Florentino Luis makes big admission about Benfica to Burnley switch - 'Like a conclusion'
Florentino Luis swapped Benfica for Burnley this summer to try and help the Clarets avoid relegation back to the Championship.
Florentino Luis has admitted it was a ‘difficult’ decision to leave Benfica for Burnley this summer.
Luis joined the Lisbon giants in 2010 when he was just 11 years old and finally emerged for their senior team during the 2018/19 campaign - going on to make 183 appearances for them in total, lifting two Primeira Liga titles along the way. But the midfielder left Benfica this summer to join newly-promoted Burnley on a loan with an obligation to buy.
Florentino Luis opens up on decision to swap Benfica for Burnley
Luis has shown plenty of promise across his four Premier League appearances so far, sitting first among Burnley players for tackles (5.5) and accurate long passes (4.5) per 90 minutes. And the 26-year-old - who was capped 84 times for Portugal across various youth levels - has admitted that moving to the Premier League was a natural ‘conclusion’ for him, no matter how hard he found it to leave Benfica.
“Yes, because it was my home for 13, 14 years, and it's a bit difficult to go away to another country,” Luis responded when asked if it was hard to depart the Estadio da Luz. He added: “But I felt that it was the time to go on, because I wanted to play in the best league in the world, and everything that I'm living until this moment is like a conclusion that it was the right decision to come here.”
Luis’ midfield partnership with Josh Cullen has been particularly eye-catching, with the pair striking a fine balance between possession quality and defensive robustness.
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“He's a very good player and he's a player that knows how to lead the team to the best shape,” Luis said of Cullen. “It's been a pleasure to play with him, and I hope I can learn with him a lot of things so we get good results.”
Florentino Luis on Jose Mourinho’s Benfica appointment
Of course, Luis will still be keeping a close eye on Benfica, who sit third in the table, four points behind Porto and just one adrift of city rivals and defending champions Sporting CP after eight games. Benfica are seeking to improve on a run of just one league title in the last six seasons, and will now do so under the management of Jose Mourinho, who was appointed to the dugout in mid-November after leaving Fenerbahce - but, of course, who has strong ties to rivals Porto.
“He's a very good coach and I wish every time the best for Benfica,” Luis said of Mourinho’s appointment. “What I want is for Benfica to continue to win titles, win games and when you see that a good coach goes there, everything is good.”
Luis will now be resting up during the international break before Burnley return for vital fixtures against Leeds United and Wolves when the Premier League returns. Despite some encouraging performances, the Clarets sit 18th in the table with just one win and four points on the board after seven games.