Darwin Nunez insisted his focus will remain on Benfica for the rest of this season after displaying his obvious potential in a Champions League quarter-final tie against Liverpool.
Along with Paris Saint-Germain, striker Darwin has been linked to a host of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Two matches against Liverpool were therefore seen as something of an audition – one Darwin passed with flying colours.
The 22-year-old scored in both legs as Benfica were beaten 6-4 on aggregate, putting the ball in the net three times in Wednesday's second leg at Anfield, only for the offside flag to twice intervene.
The two goals that did stand took Darwin to 32 in 37 matches in all competitions this season, a significant leap after 14 in 44 last term, when Benfica failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Following the first leg, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp described the Uruguay international as "a really good boy", who "has a big career ahead of him".
Having netted again against Klopp's men, Darwin told CNN Portugal: "Benfica are a great team that can give much more. It's difficult to play here [at Anfield], not just anyone comes here to do what we did.
"We congratulate Liverpool and we'll go with our heads held high, that we've given everything.
"What the Liverpool coach said is a compliment, but my mind is on Benfica until the end of the season. I'm leaving everything for Benfica and for these fans, who are incredible.
"My job is to take advantage of this luck that is happening to me. Last year I didn't play at all, but this season has been incredible. The credit goes to my team-mates, too."
Darwin's 24 goals in Portugal's Primeira Liga have been scored once every 68 minutes on average, with ex-Benfica man Jonas the last player to net more in a campaign (34 in 2017-18).
But it is in the Champions League where Darwin has really caught the eye, hitting six goals against elite opposition in Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. No Benfica player has ever scored more in a single campaign.
Having had chances worth just 3.14 expected goals, his over-performance of 2.86 ranks fifth in the competition – behind Karim Benzema (5.54), Christopher Nkunku (3.17), Roberto Firmino (3.11) and Cristiano Ronaldo (3.07).
Among players with five or more goals, Darwin's shot conversion rate of 35.29 per cent also puts him fifth. Sebastien Haller (45.83), Firmino (45.45), Robert Lewandowski (41.94) and Nkunku (41.18) are all ahead of the Benfica sensation.
Lyon are through to their 11th Women's Champions League final after sealing a 5-3 aggregate victory over compatriots Paris Saint-Germain.
The record eight-time winners scored three times in the final 10 minutes of last week's first leg to take a narrow 3-2 lead into the return fixture at Parc des Princes.
However, they were quicker out of the blocks in the second leg, with just three minutes on the clock when Selma Bacha drilled home from range for her first Champions League strike in five-and-a-half years.
Tabitha Chawinga responded before the break to reduce PSG's aggregate deficit to a single goal, but Melchie Dumornay put the tie beyond doubt nine minutes from time, as Sonia Bompastor's side set up a final showdown with Barcelona on May 25.
Data debrief
Lyon continued their dominance over PSG in Champions League semi-final encounters, having now progressed from each of their last four such ties.
The eight-time champions lost their first two semi-finals they contested in this competition, but have now won each of the last 10, and will seek a record-extending ninth title in Bilbao next month.
Alcaraz's pursuit for third straight Madrid Open crown continues by defeating Seyboth Wild
Carlos Alcaraz boosted his hopes of a third straight Madrid Open title as he comfortably beat Thiago Seyboth Wild to reach the fourth round on Sunday.
Back in his home country of Spain, Alcaraz eased to a 6-3 6-3 triumph to set up a fourth-round clash with Jan-Lennard Struff, whom he beat in last year's final.
The first six games of the opening set went to serve, but Alcaraz found a crucial break in the seventh and ninth games of the set to put him in pole position for victory, a lead he would not relinquish as he overcame being broken in the seventh game of the second set to seal his safe progression.
Holger Rune was a surprise casualty as the world number 12 was defeated 6-4 4-6 6-3 by Tallon Griekspoor, though world number eight Andrey Rublev eased through with a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Data debrief
With his triumph over Seyboth Wild at the Madrid Open, Alcaraz has now won 93.3 per cent of his games at the tournament. That is the highest win percentage of any player with at least 10 games played in a single ATP-1000 event since the format was introduced in 1990.
Against Seyboth Wild, Alcaraz won 27 of his 31 first-serve points, also recording 19 winners to his opponent's 10 as he dominated the contest on his way to victory.
Inter's 'leader' Inzaghi upping the standards, says assistant Farris
Simone Inzaghi has set and maintained high standards at Inter, so says his Nerazzurri assistant Massimiliano Farris.
Inter clinched their 20th Serie A title by beating fierce rivals Milan in Monday's derby.
That meant that Sunday's home meeting with Torino was something of a celebration for Inter and their fans, and the team delivered with a 2-0 victory.
Hakan Calhanoglu scored both of Inter's goals, and Farris, who spoke to the media instead of his boss, piled the praise on Inzaghi.
In quotes reported by Football Italia, Farris told DAZN: "We've tried to build a positive environment. We lost important players [last summer], but we welcomed important players who made themselves loved.
"Going to the pitch and working this season was a pleasure. We had a lot of fun and it's the players' merit.
"We are Inter, we have great value, and we couldn't afford to lose games like we used to. He's our leader, he kept a high bar in difficult moments.
"Today, we are repaid for everything, and we can enjoy more of what happened in the previous two years. In football, defeats [hurt] more than victories, but now we must enjoy this moment."
With victory over Milan, Inzaghi became the second-fastest coach to reach 600 points in Serie A, after Carlo Ancelotti.
Farris added: "Simone already said it in the previous interviews. We’ve been fighting for every target across the last three years. We have won cups, we reached a Champions League final.
"We are aware that in the first season, we missed something that we could have taken home [the title].
"Perhaps it was the price to pay, as staff members, when you get to a club like this, but I think this season's achievements give value to all other trophies.
"Today's atmosphere was incredible, so good. Ninety minutes and more of celebrations and it was fair to start those who have brought the team here. This doesn't mean the others didn't contribute. On the contrary, everyone was helpful, I should name them all. I wouldn't even call them reserves."
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