Otamendi absence gives Benfica a headache ahead of Casa Pia clash | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi will be a significant absence in the match against Casa Pia. Serving a suspension, the Argentine will thus be unavailable for José Mourinho's options in the home game against the geese. In light of this situation, the Special One will have to make some changes to Benfica's starting eleven.

As reported by Record in today's edition, November 9, the Eagles' captain will serve a suspension against Casa Pia after receiving his fifth yellow card in the league, against Vitória Guimarães. Thus, to replace the number 30, António Silva will pair up with Tomás Araújo, but the changes won't stop there.

Also in defense, José Mourinho is expected to promote the return of Amar Dedic, who has already recovered from his injury. By bringing in the Bosnian, the Special One will push Fredrik Aursnes further up the field, which will likely force Georgiy Sudakov or Leandro Barreiro to the bench.

These are the various decisions José Mourinho will have to make hours before the match against Casa Pia, a game counting for the 11th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic. In tonight's match, the 62-year-old coach is also looking to match a record held by Bruno Lage.

In the 2025/26 season, wearing only the Benfica jersey, Nicolás Otamendi – valued at 1 million euros – has played 20 matches: 10 in Liga Portugal Betclic, eight in the Champions League, one in the League Cup, and another in the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup. In the 1,800 minutes he was on the pitch, the central defender scored two goals.

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