António Silva sets Liga Portugal Betclic record in Benfica v Rio Ave | OneFootball

António Silva was the only Portuguese starter in Benfica – Rio Ave. Among the 22 players fielded by José Mourinho and Sotiris Sylaidopoulos, the Eagles’ center-back was the only Portuguese national present in the match corresponding to the first postponed round of Liga Portugal Betclic.

This fact sets a new record in the current edition of the National Championship, as it was the match with the most foreign players in the starting lineups of a Liga Portugal Betclic game. In the second half, only Henrique Araújo, Benfica’s forward, joined António Silva as a Portuguese national on the pitch.

"In the first half we lacked intensity, getting into the final third. In the second we did well, we created chances. Rio Ave didn’t want to play. We scored, they equalized on a transition, I think everything is happening to us at this stage," said António Silva, at the end of Benfica – Rio Ave, in statements to BTV.

However, despite the 1-1 draw, António Silva showed confidence in Benfica’s future and that victories will come: “We have to keep working and the results will come. That’s the good thing about football, we have a game on Friday to play, to get back to winning, which is what the fans want.”

This season, wearing Benfica’s shirt, António Silva – valued at 32 million euros – has played 11 matches: five in the Champions League, five in Liga Portugal Betclic, and one in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. In the 912 minutes he spent on the pitch, the center-back performed at a high level.

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