"He is doing what he has to do to play" more minutes, Marco Silva said of Jhon Durán after the forward’s two-goal night against Celtic. The Benfica striker now goes into the trip to Cyprus with a case for another start in Omonia Nicosia vs Benfica, even though Vangelis Pavlidis still leads the pecking order.
Durán's current case
Durán has 14 games for Benfica and 412 minutes on the pitch, but the split matters. He has only started three times, and all three starts have come in the Europa League, against Hearts, Milan and Celtic.
That is where the form has come. He scored twice in Benfica’s 4-1 win over Celtic, taking his Benfica total to four goals. In the league, the picture is quieter, with seven appearances, 107 minutes and one goal.
The European numbers are harder to ignore. Durán has two Europa League appearances, two goals and a 7.2 rating, while his domestic rating sits at 6.58.
Pavlidis still sets the bar
Pavlidis remains the established reference point in Benfica’s attack. He has eight Primeira Liga appearances, eight league goals and a 7.76 rating, so Durán is not displacing a forward who has done little to earn trust.
That makes the selection question a straightforward one for Silva. Durán has done enough to stay in the conversation, especially after Celtic, but Benfica still have a striker in front of him who has been more productive in the league.
Benfica travel to Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League league phase on Thursday, and the starting XI will tell the story more clearly than the quotes do.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
