ADEL TAARABT made his Benfica debut last night… almost FOUR YEARS after signing from QPR.
And he was very lucky not to be sent off for a horror tackle in injury time.
The Moroccan playmaker, 29, put pen to paper at the Portuguese club on June 12 2015 but finally turned out for the first team 1,387 days later.
During that time, he has been banished to the B team as he failed to make a positive impression.
Taarabt – who moved to England when he signed for Spurs in 2007 – also spent 18 months on loan at Serie A side Genoa, returning to Benfica last summer before finally doing enough to convince first-team boss Bruno Lage to involve him in a Primeira Liga matchday squad.
It was the first time he was even in the first-team squad since he was an unused sub against Galatasaray in November 2015, alongside Ederson and Renato Sanches.
Earlier this week, Lage spoke about giving Taarabt a chance.
He said: “He started the season at the B team. I did not know him, I had heard stories about his past, but what I saw was a player who always trained well, with the intensity I like.
DEBUT DELIGHT
“I must hand him opportunities, we will see if we can create that opportunity and if he grabs it once and for all [he can] make a career according to his potential.”
And with his side unable to break the deadlock after 71 minutes against Tondela yesterday, Lage turned to Taarabt to try and produce some of the magic he displayed during his time at Loftus Road.
He replaced Pizzi, managing 16 touches of the ball and was on the field when fellow substitute Haris Seferovic headed in the winner with six minutes left.
It was a crucial goal in the exciting title race in Portugal.
Benfica and Porto both have 66 points from 27 games, winning 21, drawing three and losing three. But it is Taarabt’s side that have a better goal difference with just seven games to go.
As ever with Taarabt, though, there was still time for a moment of controversy.
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In injury time, the former Tottenham, QPR, Fulham and AC Milan man went flying into a tackle in the middle of the pitch, catching Bruno Monteiro late.
The referee immediately showed a yellow card but Tondela players were furious it was not red for what looked a dangerous challenge.
Defender Ricardo Costa was particularly angry and tried to square up to Taarabt, who offered a limp apology to Monteira.
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/former-tottenham-flop-adel-taarabt-makes-benfica-debut-four-years-after-signing-from-qpr-and-could-have-been-sent-off/
News Photo Former Tottenham flop Adel Taarabt makes Benfica debut FOUR YEARS after signing from QPR… and could have been sent off
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