Luisão content to make Benfica his last club
Friday, September 9, 2011
Article summary
SL Benfica captain Luisão spoke of "a very special moment in my career" as the Brazilian, 30, signed a new three-year deal which will commit him to the Lisbon club until June 2016.
Article top media content
Article body
SL Benfica captain Luisão has signed a new three-year deal with the UEFA Champions League hopefuls that will keep the Brazilian central defender in Lisbon until June 2016.
"Today is a very special moment in my career," said the 30-year-old. "I'm going to end my career at Benfica. These last weeks have been very emotional for me; I have reached 300 appearances for Benfica, I became the foreign player to have featured in more European matches for a Portuguese club than any other, and I've had the pleasure of having lunch with former Brazilian President Lula da Silva [who visited the Estádio da Luz on Wednesday]. I have to thank the club president [Luís Filipe Vieira], all the people who work at Benfica and all the supporters."
Luisão arrived Benfica in the summer of 2003 from Cruzeiro EC and made his 300th appearance for the Eagles in all competitions in 20 August's 3-1 league win against Feirense. Four days later he eclipsed countryman Aloísio's record of 75 European games for FC Porto, as Benfica won 3-1 at home against FC Twente in their UEFA Champions League play-off decider. Benfica take on Manchester United FC in their Group C opener on Wednesday.
