Rafa Silva's departure from Benfica is already a given. Coach Roger Schmidt confirmed what the press had been reporting for months, before the match with Arouca. During the match, the athlete was honored by fans in the 27th minute of the match. 

Afterwards, he scored two goals in his farewell at Luz, both of them with great effect. He also equaled Pizzi and Simão Sabrosa in the number of goals scored for Benfica (94). At the end of the match, he also had a moment when he seemed to confront the No Name supporters. 

In January, José Manuel Capristano, former Benfica director, stated that the player would leave at the end of the season, in an interview with Desporto ao Minuto. Now, after the confirmation, Capristano once again emphasizes the 30-year-old player's attitude on his departure. 

"Yesterday [Sunday] he proved his Benfica spirit, but the truth is that, although he earns a lot of money at Benfica, in this world we live in, it is the 'vile metal' that rules everything. He earns what he earns, but he could earn four or five times more. He has already shown what a great player he was, he respected his contract because he could have left a year or two ago. Benfica must pay tribute to him, he leaves wonderful memories at Benfica. I remember him as an exceptional player. Benfica will miss him a lot. In the three or four years he plays in Arabia, he will earn more than in the eight years at Benfica. I have nothing against him, on the contrary, I think he was a player who dignified Benfica. He could have given up, but the truth is that Rafa has had exemplary behavior," he began by saying, in an interview with Desporto ao Minuto.   

Tribute to Rafa Silva came from fans and colleagues

As for the farewell match, it did not have a 'formal' tribute from Benfica, but from the fans, who applauded him in the 27th minute, and from his colleagues, who hugged him as he left the field, in the 85th minute. José Manuel Capristano says that this is the most important thing.

"For now, the season is not over. The tribute was made by the Benfica people. They are the ones who paid tribute to Rafa. It was very beautiful, very nice, the players all went to greet him. Next week there is still Rio Ave-Benfica. But the truth is that the Rafa-Benfica binomial is over. He will never forget what he experienced at the club. Whoever passes through Benfica never forgets," guarantees the club's former director.

The former right-hand man of Vale e Azevedo in the Benfica board does not know where Rafa Silva is going, but he has a bet. "It gives me the feeling that it is Saudi Arabia, he must earn more than ten million net. We are talking about serious things. Then, football is a stepmother, because when he can no longer kick the ball forward, everyone forgets him. Football is the moment. He was exemplary as a Benfica player, and he was exemplary on his way out", emphasizes Capristano. 

Without Rafa Silva, Benfica loses a fundamental player of recent years. This season alone, he scored 22 goals and gave 15 others to teammates, in the most productive season offensively at the service of Benfica. The characteristics of the Vilafranquense will be difficult to replicate.  

"Rafa has very difficult peculiarities to match. For now, the sprint, the top speed. Now, Benfica has Kokçu. He likes to play behind the striker and he himself says it, out loud, that that's where he likes to play. I want to say, very sensibly, that there is no one better than Rui Costa and his entourage to solve the problem. I trust him completely for that," concludes José Manuel Capristano. 

Leia Também: Rafa Silva não assinala adeus à Luz, mas colegas prestam homenagem (Portuguese version)

Leia Também: Roger Schmidt e a despedida de Rafa Silva na Luz: "Quando joga assim..." (Portuguese version)