[Football] Bareiro, the lion will indeed become an eagle

Highly anticipated on Tuesday, Leandro Barreiro's signing this summer for Benfica was confirmed on Wednesday evening by the Portuguese media, who remain divided on the subject.

Great players have one thing in common: they always end up, one way or another, getting everyone to agree. To become one, this is also what Leandro Barreiro will have to do at Benfica where he is based, according to Portuguese media. registerofficially signed on Wednesday evening for the next five seasons, which he will join at the end of his contract with Mainz, on 1^any July. But where his signature merits remain clear is to be proven by some observers.

The midfielder is big enough at his club level that Mainz would prefer to stay on a tidy transfer fee (if they had sold him this winter) to benefit from another six months of his talents, which would be nothing if not superfluous in the comeback phase and the race to keep him. That FSV will face tomorrow (3:30 p.m.) against Wolfsburg (10^H“) at position 16^H And a playoff player in the German League.

But even with 52 caps (2 goals) with Ruud Lewin and 124 Bundesliga appearances, Leo's CV does not weigh him down compared to a club that has collected 83 domestic titles (38 league titles). Champion, 26 Portuguese Cups, 7 League Cups , 9 Super Cups and 3 Campeonato de Portugal, the predecessor of the Cup) and the Champions League, making it the most successful in Portugal (before Porto and Sporting) and an institution where only excellence is allowed.

As long as he was browsing the Lusitanian information sites, Barreiro would have learned about it yesterday, the day after the announcement of his future arrival with the Eagles. His case divided local experts, and two speeches, one questionable and one somewhat jubilant, were enough to take notice.

At the mention of the midfielder, Sofia Oliveira, a commentator for several local media outlets, including the Portuguese branches of CNN and Eleven Sports, did what children who reject green vegetables do and swear to hate them even before they eat them. They tasted it — and as many speakers do, eager to adopt a contrarian stance on TV talk shows: She pushed her dish away.

If you recognize his qualities in defensive and attacking pressing or in the size of the runs, but also with a certain margin of progress given his age (24 years old since January 3), Sofia Oliveira nevertheless doubts his ability to support the comparison with the other midfielders who make up the Benfica squad, such as the promising The formidable Joao Neves (19 years old, already valued at 45 million euros by Transfermarkt), carrying alongside Turkish Orkun Kukcu in front of the defence, or the former Portuguese international Florentino (24 years old), the third choice in midfield.

“I'm still skeptical, because he doesn't really have a compatible profile with other players,” she said. They say he looks like Neves or Florentino, but I don't think so, and most importantly, he doesn't have the passing quality and that could hurt Benfica.

A harsh opinion, but undoubtedly less documented than that of Claudio Lopez, the scout and video analyst who has notably spent recent years with CS Marítimo (then in the Portuguese D1), Almería and Ponferradina in the Spanish D2, Al-Taawoun (Saudi D1) or Chaves, resident in the elite Portuguese football.

He sees Barreiro as an “interesting recruit” and a potential long-term replacement for Chiquinho, whose contract is nearing the end and whose future departure is likely to be understood. “He (Barreiro) is young, but he has experience, including in the national team,” Lopez says. He comes from a very good tournament and, above all, he is a key player there. It's not just anyone. “If he starts in the Bundesliga and plays a lot of matches for Mainz, it is because he has the qualities.”

Given his intelligence in play, his pressing skills and his speed “in offensive and defensive transitions”, the technician sees the contract with Benfica as “a very smart option”, which is moreover “free”, and this, as far as the future in Joao Neves' club, which is already being pursued by the biggest teams. European, not guaranteed at all. The summer departure of the new Portuguese international, initiated by Roberto Martinez last October at the Seleção, would also have the advantage of clarifying the 'Lion''s prospects a bit among the Eagles.

Good draw for Gerson

Not selected for the victorious trip to Konyaspor on Sunday (1-3), Gerson Rodriguez was this time in the Sivasspor group to welcome Galatasaray yesterday. Trailing 0-1 when he entered play in the 66th minute^H Minute, his team ended up snatching the goal in the 86th minute^H A very good draw against the now former co-captain (Fenerbahce lead by two points) in the Super League, led in particular by Dries Mertens, Kerem Demirbay (scorer) and Wilfried Zaha. Thanks to this draw, Sivasspor (10^H) raising the difference with the relegator to seven points.