Bruno Varela breaks record of matches

Bruno Varela, the goalkeeper of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, has reached on Sunday, in the "clássico" from round 30 of the Liga NOS, the milestone of 31 matches in a season in the First Football Division.

The eagles' stopper, with only 23 years of age, began the 2017/18 season as a starter in the Super Cup match, in which Sport Lisboa e Benfica won its seventh Trophy. It was on August 5th, a 5 2017, with the Four-time champions beating Vitória de Guimarães, by 3-1, at the Estádio Municipal de Aveiro. And there began the journey…

Overall, he has played 31 matches, distributed through the four competitions in which the Club has played in. Two matches in the Champions League, 180 minutes and 4 goals conceded; two matches in the Portuguese Cup, 210 minutes and 3 goals conceded; one match in the League Cup, 52 minutes and one goal conceded; 25 matches in the Liga NOS, 2250 minutes e 15 goals conceded.

Looking at the overall numbers, 2782 minutes played, 24 goals conceded, in the new best of 31 matches in his career in a season in the First Football Division.

Coming from Ponte de Frielas, Bruno Varela arrived at Benfica in 2006/07, going up through the youth ranks until reaching the Senior team, and he has defended the Reds' goal from the U-13 to the II Liga, with the B team in 2012/13 (12), 2013/14 (38) and 2014/15 (38).

In the First Division, he played one season (2015/16) in Spain, at Valladolid, where he only played one match. He was loaned again in the following season (2016/17) to Vitória de Setúbal. In Setúbal, Bruno Varela played 30 matches, being until yesterday, Sunday, his best mark in the top flight.

Looking only at Liga NOS, Bruno Varela is 8^th in the ranking of the most used goalkeepers, along with Charles Silva, from Marítimo, both with 2250 minutes of play. Curiously, it is important to refer that Varela is the youngest player in the Top Ten (23 years old) of the ranking, which is an index of a brilliant future, full of new records.

Going back to 2017/2018, there are still four matches left to play in Liga NOS and the 31 record will be probably overtaken…

Text: Sónia Antunes

Pics: SL Benfica