A strange quirk of modern football is that major European teams often find themselves playing the most important match of the season in their very first competitive outing, with their squad yet to be fully defined.
Such is the case for Benfica, who take on Spartak Moscow in the first leg of the 3rd qualifying round for the Champions League in the Russian capital on Wednesday. Last season Benfica crashed out of the most prestigious and most lucrative club football competition in the world at this stage, losing to Greek outfit PAOK. The Lisbon side never truly recovered, experiencing a disastrous 2020/21.
One year on, with Benfica in a state of flux at boardroom level, a degree of stability is badly needed, and progress to the group stage of Champions League will make that more probable. PortuGOAL previews Spartak Moscow v Benfica.
Sporting 2-1 Braga
It’s that time of year again. The slate has been wiped clean and football fans all over Europe have convinced themselves (however flimsy the evidence) that something magical has happened at their club in the close season, setting them up for a glorious campaign. After all, whoever their team, they currently lie joint first in the standings! 
João Mário has joined Benfica on a free transfer after reportedly cancelling his contract with Inter Milan to complete his move to the Eagles, ahead of interest from former club Sporting.
In the past Iranian players used to be nonexistent in Portuguese football. However, the last few years has seen a steady influx of Persian talent.