Two ACL injuries in three minutes - Benfica hit by cruel double injury blow | OneFootball

The season is prematurely over for Benfica players Alexander Bah and Manu Silva. In an incredibly cruel stroke of bad luck, the most dreaded injury in football struck to take down Danish right-back Bah and new holding midfielder Manu within three minutes of each other in the first half of Saturday’s victory over Moreirense.

With both players stretchered off it looked bad straight away, and the worst fears were confirmed on Sunday. Both players had suffered anterior cruciate ligament tears affecting their left knee. They will undergo operations before beginning their recuperation. The normal recovery time for ACL tears is 8-9 months.

Curiously, much had been made of Benfica’s failure to sign a backup right-back in the winter transfer window, following the release of Issa Kaboré whose loan from Manchester City had been cut short and Bah’s propensity to pick up injuries.

Opportunity knocks?

On the flip side, it could open up opportunities for highly-rated Benfica B team players Leandro Santos and Diogo Spencer.

The immediate solution will be for centre-back Tomás Araújo to play at right-back, which he has done with distinction several times this season. In addition to Araújo and youngsters Santos and Spencer, utility player Fredrik Aursnes is another viable alternative, the Norwegian having deputised in that position in the past.

Ascension cut short

As for Manu, the injury comes at the worst possible time just as his career was taking off. The 23-year-old had been brilliant for Vitória Sport Clube this season, his performances so impressive that Benfica paid a fee of €12 million in January to bring him from Guimarães to Lisbon.

Manu earned widespread plaudits for his display on his Benfica debut last week in the win at Estrela da Amadora, but he will now have to wait until next season to consolidate his place in the Eagles’ midfield.

With Benfica still alive on all fronts – the Portuguese Cup, the Primeira Liga title race and the Champions League – Manu’s injury will leave coach Bruno Lage sweating on the fitness and the continuation of the good form shown by defensive midfielder Florentino Luís.