Tomás Araújo to start for Benfica? Bruno Lage clears it up | OneFootball

Benfica will host and face Fenerbahçe next Wednesday, August 27, in the second leg of the play-off for access to the group stage of the Champions League. In statements to Sport TV, before the usual press conference previewing the match, Bruno Lage revealed that Tomás Araújo, who started in the last game, will not be in the starting lineup for this match.

When asked about the starting lineup, Bruno Lage tried to hide his hand. However, the coach eventually confessed who the five defensive starters will be for the game against Fenerbahçe: Anatoliy Trubin, Amar Dedic, António Silva, Otamendi, and Dahl will start, and therefore, Tomás Araújo returns to the bench.

Tomás Araújo did not have a normal preseason like the rest of the squad, as he was recovering from a pubalgia contracted in the final stretch of last season. Away from the group, the player trained at Benfica was gaining physical shape and returned to the fields last Saturday, against Tondela. Still, he is behind António Silva and Otamendi in the hierarchy of central defenders.

Tomás Araújo had already played 90 minutes a week earlier, for Benfica B, in the Second Division. Against Tondela, the central defender showed himself to be in good shape and, unlike what happened last season, Bruno Lage did not have to take him out in the second half due to injury.

Bruno Lage had already confirmed, in the post-match press conference against Tondela, that António Silva (and also Anatoliy Trubin) would be starters in the match against Fenerbahçe. Due to Otamendi's importance, naturally, and because there is no longer a need to play on the flanks, Tomás Araújo will start on the bench in the match scheduled for next Wednesday, August 27, at 8:00 p.m., at the Estádio da Luz.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.