Marco Silva has finalised Benfica’s 22-man squad for the Europa League qualifiers against St. Gallen, with the first leg set for Thursday in Switzerland. The selection gives a clear picture of who is available for the opening leg, while also showing the blend of new arrivals and academy players included in the group.
Benfica’s squad includes Clément Lenglet, Jakub Kaminski, António Silva, Tiago Gouveia, Amar Dedic, Tomás Araújo, Richard Ríos, Fredrik Aursnes, Andreas Schjelderup, Dodi Lukébakio, Jhon Durán, Gianluca Prestianni, Daniel Banjaqui, José Neto, Anísio Cabral, Anatoliy Trubin, Samuel Soares, Alexander Bah, Samuel Dahl, Enzo Barrenechea, Georgiy Sudakov and Manu Silva. The group also reflects Benfica’s use of List B, which allows academy players to be registered for the tie.
What the squad tells us
The most immediate takeaway is that Benfica are treating the qualifier as a serious early test, even with the third round still sitting ahead in the wider campaign. The squad is deep enough to give Marco Silva options across the pitch, and it includes several names that should help Benfica manage the first leg without overcommitting before the return in Lisbon.
At the same time, not everyone can feature in Switzerland. The unavailable names include Leandro Barreiro, Bruma, Franjo Ivanovic, Vangelis Pavlidis and Rafa Silva. That matters because it trims some of the attacking flexibility Benfica might otherwise have had for a game that could set the tone for the tie.
The schedule leaves little room for hesitation. Benfica will aim to handle the opening match on Thursday and then bring the deciding second leg back to Estádio da Luz on 30 July. With a place in the next phase of the Europa League qualifiers on the line, the squad list is more than a formality — it is the first sign of how Benfica plan to approach the St. Gallen v Benfica Europa League qualifier.
For supporters, the main question now is less about who made the trip and more about how this group will be used. With new arrivals, established starters and academy options all in the mix, Marco Silva has a selection that suggests both depth and competition as Benfica begin their European campaign.
