Top level Academy players

The Chairman Luís Filipe Vieira has recently reaffirmed that the new additions were "really" in Seixal and the batch that comes out of the Caixa Futebol Campus are showing their value.

Ferro: dream debut as a starter

The centre-back began the season at Benfica B, where he played 19 matches – all as a starter –, but at the end of the Winter transfer market, he was one of the four footballers who moved from the B team to the first team (Zlobin, Florentino and Jota were the others). Jardel’s injury precipitated his debut for the eagles in a derby at Estádio da Luz.

A few days after the match from the 1^st leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals, Ferro was a starter on matchday 21 of the Liga NOS. Alongside Rúben Dias, he appeared on the opposite area to score the 6-0 through a header.

Florentino: six tackles and 93% pass accuracy

Florentino made his debut for the Club's first team at 62’ of the match against Nacional. He came on to replace Samaris.

According to Wyscout, Florentino performed 28 complete passes, with an efficacy of 93%; won five of the eight duels he took part in, he made six tackles (record in the match); he recovered the ball on four occasions and was successful in 33 of the 40 actions of the match 

João Félix: goal and assist, again

With Bruno Lage at the helm, João Félix jumped to the attack of the eagles, making a partnership with Seferovic in the coach's 4x4x2 formation. Since the match against Rio Ave – the coach's debut – he always played as a starter and did not miss any of the nine matches. He scored six goals in that period.

So far, he took part in 23 matches, scored nine goals, has played more than 1200 minutes, has three assists and is Benfica's 3rd top scorer in the Liga NOS, with seven goals.

Rúben Dias: also important attacking

Just like João Félix, he made his debut at the Estádio do Bessa, but in 2017/18. He was a starter and, from then on, he assumed a preponderance that led him to several caps for Portugal's senior national team, after the 2018 World Cup.

After the four goals scored last season, he scored in the derby held at the Estádio José Alvalade and celebrated again against Nacional. Both strikes were headers. In fact, there is a particular feature in the goals scored by the centre-back: 71% of them are through headers and in dead ball situations. Apart from that, he made the pass to André Almeida who provided the assist for Seferovic in 3-0.

Text: Marco Rebelo

Pics: João Paulo Trindade e Isabel Cutileiro / SL Benfica