Ajax will not have to take Pizzi into account in two weeks in the Champions League squatter against Benfica. The 32-year-old captain of os Dragões will leave for Istanbul Basaksehir for the rest of the season, the Turkish club confirms. Pizzi was considered one of Benfica’s star players for years, but got sidetracked this season and only came in lately.
The role of Pizzi changed in the first half of the season from basic player to regular substitute, until the bomb exploded at Benfica at the end of December. After the hopeless 3-0 defeat against FC Porto in the eighth final of the Taça de Portugal, Pizzi got into a serious argument with Jorge Jesus, Portuguese media reported at the time. The attacking midfielder was kicked out of the selection by Jesus, who was then immediately fired.
Nélson Veríssimo, Jesus’ successor, did keep Pizzi in the selection, but allowed the captain few more minutes of play: four more short substitutions would follow. Last Monday, Pizzi was no longer in the match selection against Tondela (1-3) to give the Portuguese room to make a transfer. Basaksehir, the number five in the Turkish league, offered a solution with a rental deal.
Pizzi has been under contract with Benfica since 2014 and grew into a supporting force in Lisbon. The technically gifted midfielder has played in no fewer than 360 official matches for the Portuguese top club, in which he was good for 94 goals and 96 assists. He played 17 times for the Portuguese national team.