The summer lull in Portuguese football is officially over for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. The Eagles have returned to their Seixal training ground, marking the official commencement of their 2025/26 pre-season campaign. With new faces joining the ranks and a packed schedule looming, anticipation is high for what promises to be a demanding, yet pivotal, season.
New Blood and a Familiar Challenge
The first training session saw a contingent of 27 players, including two notable defensive reinforcements: Amar Dedic, a right-back from Red Bull Salzburg, and Rafael Obrador, a left-back joining from Real Madrid. Their inclusion signals an immediate intent to bolster the defensive flanks, an area often critical to a team`s overall stability.
Beyond the high-profile arrivals, coach Bruno Lage also integrated promising forward Eduardo Fernandes, a product of Benfica`s U23 squad, highlighting the club`s ongoing commitment to nurturing talent from within its famed academy. However, not all were present for the initial call. Defender Tomás Araújo commenced individual training, while Bah and Manu are on the road to recovery from respective injuries. Norwegian midfielder Andreas Schjelderup was granted a brief extension due to personal reasons and is expected to join the squad mid-week.
Bruno Lage`s Strategic Puzzle
With a robust squad of 27 players on day one, Bruno Lage faces the immediate, and quite welcome, challenge of integrating new acquisitions, re-acclimatizing returning players, and honing a cohesive unit. The sheer number of players offers depth and tactical flexibility, but also demands meticulous management to ensure every individual is primed for the intense calendar ahead. The initial sessions will be crucial for assessing fitness, implementing tactical frameworks, and fostering the team chemistry vital for success.
A Marathon Sprint: The Season`s Unforgiving Opening
For those expecting a gentle easing into the new campaign, the fixture list for Benfica offers a rather blunt alternative. The calendar is, to put it mildly, aggressive. The first competitive fixture for the Eagles is scheduled for July 31st: the Portuguese Super Cup against fierce rivals Sporting CP. This immediate derby serves as an early barometer and a direct opportunity for silverware.
Following this high-stakes encounter, Benfica will kick off their Primeira Liga campaign at home against Rio Ave on the weekend of August 9th/10th. But the domestic league start is just one piece of a complex puzzle. Benfica will also embark on their journey through the third preliminary round of the UEFA Champions League. These two-legged ties, with an opponent yet to be determined, are absolutely critical for securing a spot in European football`s elite club competition. Should they advance, a play-off round would follow, adding two more high-pressure matches to the already burgeoning schedule.
In a span of just one month, the Eagles could realistically face up to nine official matches: the Super Cup, multiple league fixtures, and up to four crucial Champions League qualification encounters. It’s a schedule that demands peak physical conditioning, tactical adaptability, and unwavering mental fortitude from the very outset.
The Quest for the 38th Title
After clinching a record 38 Primeira Liga titles, Benfica has, somewhat uncharacteristically, relinquished the last two domestic crowns to their Lisbon rivals, Sporting. This new season, therefore, carries the added weight of expectation to reclaim national supremacy. The groundwork laid in these early pre-season weeks, under the watchful eye of Bruno Lage, will be paramount in setting the tone for this ambitious pursuit.
The stakes are undeniably high, the calendar unforgiving, and the squad is evolving. Benfica’s 2025/26 journey has just begun, and it promises to be nothing short of captivating.
