Axel Witsel foi considerado o melhor reforço desta época em Portugal por 47 dos 197 leitores que
participaram na última votação. Vindo do Standard de Liége, o médio belga rapidamente ganhou
um lugar de destaque na estratégia do Benfica. O segundo mais votado foi o goleador sportinguista
Ricky Van Wolfswinkel com 39 votos.
The team is in Portugal tonight to play our last pre-season warm-up against Benfica. Kick-off is
7:45 UK time, 2:45pm Eastern, 11:45am Pacific. The liveblog will start an hour before the game.
Come on by and give us your thoughts. Liveblog is at the bottom.
Benfica had a strong, strong team two seasons ago, winning the Portuguese league, but that squad
has since been partially dismantled, some in high-profile moves to big European teams:
Fábio Coentrão and Ángel Di María went to Real Madrid, Ramires and David Luiz joined
Chelsea, and Nuno Gomes (Euro 2004, anyone?
Paulo Bento has announced his squad for the upcoming friendly against Luxembourg in Faro on August
10/11 as the squad gets set to resume Euro Qualifying action in September. Nuno Gomes has been
called up by Portugal for the first time in two years as the 35 year old striker winds down his
career.
Trabzonspor will take on SL Benfica of Portugal on Wendsday....
Turkish Super League runners-up Trabzonspor will play an away UEFA Champions League qualifying
match with SL Benfica of Portugal on Wednesday.
The first leg of the Trabzonspor v SL Benfica UEFA Champions League third qualifying round will
begin at 9:45 p.
As up-and-coming Brazilian star Neymar gets set for one of the more important summers of his
career, his club has come out and said he is not for sale.
Despite Santos attracting lucrative offers from some of the biggest clubs in the world for its
star forward, club president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira said in a statement that "In light of
continuous speculation in the national and international press about the future of our player, I
feel obliged to communicate the departure of Neymar is non-negotiable.
The five players on Mexico's Gold Cup roster who tested positive for clenbuterol were re-tested
last Friday, and all five had their tests come up negative for the banned substance.
The Associated Press reports that, according to a statement released by the Mexican Football
Federation, Guillermo Ochoa, Francisco Rodriguez, Sinha, Edgar Duenas and Christian Bermudez have
asked that a "B" test of the initial positive sample, taken on May 21, be conducted.
Nuno Gomes' days as a member of Benfica are set to end as the 34 year old captain's contract ends
June 30/11 and coach Jorge Jesus has no interest in keeping the striker with the club for next
season. Benfica would like to offer Gomes a managerial position with the club but the soon to be 35
year old is looking to play one more season before deciding to hang up his cleats.
