João Mário leaves Benfica for Besiktas with “mixed feelings” after recent fan backlash

Portugal midfielder João Mário officially departed Benfica on Wednesday, signing for Turkish giants Besiktas on a loan deal with a mandatory purchase clause of €5m.

In a heartfelt and elaborate interview on his way out, the Euro 2016 winner admitted that whilst he enjoyed the best period of his career with the club, the circumstances surrounding his exit leave him a little disappointed.

João Mário leaves Estádio da Luz after three years, during which the midfielder had the best season of his career during the 2022-23 campaign.