Benfica will have blinked a few times on Saturday evening when Belenenses filled in the scoresheet. Tonight’s opponent can only field nine players due to a bizarre combination of circumstances. Remarkably enough, two of them are goalkeepers by profession. The game was scheduled to start at 9:30 PM and just started.
No fewer than seventeen employees of Belenenses – thirteen football players and four staff members – have tested positive for corona, according to Portuguese media. The club logically has no players on the bench on Saturday evening and is therefore forced to field two goalkeepers: Álvaro Ramalho and João Monteiro. The latter is used as a field player. In addition, Belenenses will be joining five players making their debut in the Portuguese league.
Tudo corre mal ao Belenenses SAD ??@SLBenfica #sporttvportugal #ligaportugal #ligaportugalbwin #slbenfica #benfica #SLB #BelenensesSad #BFS #BFSSLB pic.twitter.com/dUKU9NTxXW
— SPORT TV (@SPORTTVPortugal) Nov 27, 2021
Belenenses, the number sixteen of the competition, did not want to hear about the cancellation. “We are going to row with the oars we have and we are looking for the best possible solution,” said trainer Filipe Cândido. Record. “All the energy that representing this club gives should be released by the players.”
Line-up Benfica: Vlachodimos; André Almeida, Otamendi, Vertonghen; Lazaro, Weigl, Joao Mario, Grimaldo; Rafa, Darwin Nuñez, Seferovic.
Line-up Belenenses: Alvaro Ramalho; Joao Monteiro, Calila, Henrique Pires, Trova Boni, André Lopes, Kau, Rafa Santos, Antonio Montez.