Breaking news: Benfica deliver bad news on Dodi Lukebakio | OneFootball

Dodi Lukebakio is suspended and will therefore miss the match against Atlético CP. According to a statement from Benfica, the Belgian international is serving a suspension he received while he was still a Sevilla player. Thus, the number 11 for the Eagles will be a significant absence for the Portuguese Cup clash.

As reported by the newspaper A Bola in its Tuesday edition, November 18, the Clube da Luz issued a statement clarifying the Belgian footballer's sporting situation. "Sport Lisboa e Benfica informs that the player Dodi Lukebakio will have to serve a one-match suspension against Atlético Clube de Portugal this Friday, for the 4th round of the Portuguese Cup," the statement begins.

"The player was sent off while playing for Sevilla Fútbol Club, on April 24 of this year, during the visit to Club Atlético Osasuna, in the 33rd round of the 2024/25 La Liga season, and was punished by the sporting authorities with a one-match suspension," Benfica explained, revealing the details of Lukebakio’s suspension.

In the same statement, the Eagles also explained that the Spanish club appealed the decision: "Sevilla Fútbol Club, however, ended up appealing to the civil courts and obtained a provisional suspension of the punishment, with SL Benfica now being notified that the player must serve the suspension in the next official match for which he is eligible."

Finally, the Clube da Luz reveals that the situation of Lukebakio - who joins the injured Sudakov - was already known at the time of his transfer: "Furthermore, SL Benfica was duly informed by Sevilla Fútbol Club about this process at the time of the player’s transfer."

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