João Diogo Manteigas, a lawyer by trade, has formally unveiled his team. This group plans to contest the Benfica presidential elections on the 25th of the month. Manteigas started by explaining how he picked his candidates. He wants to convince club members to give his team a chance at leading the Estádio da Luz.
“This team was hand-picked, with time and care,” Manteigas declared during the presentation. He spoke on his birthday, this past Tuesday, in Lisbon. “We aim for a total break from the past, from what has saddened us. We are here for the people.” He continued, stating that these names are ready to lead Benfica’s next chapter. “We aren’t perfect, but we truly believe we will bring Benfica back to its rightful place.”
Leading the financial department as vice-president is Pedro Plácido Pereira. He currently directs the financial division at Novo Banco. For the club’s various sports, Vítor Pataco steps in as vice-president. Pataco previously served as president of the IPDJ, Portugal’s Institute of Sport and Youth. José Manuel Caeiro do Rosário, a former handball player for the Eagles, will handle community engagement. He now works as a commercial director for Imperial College London.
Infrastructure projects will fall to Ricardo Rodrigues, a civil engineer. Henrique Nogueira Nunes joins as the head of the legal department. Nunes is a lawyer with a special focus on sports law. Luís Manuel Caeiro do Rosário will serve as vice-president for Strategy and Planning. This full slate shows Manteigas’s vision for a revamped leadership at the Reds.