Prestianni is set to make his first official appearance of the season today, with Marco Silva preparing to start him against Hearts at 20:00. Benfica are also expected to hand Tomás Araújo the place that belonged to António Silva in their first two official matches of the campaign.
The move gives Benfica a different look for the first leg of the third qualifying round for access to the Europa League, and it comes after the team played St. Gallen last Thursday. That earlier match showed one version of the side, but this one is already shifting before kickoff.
Prestianni’s availability matters because it turns a training-ground option into a matchday choice in a game that carries direct European stakes. For him, this is more than a return to the frame; it is the first official game of his season, and it arrives in a tie where the opening 90 minutes can shape everything that follows.
The lineup is not fully settled yet, even with Prestianni and Tomás Araújo pointed toward the XI. More changes remain possible, which leaves some room for Silva to keep adjusting before the team is finalised. That uncertainty is part of the story too: Benfica have a clear plan for two spots, but the full shape of the side against Hearts is still not completely fixed.
What is already clear is that Benfica are not repeating the same team that faced St. Gallen. Prestianni’s first official start of the season and Araújo’s return to the position once occupied by António Silva point to a side being reworked for the demands of the night. By the time the whistle goes at 20:00, the answer that matters most will be how many of those changes Silva chooses to keep.
