Enzo Barrenechea now finds himself walking a tightrope. After just four matches in Liga Betclic, the midfielder picked up his fourth yellow card. This came during a heated moment on the field. The Argentine player argued fiercely with referee João Pinheiro, believing Gabriel Silva deserved a second yellow, and thus a red, for a challenge on Prestianni. But the official from Braga saw things differently. He pulled out a card, not for Silva, but for Barrenechea himself.
This means Barrenechea is now on thin ice. One more yellow card will trigger a one-game suspension. Such a situation is always tricky for any team, especially when key fixtures are approaching. Benfica will need to navigate their upcoming schedule with this in mind, hoping to keep their midfield engine available.
The Eagles have a busy road ahead. Their next game takes them to AVS SAD’s home ground. Soon after, they will host Rio Ave for a match that was originally scheduled as the first game of the championship season. Benfica had that match postponed earlier. The delay happened because it fell right between their crucial Champions League third qualifying round games against Nice. With a packed calendar and a potential suspension looming, every game now carries extra weight for Benfica and for Barrenechea.