Sheffield Wednesday: Owls line-up Benfica friendly

Sheffield Wednesday look set to face Portuguese heavyweights Benfica in a glamour home friendly this summer.
Carlos CarvalhalCarlos Carvalhal
Carlos Carvalhal

The fixture is likely to be staged at Hillsborough on July 20, just three days after Owls in the Park, although the warm-up match has yet to be formally rubber-stamped.

Talks remain on-going between the two clubs. The Star understands there are still a few finer details to iron out, but Benfica are expected to spend a week using t at the National Football Centre in Burton next month.

It was just under a month ago that Benfica claimed their third consecutive Portuguese league title. Victory over Nacional secured their 35th league championship and helped them set a new league record with 88 points from 34 matches. They pipped Sporting Lisbon, one of Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal’s former clubs, to the crown by two points.

It will be the second year in a row Wednesday have faced Portuguese opposition as part of their pre-season preparations. Carvalhal’s hometown club Braga saw off the Owls 2-1 following strikes by Rodrigo Pinho and Alan.

Meanwhile, the Owls have made new contract offers to Lewis Price, Jose Semedo and Caolan Lavery. The trio are all approaching the end of their current deals.

Loan players Joe Bennett, Daniel Pudil, Michael Turner, Vincent Sasso, Alex Lopez and Aiden McGeady have returned to their parent clubs, but youngsters Ryan Croasdale, Brad Beatson, Ryan Meadows, Will De Havilland, Courtney Wildin and Luke Booker have all been released.