Benfica hit their stride, but one €20m starter can't keep up | OneFootball

After a start to the season marked by some turbulence, Benfica finally seem to have found stability. The back-to-back thrashings of Marítimo, 3-0, and Moreirense, 4-0 are proof of a team that is starting to hit its stride and has found an attacking formula capable of causing opponents serious problems.

Marco Silva seems to have got his attacking pieces right, but that improvement could spell trouble for Georgiy Sudakov. The Ukrainian international remains one of the flagship bets of the Eagles’ project, but he is still taking time to turn his widely recognised potential into concrete numbers.

Benfica invested €20.25 million in the midfielder, with a further €6.75 million possible in add-ons, but the return so far has been limited. Since the start of the 2026/27 season, Sudakov has featured in all 11 of the Eagles’ official matches, starting ten and coming off the bench only once. Even so, he has managed just one assist, for Tomás Araújo in the 6-1 thrashing of Hearts.

A record that clearly contrasts with that of his main rivals for a place supporting Vangelis Pavlidis. Rafa Silva has five goals and two assists in 11 matches, Schjelderup has two goals and three assists in ten games, while Gianluca Prestianni stands out in particular, with seven goals and two assists in just nine appearances.

There is still room for Sudakov to show his worth, but the competition is getting stronger all the time. And the schedule could prove decisive: Benfica face Gil Vicente, AC Milan and FC Porto in a single week. With so many matches ahead, the Ukrainian will have new opportunities to respond. The question is whether he will be able to take them before Marco Silva’s new formula becomes set in stone.

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