GdS: ‘More than a derby’ – Amorim, Ramos and Moreira gear up to face old club Benfica
It will be a special match for Rúben Amorim, Gonçalo Ramos and Diego Moreira tonight, all of whom are connected to Benfica.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recall that all three came up through Benfica’s youth academy, and the Lisbon club remains close to their hearts. Tonight will be a unique occasion, one where they will have to keep their emotions in check, as Ramos admitted in his press conference.
“It’s the first time I’ll be rooting against Benfica and wanting them to lose. I spent a huge part of my life at the Benfica Campus – I’d say I was there more often than with my own family – so it will be nice to see some familiar faces again. If I score, I won’t celebrate, because I remain deeply attached to the club and its people,” he said.
Ramos spent the years between 2013 (when he was 12) and 2019 at Seixal, the training complex where Benfica develops its talent. Those seasons allowed him to grow and play a key role in the first team’s Portuguese league title win. In total, he recorded 41 goals in 106 appearances for Benfica as a professional.
Moreira’s time there was shorter: he signed with Benfica at 15 after leaving Standard Liège as a free agent. With the Eagles, he was a standout star in their 2021–22 Youth League triumph (contributing five goals and four assists) and played for the B team.
He one first-team appearance before moving to Chelsea on a free transfer. Despite his departure, he made sure to say a proper goodbye, declaring himself a Benfica fan for life.
Ruben’s half-red heart
And then there is Amorim, who has always supported Benfica. Yesterday he held his pre-match press conference in Portuguese and not in English as usual (there were several of his compatriot journalists in the room).
He had some nice words about Benfica, with whom he won – as a central midfielder (154 appearances) – four league titles and a total of 12 trophies. He is yet to coach them and he specified that after Jose Mourinho’s farewell he was never close to returning.
“Everyone knew that I wouldn’t coach in Portugal because I felt that it wasn’t the time to return there and for this reason there was no offer,” he said.
“Milan called me and convinced me to accept when instead I thought I would stay out of action for a season. For me it is a special games, but I want to win. This match and then future ones because in big clubs, and Milan is a huge club, there is no minimum objective.”
Ruben arrived in the Eagles’ academy at the age of 15 and there he also came close to winning the 2013-14 Europa League, which they lost at the Allianz Stadium against Sevilla after a penalty shootout.
Now he meets Benfica in the Europa League again after challenging them in the years in which he led Sporting CP. His record? Six wins, three draws and four defeats.
