The whispers around the club’s future are growing louder, and Luís Filipe Vieira, eyeing a return to the presidency, is certainly stoking the fires. He recently made a significant promise: Domingos Soares de Oliveira, a name many associate with past club operations, will be back at Benfica if Vieira wins the election. Soares de Oliveira is currently an administrator at Al Ittihad and was once an administrator for the Eagles’ SAD. This move seems to reconnect a strong working relationship, as Soares de Oliveira has previously spoken highly of Vieira’s negotiation skills.
But Vieira’s plans for a homecoming don’t stop there. He dropped hints about more familiar faces returning, keeping other names under wraps for now. “It’s not just him coming back,” Vieira stated, teasing fans and observers alike. “You’ll hear a lot about people returning.” This suggests a broader strategy to bring back individuals tied to previous eras of the club.
Vieira, a former president of the Reds, also looked further into the future, naming Tiago Pinto. Pinto currently serves as the sports director for Bournemouth. Vieira suggested Pinto could return to the club one day, perhaps even in a new role. “He’s doing fantastic work,” Vieira remarked, praising Pinto’s current efforts. “When he thinks about coming home one day, he knows the door is open. If I’m not the president then, he might even be the president of Benfica himself one day.” Vieira shared these thoughts during an interview with SIC.
Shifting to the campaign trail, Vieira made it clear he doesn’t want support from any former club players. He also explained why he won’t have the backing of Manuel Vilarinho, another former club leader. “He called me to his home,” Vieira recalled, shedding light on the internal politics. “He told me he wouldn’t support me. He said he was a very close friend of Noronha Lopes’ father.” This detail offers a glimpse into the complex personal ties that often shape club elections.