Alessandro Circati has already started 5 of his 11 games for Benfica, and the recent signs are pointing in the same direction. He completed 90 minutes in two of the club's last four matches, against Gil Vicente and Lech Poznań, and he was signed in the summer from Parma for €18 million.
Circati's recent run
The clearest evidence is in the detail. Against Lech Poznań, Circati completed 73 of 77 passes and earned a 6.74 rating, while his season rating sits at 6.67. Even in the shorter outing at Estrela da Amadora, he still posted a 6.19 rating after coming on for the final 26 minutes.
Marco Silva, quoted by A Bola in comments translated from Portuguese, said: "He is growing and taking the right steps." That lines up with what Benfica are seeing on the pitch. The 23-year-old has been opting for security, taking few risks and showing defensive reliability at a time when the club need calm minutes at the back.
Benfica's rotation at the back
Tomás Araújo's place in the rotation has mattered here too. He was substituted at Estrela da Amadora for physical reasons, and Circati took over for the final 26 minutes. Araújo has still played 11 Primeira Liga matches this season and holds a 7.11 league rating, so this is not a case of Circati replacing a weak option. It is a summer signing earning more trust as Benfica juggle minutes.
The next marker is simple enough. Circati has already done enough to look like part of the plan, and Benfica's run of games will decide how quickly that trust turns into a regular starting role.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
