João Mário is experiencing the least brilliant phase of the season, but that hasn’t changed the eagles’ plans for the midfielder. The 29-year-old Portuguese international is part of the squad for 2022/2023 and is safe for next season, whatever coach the Reds choose.
João Mário has four more years on his contract with Benfica – he ended his contract with Inter and signed with the eagles, which led Sporting to complain about the Italians – and is considered one of the most important players in the dressing room, one of the athletes with whom the SAD counts for next season.
The number 20 shirt lost space with Nélson Veríssimo and has been little used in recent games. The midfielder has not been a starter since the League Cup final, with Sporting (1-2), on January 29. He played 45 minutes (entered at half-time) in the defeat (1-2) with Gil Vicente and tested positive for Covid-19 the next day. In isolation with Tondela, João Mário returned to the team with Santa Clara, but he no longer left the substitute bench. With Boavista he was, again, used as a substitute, but he started badly in the match and was linked to the checkered reaction, with Boavista recovering two goals from a disadvantage.
The firm bet on Taarabt, after the Moroccan’s response with Boavista and Ajax, and the frequent minutes to Meité and Paulo Bernardo took away space for the Portuguese international. With Ajax and Portimonense, he didn’t even leave the bench.
At Seixal, it is understood that it is just a phase, but they do not forget the importance that João Mário had with Jorge Jesus, especially in the first meetings of the season, in accessing the Champions League. The number 20 was the undisputed starter with Jorge Jesus and scored three goals, two with Jesus (Spartak and V. Guimarães) and one with Nélson Veríssimo (Paços de Ferreira).
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