Updated:2026-02-20 08:08 Views:56
Nicolás Otamendi has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to an ongoing injury that he suffered in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League tie with Dynamo Kiev.
The 28-year-old midfielder has missed six games and is expected to miss at least another three before returning to training on Saturday, according to his agent. Otamendi had hoped to be fit for the return game against FC Porto but was unable to play after suffering a knee ligament injury during the second leg.
Otamendi, who joined Benfica from Real Madrid in 2019, has made just four appearances for the club this season and has struggled to find the back of the net despite impressing with his performances in the league. His absence means that the team will have to rely on younger players such as Marcelo Oliveira and Raphinha to fill the void.
Despite his injury,Campeonato Brasileiro Action Otamendi remains confident that he can bounce back and contribute to the team's success next season. "I am still hoping to play again this season," he said. "We need to see how I recover and then we will decide what we want to do."
Benfica coach António Guterres has already spoken about the importance of Otamendi's performance in the upcoming matches. He believes that he has the ability to help the team overcome any challenges they may face and that he should continue to be part of the squad moving forward.
"It's important that we give him time to recover and get back to full fitness," Guterres said. "He has played some good football in the last few weeks, so it's a big task for us to make sure he gets back to playing well again."