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Benfica Faces Rio Ave with Mourinho Missing Key Players
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Benfica will host Rio Ave on Tuesday at Estádio da Luz in a match corresponding to the first round of the Portuguese Liga. New Benfica coach, José Mourinho, will be without several key players for this fixture, including recent signings Heorhii Sudakov and Dodi Lukebakio.
Player Availability Concerns
both Sudakov and Lukebakio were unavailable for selection due to registration issues and injury, respectively. https://www.abola.pt/futebol/noticias/benfica-rio-ave-mourinho-nao-pode-contar-com-sudakov-e-lukebakio-20230921
* Heorhii Sudakov: The Ukrainian international midfielder, signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in August, was not registered with the Liga Portugal Betclic in time to be eligible for the match. https://www.abola.pt/futebol/jogador/heorhii-sudakov-228169
* Dodi Lukebakio: The Belgian international forward, acquired from Sevilla, is currently recovering from an injury and has yet to make his debut for Benfica. https://www.abola.pt/futebol/jogador/dodi-lukebakio-236191
Sudakov’s Recent Performance
Despite his unavailability for this match, Sudakov recently showcased his talent, scoring the opening goal in Benfica’s 3-0 victory against Casa pia on Saturday. https://www.abola.pt/futebol/noticias/casa-pia-benfica-3-0-sudakov-estreia-se-a-marcar-e-benfica-vence-20230916 This performance highlights the potential impact he could have once fully integrated into the team.
Mourinho’s Benfica Debut
This match marks an crucial occasion as it is indeed one of José Mourinho’s first games in charge of Benfica, the club were he began his managerial career. He returned to the club in January 2024. Looking Ahead
Benfica will aim to secure a win against Rio Ave despite the absence of key players. The integration of Sudakov and the recovery of Lukebakio will be crucial for Mourinho as he looks to build a competitive squad and challenge for the Liga Portugal betclic title. The team will need to demonstrate depth and adaptability to overcome these early challenges.