Benfica's Marco Silva: Team needs reinforcements, youngsters will stay

Benfica manager Marco Silva offered his analysis following his side's 1-2 loss to Flamengo in the Algarve Trophy.

On the Match and Pre-Season Context

"It ended up being a good test for us, that was the objective. With few days of work, we need to take steps forward. We have our first official game very soon. We'll play it with four weeks of preparation. A pre-season a bit different from usual, there's no hiding it, but the goal is to reach that game in the best possible condition, even with some players who won't be available and everything that this different Benfica pre-season entails."

"We have to be at our best to be as competitive as possible and move on to the next round. That's exactly why we want to take steps forward."

Game Analysis

"The game had some very specific characteristics, almost like an official match in some aspects, some theatrics too, which apparently is also part of official games. But it is what it is. We prepare as best we can."

• First half performance: "A first half that was a bit slow. In the final third, we weren't the team we want to be and will be, lacking speed and aggression to attack the opponent."
• Second half response: "After the second goal, we were more aggressive in the final third, with the change to a back four we took a while to get there, we didn't find the spaces, and when we did, we managed to create three or four clear chances to equalize the game."

"We lost, and even though it's pre-season, we are Benfica and we don't like having this feeling at the end of a game, but the truth is we have to prepare the team in the best way for the upcoming games. The next one is already next week against Villarreal, another important game to take steps forward physically, but also tactically and technically, before facing St. Gallen."

Squad Preparation and Transfers

"We will do what is our responsibility, which is to prepare the team. It's a new coaching staff, in this case there aren't even many new players, the third player has just arrived. Little by little we are integrating the players who arrive."

"We also need to wait for the players who are at the World Cup. We can't hide that they are fundamental players for us, and then, continue to monitor the market. We want to strengthen the team in positions where we clearly need to and we will do so."

"But now we have to look at the players we have and who we have been working with over these two weeks and make them understand our idea as quickly as possible. From the players, I have seen total openness to learn and to quickly assimilate all the aspects we want to see in the team, the attitude has been very good, nothing to criticize in that regard. Today, at some moments, we saw what we want to do, but at other moments there is still very low speed, not with the intensity we want to see in the final third."

Academy Players

"It's always important to have young players from our academy at Benfica. This was a very particular moment in that aspect for all the reasons I've already mentioned, like the absences of players we have in some positions."

"Before Kaminski's arrival, we didn't have an alternative to play on the wings in the first [official] game. Putting Rafa there could be a solution. With Prestianni's suspension and the players who are at the World Cup, we didn't have any. It's a good opportunity to see some academy players in that position, but also to see other players who have been in and out of Benfica's first team, as they were last season and who are now more integrated into Benfica's main squad. Without naming names, some will stay with us for the season, without a doubt."