the red card received in the League Cup semi-final against Braga. In light of Nicolás Otamendi's forced absence, the coaching staff is expected to rely on a new duo. António Silva, recovered from physical issues, is likely to line up alongside Tomás Araújo in the Eagles' defensive axis.

António Silva likely to replace the captain

This season, wearing Benfica's jersey, Nicolás Otamendi - valued at 1 million euros – played 31 games: 16 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 10 in the UEFA Champions League, two in the Portuguese Cup, one in the Super Cup, and two in the League Cup. In the 2,790 minutes he was on the field, the defender scored three goals.

The classic is scheduled for next Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The match will start at 8:45 PM, at Estádio do Dragão. The decisive game is valid for the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup Generali Tranquilidade, promising strong emotions, and will be broadcast on RTP 1.

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