Nolito likely to replace Enzo Perez in the UEFA Champions League qualifier against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Trabzonspor-c40759
Benfica’s Nolito shined in the first leg of the qualifier against Trabzonspor and after the injury to Enzo Perez, he is likely to start in the second leg of the vital encounter, which takes place in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Turkey-c3026 on August 3.
The Eagles suffered a huge setback when their main attacking outlet, Enzo Perez, limped off the field in the second half of their UEFA Champions League qualifier at Estadio da Luz.
Attacking midfielder Perez took a knock to his ankle during the first half of the match but opted to continue playing despite manager Jorge Jesus’s recommendations to substitute him. As a result of increased pressure, the injury worsened and the former Estudiantes
man sprained his ankle.
Although the sprain is a routine damage, which players suffer on a continuous basis, it is likely to keep Perez out of the second leg of the tie. While he has started light training, his recovery will be after the match and in his stint on the sidelines,
Nolito is expected to dominate the midfield.
The former Barcelona man was signed by Benfica recently and is proving to be one of the best performers for the Lisbon outfit. Coming on as a substitute for Perez, he immediately made an impact and in amidst a good spell for the home side, scored the first
goal of the match with a coolly taken finish.
He also proved his worth, when he fed a great ball to Oscar Cardozo to put the match beyond the reach of Trabzonspor but unusually the Paraguayan failed to get on the score sheet.
While the Reds cruised to victory in the end, it was the arrival of Nolito that saw the team play its best football. The 24-year-old proved to be the inspiration for the team and is going to be involved heavily in Jorge Jesus’s tactics for the second leg.
However, his abilities are far better utilized on the pitch rather than the bench and Nolito is likely to be a key man for Benfica throughout the season, if he can replicate his magic on a consistent basis.
Tags: