Champions League
Goncalo Ramos continues to play in the Champions League after appearing at the World Cup. Which team will get him?
It was a discovery and a shock to MS. Portugal fielded a more or less unknown Goncalo Ramos instead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the eighth-final against Switzerland and he scored a hat-trick. But the Benfica Lisbon goalscorer is also showing his worth in the Champions League.
It was a discovery and a shock to MS. Portugal fielded a more or less unknown Goncalo Ramos instead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the eighth-final against Switzerland and he scored a hat-trick. But the Benfica Lisbon goalscorer is also showing his worth in the Champions League.
When Benfica sold Darwin Núñez, who scored 26 goals in 28 league games last season and added six goals in ten Champions League games, to Liverpool in the summer, many fans were probably worried about how Benfica would fare without their main star.
Especially when even Darwin’s brilliant 26 goals weren’t enough to win the title. But as is Benfica’s wont, they pulled out another treasure. Only 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos, who already scored 8 goals for Benfica’s A-team last season, got more space in the starting line-up.
And the bet on his own offspring worked out well. Ramos has netted 15 goals in 19 league games and is contributing to Benfica’s eight-point lead at the top of the table so far.
He is also firing in the Champions League. In 12 games he has scored 7 goals and added 3 assists. On Tuesday, he helped Brugge to a 5-1 win with two goals and an assist.
First, he showed his speed and dribbled down the wing, hooked his opponent behind his heel and found Rafa Silva beautifully to open the scoring. Just before half time he received a pass from Joao María, hacked a defender, passed between two others and scored. He finished his performance after the change of sides, finishing off a Grimaldo centre.
When you add to that the hat-trick in the World Cup eighth-final that Ramos made a name for himself with, Benfica will probably have to deal with selling their key striker again in the summer.
There was already speculation in the winter about some interest from Real Madrid, where the 21-year-old forward could become Karim Benzema’s successor. Other top teams are also tracking Ramos and there is sure to be a big tug of war for him in the next transfer window.
Source: Benfica, Twitter