129-game Benfica midfielder hits out at Rui Costa: Benfica miss Vieira | OneFootball

Explosive statements! Adel Taarabt, former Benfica midfielder, gave a blunt assessment of the club’s current situation. The midfielder, who made 129 appearances for the Eagles, lamented the team’s competitive decline in recent years and said that the departure of Luís Filipe Vieira had a significant impact on Benfica’s structure, something that was not sustained by Rui Costa.

"Leaving aside the matches against Real Madrid in the Champions League, broadly speaking, over the last three or four years Benfica have not competed at the level we were used to. I don’t think it’s just a problem with the coaches, it goes beyond that. It’s sad to say this, because I have a good relationship with Rui Costa, but they are suffering from the departure of Luís Filipe Vieira. As for the rest, I don’t know, but in terms of leadership it’s hard to find someone like him. He was a winner. Either you’re a leader or you’re not," he said on Sports Tailors’ 'Final Cut' podcast.

The former number 49 also recalled the high standards he encountered daily from the Eagles’ former president, saying that this attitude made the difference in the club’s success. "I’ve never had a president like him, and mind you, he was tough on me...", he admitted.

It should be remembered that João Gabriel, Benfica’s former communications director, was another figure to criticise Rui Costa’s leadership. "A leader communicates constantly, even when he doesn’t say a single word, and Rui Costa’s image at the end of the first match against St. Gallen, with his hands on his head, sent a deeply wrong message," he wrote on LinkedIn.

Taarabt’s remarks come at a time when Benfica are trying to return to winning titles under Rui Costa’s leadership. The former midfielder’s words are bound to spark debate among the fans, especially because of the direct comparison between the two presidents and the conviction with which he explained the reasons for the Eagles’ drop in performances in recent seasons.

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