Marco Silva gave his clearest team news in goal, where Anatoliy Trubin will start against Celtic. He also said Benfica may make changes because there is no match at the weekend, with players having gone through many games in a short period of 15 days.
Trubin gets the nod
Silva's answer on the goalkeeper was direct, and it came with a wider point about how he is managing the squad. Benfica have three centre-backs, a fourth option from a young player or Samuel Dahl, and the coach said the group can be handled in the way he thinks is best for the team.
The rotation talk feels grounded rather than speculative. Benfica can change things, but the line from Silva was that any changes will still come with the clear objective of winning the game. Benfica already have 3 points from their opening league phase match, and they have won 1 of their league phase games so far.
Celtic and Benfica's form line
Silva was also respectful about the opponent. He pointed to Celtic's history of titles and dominance in Scottish football, said the visitors will want to react after a poor European start, and stressed that Benfica need to be at their best to win. The latest league phase numbers back that up, with Celtic on 0 points and a -2 goal difference after one game.
Benfica's own form is why Silva can talk about changes without sounding timid. They have won 4 of their last 5 matches, and Vangelis Pavlidis has 8 league goals in 8 Primeira Liga appearances. Silva also said Benfica started on the right foot in Italy and that they are on an upward path, while Georgiy Sudakov remains a player he is still working with in and out of possession.
The question around Benfica vs Celtic now is not whether Silva will rest players, because he has already said he may. It is whether the changes leave Benfica strong enough to keep their European start moving in the same direction on 15 October.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
