The incredible starting XI of players sold by Benfica

Fullbacks - Nelson Semedo (Barcelona) and Fabio Coentrao (Rio Ave)

Semedo is Barcelona's first choice right-back

The two full-backs in this XI left Benfica to join La Liga’s biggest clubs.

Nelson Semedo joined Benfica in 2012 from Sintrense. He spent his first season with the club on loan and the next two with the Benfica B team before being promoted to the first team for the 2015/16 season. Semedo played 18 games and nailed down a starting role by the end of the season.

The following season, he played 46 games and helped Benfica win the domestic double. He signed for Barcelona before the 2016/17 season to solve their right-back problems and he won the domestic double in his first season with the Catalan club as well.

Coentrao terminated his contract with Real Madrid in the summer

While Semedo has quickly established himself at Barcelona, Fabio Coentrao couldn’t cement his place in the starting XI at Real Madrid in seven years.

Coentrao joined Benfica from Rio Ave in 2007 and he was at the club for four years. He played 98 games for the Lisbon club and also had three loan spells before joining Real Madrid in 2011.

The left-back joined as an understudy to Marcelo but he was never able to displace the Brazilian. He played 33 and 30 games respectively for Real Madrid in his first two seasons but injuries sidelined him thereafter.

He spent the 2015/16 season on loan at Monaco and the 2017/18 season on loan at Sporting. This summer, his contract with Real Madrid was terminated with mutual consent and he returned to his first club, Rio Ave.

Honourable mentions - João Cancelo (Juventus) and Maxi Pereira (Porto)