The Benfica Council will resign from the mandate when it understands that there are conditions for early elections.

The priority, at this time, is to ensure stability in the preparation of the professional football team for the new season, strengthen the team and other sports, close the bond loan, and reassure important sponsors such as Emirates and Adidas. These, in fact, are the topics that will be discussed in the Ordinary Plenary of the Governing Bodies, which will take place this afternoon in Estádio da Luz.

Benfica’s board is satisfied with the legitimacy of Rui Costa in the exercise of his new duties. Vieira, at the meeting of the Board of Directors held on November 9, 2020, appointed Rui Costa as a successor in the event of absence or inability to perform his duties as Chairman. The interpretation of the Board is that subparagraph a) of point 3 of Article 61 of the Benfica Statute is to be respected, according to which the President must “appoint the Vice-President to replace him in his absence and impediments”.

Rui Costa, as such, feels that he has legitimacy and has the support of the entire board. For various reasons – Benfica’s defense strategy, resentment or conviction – there will be a departure from Vieira and there will be no return to the past. However, no one would ever think to carry out the mandate to the end.

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