The New Season Starts

Photos: via www.slbenfica.pt

The 08/09 season got underway this morning, with the customary pre-season physicals at the Caixa Futebol Campus in Seixal. 9 faces were absent from the first day of camp
Petit, Nuno Gomes, Katsouranis, Freddy Adu, Oscar Cardozo, Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Binya and Zoro. All of these players were involved in competition during the month of June, and are authorized to report to camp at a later date.

The players that were at Euro 08(Petit, Nuno Gomes, Katsouranis) have been allowed to report on July 18, as for the others, no formal date has been announced for their return, but their last competitive game was around the same time as Portugal's last game at the Euro (6/18). It wouldn't surprise me if that was also the date for the rest of them to report.
There hasn't been an official announcement made by Benfica on Jorge Ribeiro, but the media reports, that he has signed with Benfica. If that is the case, he will be at camp on the 18th of July.


On the injury front: Quim, Nelson and David Luiz are the first clinical cases of the new season. Quim fractured his hand during the Euro, Nelson has muscular problems, and Luiz is in the final stages of his recuperation from foot surgery, all should be ready to go by the time competitive games come around.

The Portuguese media reports that Quique will carry a squad of 25 players.

Here is the preliminary list of players that will be taking part of Benfica's training camp.

Keepers:
Quim (Portugal)
Moreira (Portugal)

Defenders:
Léo (Brasil)
David Luiz (Brasil)
Luisão (Brasil)
Edcarlos (Brasil)
Sepsi (Roménia)
Nelson (Portugal)
Luís Filipe (Portugal)
Miguel Vítor (Portugal), returns after being on loan at Desp. Aves
Zoro (Ivory Coast)
João Pereira (Portugal), júnior
Abel Pereira (Portugal), júnior

Midfielders:
Petit (Portugal)
Binya (Camaroon)
Katsouranis (Gréece)
Nuno Assis (Portugal)
Maxi Pereira (Uruguay)
Ruben Amorim (Portugal) ex-Belenenses
Di Maria (Argentina)
Romeu Ribeiro (Portugal), returns after being on loan at Desp. Aves
Hassan Yebda (France), ex-Le Mans
Carlos Martins (Portugal), ex-Recreativo Huelva
Javier Balboa (Spain), ex-Real Madrid
André Carvalhas (Portugal)
Fellype Bastos (Brasil)

Forwards:
Fábio Coentrão (Portugal), returns after being on loan at Nacional
Freddy Adu (US)
Makukula (Portugal)
Yu Dabao (China), returns after being on loan at Desp. Aves
Cardozo (Paraguay)
Nuno Gomes (Portugal)
Mantorras (Angola)
Nelson Oliveira (Portugal), first year Junior

34 in all. There's still a keeper missing from this list.


Meanwhile, the 08/09 league fixtures were drawn yesterday, and the luck of the draw
dictated that Benfica play both of their rivals by matchday 4.
i'll be doing a full analysis of the the league fixtures very soon.