Sudakov could debut for Benfica in the match against Qarabag

Benfica's head coach Bruno Lage intends to make changes to the team's lineup and tactics before the match against Qarabag in the first round of the Champions League group stage.

According to Idman.biz, citing Record, the loss of points in the match against Santa Clara (1:1) prompted the coaching staff to think about making adjustments.

Special attention is paid to Nico Otamendi, who made a gross mistake in the last match but retains the support of the fans and is ready to lead the defense. One of the main innovations could be the appearance of Ukrainian Georgi Sudakov from the first minutes. The footballer, who recently transferred for 27 million euros, has already managed to score for the Ukrainian national team and is currently in top form.

According to media reports, Lage is preparing to abandon the 4-4-2 scheme that did not work against Santa Clara. Vangelis Pavlidis is likely to be the only striker, and changes in midfield may also affect the flanks of the defense. Possible solutions include using Aursnes as a right-back or relying on Tomas Araujo.

It should be noted that Georgi Sudakov scored against the Azerbaijani national team on September 9 in Baku as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifying round playing for the Ukrainian national team.

The Benfica – Qarabag match will be held on September 16 at the Estadio da Luz stadium and will start at 23:00 Baku time.

Idman.biz