João Carvalho, the emerging talent with a great passing ability

At Benfica, there is another talent made in Seixal emerging in the first team. After having made his debut in the Liga NOS against V. Setúbal, João Carvalho is slowly planting the seeds for a bright future and reaping the rewards of a talent that seems natural.

At the age of 20, the midfielder that is at the Club since the U-13 made, in Moreira de Cónegos, the third consecutive match playing for Benfica, with direct influence in the result of two matches. Against Moreirense, João Carvalho assisted Jonas for the 0-2 and entered the list of player with assists in the Liga NOS, a list topped by the Brazilian and by Pizzi, with five assists each. They are followed by Grimaldo, Salvio and André Almeida with three; Zivkovic and Cervi with two; Rafa, Diogo Gonçalves, Raúl, Filipe Augusto, Seferovic, Jardel and João Carvalho with one.

At Estádio Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, the young talent entered the match on the front foot. At 73’ he replaced Salvio and few seconds after he recovered the ball on the right side of the Reds' attack and passed the ball to Jonas who made the shot for the 0-2 and for his 20th strike in the Liga NOS.

Who also liked was the coach Rui Vitória that, at the end of the match in Alto Minho, praised the number 90 jersey: “Essentially, I tried to balance the team with Pizzi playing on the flank. João [Carvalho] is a player that has good vision in short space. He has the ability to see what other players don't. Another quality youngster emerging, he has shown his value.”

This three-game streak in the first team began on December 29 in the League Cup, in Setúbal, against Vitória. João Carvalho assisted Seferovic at 52’ after a great individual play inside the penalty area, and continued in the beginning of the year, on January 3, in the derby.

In the big match against Sporting, the number 90 almost score a stunner with a left-footed shot. This happened at the 82’, a minute after coming in to replace Rúben Dias.

TALENT FLOURISHING AT CAIXA FUTEBOL CAMPUS 

João Carvalho joins an extensive list of young talents who have shown to the world the football in Benfica's training center and have awoken the interest of Europe's top clubs. 

Apart from the undeniable names of Bernardo Silva, André Gomes, João Cancelo or Ivan Cavaleiro, one must also highlight, and most recently, Gonçalo Guedes, Renato Sanches, Nélson Semedo, Lindelöf, Ederson, Rúben Dias, Diogo Gonçalves and Bruno Varela.

The president of Benfica, Luís Filipe Vieira, has insisted that this is the path and that Caixa Futebol Campus will ensure the future of the Club. Talents like João Carvalho vindicate the leader of the Eagles.

Text: Marco Rebelo

Pics: Tânia Paulo / SL Benfica