Ivanovic revolution: Once overlooked, now in the spotlight at Benfica | OneFootball

Benfica defeated Arouca with a goal by Franjo Ivanovic in the 90+6 minutes, in a match where they were at a disadvantage for most of the time. The result allows the Eagles to temporarily match Sporting in second place in the Liga Portugal Betclic.

The Croatian forward was decisive once again, after having assisted Leandro Barreiro in the classic match against Porto (2-2). His recent utilization reflects a growth in José Mourinho's options - whose suspension is being clarified -, who has been giving more minutes to the player in recent matches.

According to information gathered by the newspaper 'O Jogo', based on the technical team's assessment, Ivanovic has shown improvements in adapting to the Special One's ideas, especially in his off-ball behavior and how he integrates into the game model. The individual work has been directed to enhance his attacking characteristics.

After a period without playing, at the beginning of February, the forward was called up in the last four matches against AFS SAD, Real Madrid, Porto, and Arouca. In this cycle, he once again accumulated minutes and direct participation in goal-scoring plays.

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.

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