Benfica has signed the seven reinforcements recruited during the summer transfer market for the 2023/24 edition of the Champions League, whose group stage will begin next week, UEFA announced this Tuesday.
In an A list without major absences, German coach Roger Schmidt’s selection includes goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, defenders Juan Bernat and David Jurásek, midfielder Orkun Kökçü and forwards Ángel Di María, Gonçalo Guedes and Arthur Cabral.
Samuel Soares – starter in the last three games since the departure of Odysseas Vlachodimos -, defenders António Silva and Tomás Araújo and midfielder João Neves were registered in the B team, intended for those born after January 1, 2002, helping the national champion to meet the quota of players trained in the club.
Benfica, two-time European champions in 1960/61 and 1961/62, will begin their participation in the Champions League by welcoming the ten-time Austrian champions, Salzburg, on September 20, at the Estádio da Luz, in Lisbon, in a Group D match, in which Inter Milan, finalist of the 2022/23 season, and Real Sociedad also participate.
The first phase of the 69th edition of the main European club competition will take place on December 12 and 13 and will determine the two best players from each group for the final round, with the final scheduled for June 1, 2024, at Wembley Stadium , in London.
List A of players registered by Benfica in the Champions League:
– Goalkeepers: Anatoliy Trubin and Léo Kokubo.
– Defenders: Alexander Bah, Nicolás Otamendi, João Victor, Morato, Juan Bernat and David Jurásek.
– Midfielders: Florentino, Fredrik Aursnes, Orkun Kökçü, Chiquinho and João Mário.
– Forwards: Ángel Di María, Tiago Gouveia, Gonçalo Guedes, David Neres, Rafa, Arthur Cabral, Petar Musa and Casper Tengstedt.
Source: TSF
