José Mourinho's secret weapon starts to pay off at Benfica | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic is a name that has been back on fans’ lips after the thrashing against Moreirense (4-1). After helping secure Benfica’s victory by scoring two more goals, the Croatian striker once again showed strong credentials, and there are already those who see him as José Mourinho’s ‘secret weapon’.

According to Record in recent hours, the Croatian international came on in the 75th minute and, in just three minutes, put the Eagles’ win beyond doubt by scoring Benfica’s third and fourth goals. This achievement made the number 9 the league’s top scorer among players coming off the bench.

As the sports daily added, thanks to the brace he scored against the Moreira de Cónegos side, Ivanovic now has 4 goals in the 16 Liga Portugal Betclic matches in which he came on as a substitute, thus matching the tally already posted by Nenê (AVS SAD), William Gomes (FC Porto), Gustavo Varela (Gil Vicente) and Marezi (Alverca).

Mourinho’s decision to use him against Sporting and now against Moreirense has allowed the 22-year-old footballer to gain fresh prominence, and the chances of him being part of the 2026 World Cup are beginning to gather momentum.

This season for Benfica, Franjo Ivanovic - valued at €18 million - has already made 40 official appearances: 23 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 11 in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup and two in the League Cup. In the 1,291 minutes he has been on the pitch, the Croatian has scored eight goals and provided two assists.

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