FC Porto's defensive planning for the season has taken a hit with a serious injury to Emanuel Benjamín. The 19-year-old right-back, signed from Real Madrid, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture in his left knee during his debut for FC Porto B in the 2-2 draw with Vizela and will undergo surgery.
B team coach João Brandão had expressed immediate concern after the match. "It doesn't seem to be good news, we'll wait for the results of the complementary exams," he said. "We will wait for the tests, but the news does not seem to be very good." The confirmation of the injury, which has no prior history in that knee, comes as the first team sits top of the Primeira Liga with 18 points, holding a two-point lead over Benfica. The next league fixture, this Saturday, pits the two rivals against each other at the Estádio do Dragão.
While the senior side prepares for the derby, the B team continues its campaign in the II Liga. The B team's medical bulletin also lists André Oliveira under treatment and Brayan Caicedo in conditional training. João Brandão's squad resumes work at Olival on Thursday ahead of their next challenge, against Leixões on October 10th at the Estádio do Mar. Fans can track the first team's progress and schedule on our fixtures page, while the full squad situation is available on squad.
More detail at O Jogo
