Benfica Announces Renewals of Adrian Bajrami, Rafael Rodrigues, and Henrique Pereira

Adrian Bajrami, Rafael Rodrigues and Henrique Pereira extend their connection to the club

This Tuesday, Benfica announced three renewals: central defender Adrian Bajrami, left-back Rafael Rodrigues, and winger/forward Henrique Pereira.

Living his 6th season officially competing for the club, 21-year-old Albanian international central defender Adrian Bajrami was signed from Swiss side BSC Young Boys in 2018/19. In the current season, Bajrami has played 20 games – and one goal – in League 2 and three challenges in the Premier League International Cup. “One of the objectives is clear: to reach team A. At the moment I’m focused on team B, on working hard, on winning games and grow, of course”, he told BTV.

Rafael Rodrigues, 22-year-old left-back, has represented Benfica for 14 seasons. National Champion of Beginners (2016/17), Youth (2018/19), winner of the UEFA Youth League and the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup, in 2022, has 66 games in League 2: in 2023/24 he played 19 games – and scored a goal – in the Second League, and also participated in a game in the Premier League International Cup. “Trying to reach the first team is my goal, I’m already closer to achieving it and that’s what I work for every day”, he praised, remembering: “It’s a very beautiful journey. Everyone already knows, I’ve been a Benfica fan since I was born. It’s a huge pride to represent this club. It’s been 14 years, it’s true, but it goes back many years, when I dreamed of this moment “, he said.

Henrique Martins Pereira, a 22-year-old winger/forward, has also officially competed for Benfica for 14 seasons, covering all levels of training from the Football Schools and has never represented another team. With an eagle on his chest he won the National Beginners Championship (2016/17), the National Youth Championship (2018/19) and the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup in 2022. The eagles remember that Henrique Pereira is the player on Benfica’s current squad B with the most games in League 2 (71) and in the 2023/24 season counts 16 challenges, 14 – and one goal – in League 2 and two games in the Premier League International Cup. “I’ve been at Benfica for 17 years, it’s been 17 years of great happiness. The most special moments I remember are perhaps the national championships that I won during my training, for Beginners, Youth, and in the Juniors we only didn’t win because there was a stoppage due to COVID-19, but it was also a special moment . Last year [2022/23], despite not being one of the best years for the team, individually it was a year in which I was very recognized and valued. It was also a special moment for me”, he concluded, assuming, like his teammates, the ambition of reaching the first team. By Record

2024-02-27 14:10:50
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