The president of Benfica, Rui Costa, defended this Thursday that the Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández was “completely uncommitted to the project” of the club and criticized the player’s behavior during the transfer window in which he ended up being transferred to Chelsea.
“He was completely uncommitted to the project from now on. Being committed to a project is not beating your chest when it matters, anyone can do that”, said the Colorado leader in an interview with BTV, referring to a gesture by the player after scoring a goal against Varzim SC, for the Portuguese Cup .
Rui Costa explains that he managed the process in three facets – “the fan that I am, the president who has to lead the club and the man in the dressing room that I have always been” – and that the player was not well regarded in any of them.
“I, as a fan, no longer wanted this player. As president, in terms of management, probably for many it would be more fun for me to tie him here, but for the management of the club it was not the solution. And this player could not enter more in the locker room”, he pointed out, accusing the Argentine of having refused to stay at Benfica, even “with the possibility of not losing a single euro” for the new contract with Chelsea.
“One thing for me is to respect that the player is losing a big contract – and I have to respect that – another thing for me is not to make him lose a euro, because between us and Chelsea we would find a solution for him.” not lose a euro since February 1, and the player still doesn’t want to stay at Benfica”, reveals the red leader.
“This is where I move and where the Benfica fans have to move with me. A player who, even so, does not want to stay at Benfica, does not show any commitment”, he stated.
Recognizing that the club “lost a great player”, Rui Costa guarantees that he “will not cry” for someone who “does not want to be at Benfica” and asks his fans to do the same.
“With all due respect to Enzo, because everyone is free to make their own decisions, Enzo’s choice was not to want to stay at Benfica. And if he doesn’t want to stay at Benfica, Benfica doesn’t want to stay at Enzo. Just we want players who want to represent Benfica”, he guarantees.
Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández, world champion with Argentina last December, was loaned to Chelsea on the last day of the winter market for 121 million euros.
Guedes was not planned
In January, forwards Casper Tengstedt, Andreas Schjelderup and Gonçalo Guedes arrived at Luz, but only two of those three signings were planned, Rui Costa acknowledged.
“Guedes was not in the initial equation,” said the red leader about the Portuguese international, formerly of Wolves, who arrived on loan to the club. “When we entered the market, nobody even thought of having our Gonçalo Guedes back at home.”
Source: TSF
