New home, the same old passion

BPLAY REPORT

Angolan blood unites them, now with their roots intertwined in the common purpose of taking Benfica to new heights, honoring its glorious history. Florentino knows well where and how to work and, in a moment of sharing, he shows Leandro Barreiro the space in which ambition grows and the preparation in search of perfection becomes more robust. Benfica Campus was exposed in detail to those who joined the Benfica cause, and BPlay's report captured every moment.

Florentino has opened the door to Benfica Campus to Leandro Barreiro, the Luxembourg international who strengthens Roger Schmidt's options for the 2024/25 season. The made-in-Benfica midfielder has already lost count of the time - it's in his body and in his lifelong memories - that he's had an umbilical bond with the club, and he confessed it to the newly-arrived central midfielder, when they were both heading for the Youth Development area, a space that also belonged to Florentino.

"I've been at Benfica for over a decade, that's quite a few years. It's always good to relive these moments. Now, thank God, I'm in the Professional section, but it's always good to see this Youth Development section," he said, before entering the cafeteria, full of young aspiring footballers.

Leandro Barreiro wasn't intimidated by the curious looks from those present - many of them Elite Training Camps attendees - and let out a "bon appetit".

"Food counts for a lot! I spent a lot of time here, especially after I turned 14. Before that, when I was 12 or 13, we'd come here for a few training sessions and games. Then we did everything here, we had a lot of relationships with our colleagues at the table, and there are the 'aunties' here, familiar faces who are here to help us with everything," said Florentino.

And, with his gaze focused on the menu, Florentino added: "We have several things, salad... we choose what we want, fruit... Basically, we had several options and what we needed, all very similar to professional football, so that when we get there, nothing is strange." "Very good," approved Leandro Barreiro enthusiastically.

THE MIX BETWEEN THE ACADEMY AND EXPERIENCE

The shortcut through the dining area was left behind and the main entrance to the infrastructure for professional football players served as another moment of cultural context for what Benfica is, as Florentino praised.

"At the entrance, you can see that there is a mix with the Youth Football," he specified, pointing to the image of the first Youth League victory and praising the other three finals the club has played in the competition. "Here's what we want to do in the future, provide better conditions and more pitches," he continued, focusing his attention on the model of the Benfica Campus. "And there are the trophies that Benfica has already won. Let's hope that this year we can increase," said Florentino.

Florentino also added a relevant detail: "We also have two trophies that Benfica won as the best academy in the world. As you've already seen, our training sessions have many, many youngsters, more than half of them from the youth system. It's important to have this mix of youth and experience, so that the team is always balanced."

Leandro Barreiro, a Benfica fan "since he was a kid" - when he watched Pedro Mantorras, who played with an eagle on his chest in the first decade of the 2000s, play... -, is well aware of the importance the club attaches to its youth system.

"Benfica is known for having a good youth system," he said, to which Florentino agreed. "Yes, yes. When we know that, we also know that it's a club that gives opportunities, so we make an extra effort. It's been our dream since we were kids to make the first team, and having that window of opportunity is great for us," he said.

The "aunties" - as the Benfica Campus employees who work in the cafeteria are affectionately referred to - have once again become a topic of conversation in the place where the team eats breakfast and the players have their chats before training.

Florentino showed it to him and went on to another reserved space. "Here, on the right, we have our auditorium. This is where we have our pre-match and training meetings, where the coach explains what we're going to do in training. It's like a movie theater. It's where we have our meetings, we see what the opponent can do, the places we can attack, what we have to watch out for... It's where we have our off-pitch training," he explained.

TOP LEVEL AND DEMAND

Arriving at one of the Benfica Campus gyms, with more than 400 m2, the Luxembourg midfielder couldn't help but compare the realities between what he has ahead of him and what he knew at FSV Mainz 05 in Germany, where he has played for the first team since February 8, 2019.

"The conditions were good, but here it's a completely different level. The club [FSV Mainz 05] was a bit smaller, but here it's really huge. We had maybe half the machines in Germany. It was a different level," said Leandro Barreiro.

"Yes, I also had spells at Monaco [France] and Getafe [Spain], which are good clubs. But I still haven't found a club that has the conditions that Benfica gives us, and that's why Benfica is a very demanding club, because they give us a lot and ask a lot of us on the pitch", stressed Florentino.

But the day-to-day life of the Reds' professional players is not all about competition. There are also places for a few moments of relaxation, and the small space where they usually "play basketball" is one such example.

"This is a place where we play basketball from time to time," said Florentino, before challenging him: "Do you play basketball?" Leandro Barreiro didn't shrink back: "No, but I try," he replied promptly, and the ball flew out of his hand and into the basket. "Whoa!" exclaimed Florentino.

WATCHING BENFICA SINCE... MANTORRAS

On the way to Field No. 3, the one most used by Benfica's professional football team, there was time to learn more about Leandro Barreiro's origins.

"I was born in Luxembourg. My parents were born in Angola, came to Portugal, but ended up staying in Luxembourg. I was born there with my older sister. I have family here, in Portugal, in many parts of Europe, and also in Angola," he revealed, in keeping with Florentino's African roots.

"I'm also Angolan, and my parents came to Portugal at an early age, during the war. They came looking for a better life, and today we've managed to fulfill our dream, playing football, and at Benfica," he said proudly.

"Of course, my parents did everything they could for us to have the best life possible, and to be here, to be able to be here at this great club is a great source of pride for them too.  All the more so because my father has been a Benfica fan since I was little. I started watching Benfica games during Mantorras' time [he played for the eagles in the first decade of the 2000s], and since then I've been a Benfica fan," Leandro Barreiro promptly said.

A BOX TO BOX THAT ALSO LIKES TO SCORE

On his way down to one of the training pitches at Benfica Campus, Florentino framed Leandro Barreiro.

"These are the training pitches. Usually, or almost always, we train here, on Field No. 3. Then there's another bit [of field] to warm up and another bit [of field] where the goalkeepers are usually. Other times we also train there, on Field No. 1, which is the main field, but we'll spend most of our time here, on Field No. 3," he revealed, before asking Leandro Barreiro about his characteristics.

"I'm a player who likes to run a lot, a box-to-box player. I think that's a good definition of the way I want to play. I like to defend, I like to help the team, but sometimes I also like to get forward and score a goal. Who doesn't like scoring goals?" asked the new signing.

Florentino believes he shares the same characteristics and explained: "I think I have very similar characteristics to you. I'm also very much a team player, who likes to maintain balance and keep the team balanced in attack and defense. And I like both parts too, helping out in defense and attack, making good passes to my teammates and, who knows, scoring goals as well," he said.

CAPTIVATING STYLE OF PLAY

The football played under Roger Schmidt captivates those who arrive and is described as a differentiating factor when it comes to bringing in new players. "Here, our style of play is one that almost every player who comes to Benfica likes. It's a style of being on the front foot, of pressing high up, of reacting when we lose the ball and winning it straight away, of having the ball as long as possible and playing beautiful football in order, above all, to win games," said Florentino.

Leandro Barreiro confessed that he already knew a little about what he was going to encounter, precisely because of his family's influence. The strength of the Benfica fans has always impressed him. "Over the last two years I've been following Benfica a lot, and I've seen the intensity in the stadium, the love the fans have for the club, and also the fans' expectations. You could see it on television! I'm looking forward to feeling all that on the pitch too," he revealed. 

Florentino agreed and praised the relentless support the Benfica fans give the club. "I think you've explained everything, it's the intensity they have in every game, and they'll always be on our side to get the best result," he said, concluding with a "welcome"!