Numbers don’t lie: Ivanovic has reason to smile again at Benfica | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic's life took a 180º turn in recent weeks. From being overlooked by José Mourinho to becoming a player who made the difference. After his impact in the draw against Porto, the Croatian international showed the same prowess in Benfica's victory in Arouca.

According to an article published by the newspaper Record, it is impossible to remain indifferent to the impact Ivanovic has been having in Benfica's recent matches. In the span of two weeks, the number 9 was directly responsible for the Eagles securing four points, crucial in the title race.

In the Classic, which took place on March 8, the Croatian was on the field for 30 minutes and his presence made a difference, providing the assist that allowed Leandro Barreiro to equalize the match. In Arouca, the story was similar; instead of a decisive pass, Ivanovic scored the 2-1, in a play that Vasco Seabra considered to be "fortuitous".

After a quite turbulent period, where opportunities were scarce or nonexistent, Ivanovic once again has reasons to smile with the eagle on his chest. On the other hand, the recent form of the Croatian might serve as a warning for Vangelis Pavlidis, who is going through a goal drought, having not scored in six consecutive games.

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. In the 1,169 minutes he was on the pitch, the Croatian recorded six goals and two assists.

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