Crystal Palace continued their scouting work in Portugal on Wednesday night, with club representatives watching Benfica v Sporting Braga in Leiria, a Taça da Liga semi-final decided by a 3-1 Braga win.

Portuguese outlet Record reported Crystal Palace’s presence at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa. It was part of a sustained monitoring effort from the Eagles in Portugal.

Benfica: flashes in a difficult night

Despite the result, Benfica still offered points of interest. Argentine wonderkid Gianluca Prestianni made a strong impact from the bench. His direct running and sharper tempo helped Benfica improve after the break, and he was central to the move that resulted in a penalty.

That chance was converted by Vangelis Pavlidis, who once again showed composure from the spot. Even while well marked and often forced away from goal, he remained decisive when the opportunity arrived.

The rest of the night proved more challenging. Popular names such as Tomás Araújo (23), Georgiy Sudakov (23) and Samuel Dahl (22) all struggled to impose themselves.

Braga: control, balance and standout quality

From Crystal Palace’s perspective, Braga’s collective display provided several clear reference points. In goal, 23-year-old Lukáš Horníček delivered an assured performance, stepping in confidently during Benfica’s...