ROYALS TO BATTLE BENFICA IN FRIENDLY
READING FC will face Portuguese side SL Benfica in a behind-closed doors friendly next month.
Paul Ince’s men are set for a week long training camp at England’s St George’s Park in June which will culminate in a friendly match against the Primeira Liga team.
Benfica are under new management after they appointed German boss Roger Schmidt in May.
Benfica ended the 2021/22 season in third place under caretaker manager Nelson Verissimo after previous manager Jorge Jesus left by mutual consent in December 2021.
They finished a disappointing 17 points behind champions
Porto in what was the club’s third consecutive season without silverware.
Among Benfica’s ranks are three former Premier League players. Nicolas Otamendi who played for Manchester City for five seasons, Jan Vertonghtne who spent eight seasons at Tottenham Hotspur and Adel Taarabt who starred for Queens Park Rangers.
They also have rising star Darwin Nunez who is hotly tipped to make a big money move across Europe this summer after scoring 26 goals in 28 league appearances last season.
Benfica enjoyed a good run in last season’s Champions League which saw them progress through the group stages after finishing as runners-up behind Bayern Munich.
They fought off competition from Barcelona and Dynamo Kiev as Benfica thumped Barca 3-0 at home and earned a goalless draw at the Camp Nou to finish in second on eight points, one above the Spanish giants.
Benfica made it past Dutch champions Ajax in the round of 16 after they snatched a 1-0 away win at the Johan Cruyff Arena courtesy of Nunez’ second-half strike to complete a 3-2 aggregate win.
They were eliminated in the quarter finals despite putting up a stern test against Liverpool where they eventually lost 6-4 on aggregate after another impressive showing from young forward Nunez who netted in both matches.
Reading FC will face Portuguese side SL Benfica in a behind-closed doors friendly next month,
Paul Ince’s men are set for a week long training camp at England’s St George’s Park in June which will culminate in a friendly match against the Primeira Liga team.
Benfica are under new management after they appointed German boss Roger Schmidt in May.
Benfica ended the 2021/22 season in third place under caretaker manager Nelson Verissimo after previous manager Jorge Jesus left by mutual consent in December 2021.
They finished a disappointing 17 points behind champions
Porto in what was the club’s third consecutive season without silverware.
Among Benfica’s ranks are three former Premier League players. Nicolas Otamendi who played for Manchester City for five seasons, Jan Vertonghtne who spent eight seasons at Tottenham Hotspur and Adel Taarabt who starred for Queens Park Rangers.
They also have rising star Darwin Nunez who is hotly tipped to make a big money move across Europe this summer after scoring 26 goals in 28 league appearances last season.