Coach singles out António Silva: “He never hit Benfica’s standards” | OneFootball

António Silva’s transfer to Bournemouth continues to make headlines. After Benfica officially confirmed the departure of the Portuguese international, coach João Prates analyzed the move to the Premier League and said that the timing of the farewell ends up being positive for all parties involved. The Portuguese coach believes that the center-back’s journey at Luz had naturally come to an end after several seasons with the first team.

"This farewell also shows a certain respect for the player. I think it is always important when a cycle comes to an end, but I think it was a cycle that, on both sides, they felt was meant to end. António Silva started out with an opportunity in the Benfica squad with Schmidt as coach, but the truth is that he ended up piling up some mistakes that marked his spell at Benfica," João Prates began by saying.

João Prates went even further in his analysis, arguing that the mental side ultimately made it harder for the center-back to establish himself at a club with the level of demand of Benfica, and that his departure opens the door for the arrival of a more compatible player.

"He was a player who mentally was never able to show the levels that representing a club like Benfica requires. And I think this change of scenery ends up being positive both for him and for Benfica itself. After four years without winning the league, the pressure will be enormous, any mistake will be more visible, , from whom they can get more sporting return," he concluded.

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