Marco Silva has hinted he could shuffle his pack for Benfica's Europa League showdown with Celtic in Lisbon. The Hoops face a daunting test on Thursday as they travel for their second game of the league phase, looking to make their mark against the Portuguese giants.
Both sides arrive on the back of wins
Both sides head into the clash on the back of 2-0 victories, with Celts seeing off Motherwell at Fir Park and Benfica cruising to a home win over Vitoria Guimaraes. But ex-Everton and Fulham boss Silva could hand some of his fringe players an opportunity to impress against Martin O’Neill’s men.
Asked if he would rotate his squad against the Scottish champions, Silva stated: "Yes, it's a possibility. Right now, the idea is to give some players from the B team some playing time to gain match fitness. From there, we will assess the players and analyse the next opponent to prepare for Thursday's game and make the necessary decisions."
Silva pleased with Vitoria display
Silva also reflected on the weekend victory, saying: "I was pleased at the control of the game we had against Vitoria. We had to be patient. I felt that some players were more tired than usual, especially those who had been with their national teams. We gave the 60,000 fans at the Estadio da Luz plenty to enjoy. The reality is that we didn't give our opponent any chances and won the game comfortably."
Meanwhile, defender Samuel Dahl is relishing the prospect of another quick turnaround as Benfica prepare to welcome Celtic. The Swedish full-back - who netted his first-ever home goal for the club against Vitoria - insists the squad are accustomed to the demands of a packed schedule and will be ready for the Hoops.
Dahl ready for quick turnaround
He said: "The Celtic game is coming up right away, so there will be no rest, but we are used to this. It's a tough schedule with a lot of games, but we'll recover and be ready for Celtic. It was great to be back home with the fans and it was fantastic to score this goal with their support. It's my first ever goal at the Estadio da Luz. It's an incredible feeling and something I will remember forever."
