The Benfica Football Club has announced that their star player, Nicolás Otamendi, is set to miss the rest of the season due to injury. The Argentine defender suffered an ankle injury during training earlier this week and will undergo surgery in the coming days.

Otamendi was one of the key players for Benfica last season, helping them to win the Portuguese Primeira Liga title and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. He also scored four goals and provided three assists in his 28 appearances for the club.

The news of Otamendi's injury comes as a major blow for Benfica, who were already struggling with injuries before the announcement. They now face a difficult task of finding a replacement for Otamendi, who has been a regular starter in the team since joining from Real Madrid in 2017.

While there is no clear timeline for Otamendi's recovery, it is likely that he will be out for several months at least. This means that Benfica will have to look elsewhere for a replacement in the short term,Primeira Liga Hotspots although they may be able to find someone within their own squad or through the transfer market.

In terms of the season ahead, Benfica will need to navigate without Otamendi, but they still have other talented players such as Joao Cancelo, Bruno Fernandes and Renato Sanches who can step up and fill his role.

Overall, the loss of Otamendi is a significant setback for Benfica, but they remain hopeful that they can overcome this challenge and continue their successful campaign.

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