Benfica present Ruben Amorim

“I can handle pressure” says ex Belenenses midfielder

Benfica have finally made the signing of Ruben Amorim official as the club presented the player to the media yesterday. The former Belenenses midfielder was contracted back in April, but only now has he been presented him as a Benfica player.

Amorim returns to the club where it all began. The U21 starlet was nurtured at the Eagles’ youth academies, but left before he had a chance to take his bow at senior level. The player is thrilled to return and says he is prepared for whatever comes his way.

“There is always something to prove. In football we can do good things, but the following day everything is forgotten. There is always that nagging feeling that he was a good player at Belenenses, but will he be at Benfica?

“The Benfica board of directors wanted me to return to this house. I am a Benfica fan and I know that it will be difficult to win here, but I am prepared for the pressure,” stated Amorim.

During the player’s presentation, Benfica’s director of football Rui Costa spoke of his delight at tying the player down to a five-year deal. “It’s a great honour for us to have Ruben Amorim return to this house and he will be our player for the next five seasons. I expect him to be happy as he is a young player with great potential.”

Midfield bolstered

Amorim is Benfica’s third midfield signing having also captured Carlos Martins and Hassan Yebda, to add to Petit, Katsouranis and Binya already on the books. “We are reinforcing our midfield because it’s a position where Benfica needed to make changes,” explained the Benfica director.

Costa also briefly touched upon the club’s interest in Real Zaragoza’s Pablo Aimar. “Today I will not confirm that we have signed him. I am also not denying that he is a player who interests us and who we knew would be difficult to acquire. We are doing everything possible to sign Aimar, but we will not guarantee that it will happen.”