Marco Silva hints at an imminent departure from Benfica!

Following the loss in the Portuguese Clásico, former Fulham manager Marco Silva made a statement that sparked considerable controversy and speculation regarding his future with Benfica—coming just under four months after he took charge of the team.

It appears to be an entirely psychological matter; the pressure on the coach is immense since taking charge of "The Eagles." The team currently sits in second place behind Porto, and the fans certainly would not tolerate losing the title to their direct rivals—Porto—for yet another consecutive season.

• see also: Benfica: FC Porto end 55-match unbeaten run

A crushing defeat in El Clásico has blown the race wide open

According to reports, the flashpoint came during Benfica's trip to Porto on the seventh matchday of the Portuguese league. The visitors fell 3-1 in that fixture, a result that let their fiercest rivals pull five points clear at the summit.

Sources cited by the British publication The Mirror, drawing on the Portuguese paper Record, indicate that Silva erupted after a sending-off against one of his own men, with the mounting scrutiny on the officiating crew also fueling his anger.

I will not comment on the sending-off. I don't know whether I will be able to continue in this way until the end of the season, because I represent a different football culture. Here, unfortunately, referees can be influenced before matches, after them and throughout the entire week, and sometimes it works. I am not going to follow that path.

Marco Silva said.

Back in the summer, the now 49-year-old put pen to paper on a deal keeping him at Benfica through June 2028. He arrived in Lisbon after spending five fruitful campaigns at Craven Cottage with Fulham, a spell during which he earned a reputation as one of the steadiest hands in the Premier League.

Hazem Mlhem |

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Hazem Mlhem est un rédacteur sportif expérimenté, animé par une passion pour le football africain.