Marco Silva handed major boost for Benfica v Hearts | OneFootball

Gianluca Prestianni is once again available to represent Benfica. The Argentine winger has served the suspension imposed on him as part of the disciplinary proceedings related to homophobic language and is once again an option for Marco Silva, with a return to competition possible as soon as the match against Hearts in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

The 20-year-old was suspended for six matches, although half of that sanction was suspended. After missing the trip to Real Madrid, still last season, Prestianni served two more matches of his suspension against St. Gallen and is now eligible to return to Benfica’s squad lists.

His return comes at a time when the Argentine has shown promising signs during pre-season. In the friendly against Villarreal, he came on at half-time and played a part in one of Benfica’s goals by setting up Pavlidis. Before that, against Flamengo, he hit the post, while in the clash with Belenenses he was one of the team’s standout performers, scoring two goals in the 5-1 rout.

The performances he delivered in the warm-up matches have strengthened the new coaching staff’s confidence in the winger’s qualities, as he now looks to regain the ground he earned last season. Despite interest shown by Trabzonspor in this summer transfer window, Benfica never seriously considered letting Prestianni leave. On the contrary, the club’s board led by Rui Costa remains committed to extending the young Argentine international’s stay.

As previously reported, talks are ongoing between the two parties over a contract renewal, accompanied by a salary increase, a clear sign of Benfica’s commitment to the winger’s future. Moving in the opposite direction, the player who could leave the Estádio da Luz in the coming weeks is Dodi Lukebakio, a player Benfica’s hierarchy is open to negotiating if an offer deemed satisfactory arrives.

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