Marco Silva makes Sudakov and Rafa Silva fight for a starting spot | OneFootball

The arrival of Marco Silva as Benfica’s head coach promises to spark new internal battles within the Eagles’ squad, with one of the most interesting involving Sudakov and Rafa Silva. The two players emerge as the main candidates to fill the attacking midfield role in the Portuguese coach’s system.

During his time at Fulham, Marco Silva mostly favored a 4-2-3-1 tactical setup, a model that values the role of the attacking midfielder positioned behind the striker. In that context, Sudakov and Rafa Silva appear as the strongest candidates to take on the number 10 role, although they are not the only options available in the squad.

In the second half of last season, Rafa Silva was one of José Mourinho’s most frequent choices for the starting eleven. Signed from Besiktas for around five million euros, the player earned his place in the team and took on a key role in Benfica’s attacking play. That path could allow him to start with a slight edge in the battle for a starting spot, although the final decision will depend on how he adapts to Marco Silva’s demands and the level he shows during pre-season.

As for Sudakov, the new season represents an opportunity to confirm the potential that led Benfica to invest heavily in his signing. The Ukrainian international arrived from Shakhtar in the summer of 2025 for 27 million euros, plus performance-related add-ons, but faced some adaptation difficulties in his first season with the Eagles.

Used on several occasions as a left winger, Sudakov has never hidden that his preferred position is in the center of the pitch, where he can take on responsibilities in the team’s attacking build-up and transitions. With Marco Silva favoring a system that suits his characteristics, the midfielder now sees a new opportunity open up to earn a prominent role at Benfica.

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