Leandro Barreiro scores early as Benfica face Maritimo following transfer deadline

Early goal at Estadio do Maritimo

Leandro Barreiro opened the scoring for Benfica in the seventh minute of their fifth round Portuguese I Liga match against Maritimo in Funchal. The Luxembourg international midfielder found the net after an attacking sequence created by Gianluca Prestianni. Prestianni advanced into position and struck a curling effort on goal that the Maritimo goalkeeper parried directly forward into the danger area. Barreiro reacted immediately to the loose ball and converted a close-range shot using his weaker foot. The strike rewarded Barreiro for his active contribution in Marco Silva's setup, continuing his role as a goalscoring presence from midfield in the early stages of the campaign.

Tactical planning and midfield selection in Madeira

Benfica traveled to Madeira for the Saturday fixture facing a newly promoted Maritimo side that manager Marco Silva warned would present difficult challenges. Silva noted in his pre-match briefing that promoted teams regularly enter the top division with winning momentum and play aggressively in front of their home supporters. In evaluating his starting eleven, the manager weighed multiple midfield combinations, specifically discussing pairings that could feature Leandro Barreiro, Enzo, Joao Palhinha, and Fredrik Aursnes. Aursnes returned to the matchday squad after dealing with fitness issues and limited game time, with Silva noting the necessity of getting the player back into action. Silva stated that the team possesses the depth and quality required to fight for the Portuguese championship.

We are ready. Prepared to be competitive and fight for all objectives.

Transfer market arrivals and positional roles

The fixture took place immediately following the closure of the transfer window, allowing Silva to evaluate the composition of his finalized squad. Silva outlined specific positional expectations for the latest arrivals, noting that Claudio Echeverri will operate through the central corridor rather than wide on the wing. The coaching staff plans to utilize Echeverri as an attacking midfielder or second striker capable of creating chances between opposing defensive lines. On the defensive flanks, Souffian Karouani arrived to deliver a more offensive option than the other two full-backs, joining a defensive group where Dahl produced a strong start to the season and Neto showed steady development. Silva noted that the roster adjustments strengthened the squad on the left side following departures on the right.

Squad departures and roster management

The deadline period also saw departures from Lisbon, including right-back Dedic, who left the club after being deemed outside the manager's tactical plans. Midfielder Richard Rios departed on loan to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad, leading Silva to address the circumstances of the Colombian player's exit directly. Silva dismissed concerns regarding player egos, insisting that squad investments do not determine starting places. Silva also reaffirmed his confidence in winger Dodi Lukebakio after the Belgian player remained at the club following exit speculation, emphasizing that the squad lacks another wide player with his specific profile.

I had absolutely no conversation with him where I said he could not return. Not at all. We had some good conversations. It is worth highlighting the way he spoke with you, because he never heard from my mouth that he was not counted on this year.