Pedro Sousa, sports commentator, publicly expressed his displeasure with Sudakov's performances, the Ukrainian player at Benfica who cost the club 27 million euros. The commentator considered that Sudakov is "like a fish out of water" at Benfica, criticizing his lack of goal contributions and assists, something that also hasn't convinced the red-and-white fans. However, Sousa asked for time for the Ukrainian player.
The commentator made comparisons with other young players at Benfica, like Gianluca Prestianni and Schjelderup, who cost between 8 to 10 million euros and who also needed time to establish themselves. Pedro Sousa questioned how long Benfica should wait for Sudakov, emphasizing that the investment in the player was significantly higher than that in other young promises at the club.
Pedro Sousa acknowledged that there are still things to refine in Sudakov's performance. Marco Silva, Benfica's coach, publicly stated that the team is still not complete, but praised the team's offensive capability. This declaration comes at a time when Benfica is going through a good start to the season, with emphasis on Prestianni's good performances in contrast to Sudakov's less successful displays.
Sudakov's situation becomes even more relevant because Rafa Silva can perform similar roles to the Ukrainian player. The Portuguese is in excellent form and Marco Silva has not shown any intention of changing his position in the starting eleven, which could further limit Sudakov's opportunities to establish himself in Benfica's main lineup.
