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Marco Silva Weighs Squad Options Ahead of Lech Poznan Clash
Benfica manager Marco Silva faces a late fitness decision regarding Enzo Barrenechea ahead of the Europa League fixture against Lech Poznan at Estádio da Luz. Barrenechea has returned to training following an arthroscopy for a medial meniscus tear sustained a month and a half ago. Silva stated that while the midfielder is fit to be named in the matchday squad, his endurance remains under evaluation. “He is in a condition to start, it depends on our decision,” Silva said. “I won’t tell you if tomorrow he plays 90 minutes at a high intensity. If we play him from the start, possibly after 60 minutes he could start to feel more fatigue.”
Clément Lenglet misses match with thigh injury
Benfica will miss central defender Clément Lenglet for the upcoming match. The 31-year-old defender suffered a right thigh bruise and did not participate in the opening 15 minutes of training open to the press. Lenglet has featured in 17 matches this season, making a single appearance in the European league phase. The hope is that he can be available for next weekend’s game, leaving Circati in line to step into the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Leandro Barreiro remains sidelined with a left thigh muscle injury that has kept him out since October 11.
Lech Poznan visits Lisbon with one point
Lech Poznan arrives in Lisbon holding one point from three matches in the competition, following a 1-1 draw against Sunderland and heavy defeats to Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen. Former Lech Poznan youth player Kaminski previewed the encounter by noting the tactical differences of the Polish league. “They don’t have fear of playing, they want to show their quality against us,” Kaminski said. Benfica enters the fixture with a perfect record of nine points from three matches, having defeated AC Milan 0-2, Celtic 4-1, and Omonia 1-4 in the league phase.
Benfica faces Lech Poznan amid past injuries
When did Benfica last face Lech Poznan?
The teams previously met in matches played without spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions, a period Kaminski noted during pre-match interviews.
How many points does Benfica currently have in the Europa League?
Benfica has accumulated nine points from three matches, securing victories over AC Milan, Celtic, and Omonia.
What injury kept Leandro Barreiro out of the squad?
Barreiro has been unavailable due to a left thigh muscle injury since the victory over Vitória de Guimarães on October 11.