The view from Portugal

Divergent fortunes for Benfica duo

January 8, 2012
By Andy Brassell
(Archive)
The influence of South American players in Portugal is strong. In Saturday night's clássico between Sporting and Porto, 17 of the 22 starters were born outside Portugal, including 12 South Americans. In the words of Portuguese sports daily O Jogo, it will be the "most foreign" clássico in the last 15 years, since limits on overseas players in the Liga were abolished.

The story is the same across Lisbon at Benfica. Six South Americans started Tuesday's 4-1 League Cup win at Vitoria Guimaraes ...

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