Rui Costa joins Benfica

[Graeme C]

Benfica have signed Manuel Rui Costa after he rescinded his contract with Milan, a Portuguese club official has revealed.

The European giants were expected to net the midfielder who has grown increasingly tired of his bench role at the San Siro.

Rui Costa flew into Lisbon last night and will be officially unveiled to the media at a Press conference this evening.

It’s understood that the former Fiorentina great, who quit international football after Euro 2004, has signed a one-year deal with an option for a second.

The 34-year-old spent three years with Benfica in the early part of his career before moving to Florence in 1994.

"I feel happy with the possibility of returning, an ambition I have had for 12 years,” Rui Costa has said

[Kaka1899]

He has always wanted to have ended his Career in Portugal it said on eurosport news so it is no surprise to me!

[Arildonardo]

I am happy for him. A great, loyal player.

Forza Rui Costa! :5schal:

[hottie]

Wee should have left him go afther the cl title ,he kinda lost 2 years at milan and i feel srry about him.

[Kaka1899]

yes well sed Arildonardo FORZA RUI COSTA!!!!!! :5schal: :5schal:

[Giovanni]

Great professional, all the best to him.

Other players should learn from him a bit of class..they get substituted once in 20 matches and cry like babies

[Warro Bantan]

This is even more sad for me, than to see Sheva leave. Rui Costa is, and will always be for me, the consummate professional.

He is, as Gio has rightly said, an example to all those primadonna crybabies...

Good luck Rui, thanks for the UCL title, thanks for the scudetto. I will be getting this season´s home jersey with his name on it, as a token of my love for this great player, this great man.

Thanks for the memories, including that wonder pass to Sheva vs Real Madrid in the San Siro.

FORZA RUI!!!!

[Kaka1899]

:5schal: :5schal: :5schal: BUONA FORTUNA RUI COSTA!!!!!!! :5schal: :5schal: :5schal:

[Giovanni]

And that fantastic pass to Sheva in the Supercup final against Porto

one of the best memories of rui was when he still played at Fiorentina..

I was at San Siro, Milan- Fiorentina April 1997, and Rui scored the first goal for them. We won 3-1 and Baggio scored on penalty...Baresi almost scored after one of his famous coast to coast and we won the Scudetto.

[GRE-NO-LI]

Auguri, Rui!

[Oldman]

RUI COSTA....

A man and professional player to be remembered as one of the great Milan Hero...
His contribution, passionate and loyalty to Milan should actually taught Sheva how to be a player to be remembered as a hero and not enemy....

We do wish Rui a successful career with Benfica till he decide to retire..

GOOD BYE AND WISH YOU A FORTUNE LUCK WITH BENFICA......

FORZA RUI COSTA !!!!!!!!!!

[devoted_dm]

Goodbye Rui! Thank you for always doing your best for the team, and always staying humble and professional! I wish you all the best at Benfica!

I hope a small part of you will always be :rone:

And I should not forget: Thank you for being our best and most important player when we won the Champions League in 02-03!

:3band:

[ASHWIN]

Thx Rui Costa, Hello Gourcuff

[Graeme C]

its offical now-- acmilan.it


L'A.C. Milan comunica di avere risolto consensualmente il contratto stipulato con il calciatore Manuel Rui Costa.

L'A.C. Milan ringrazia Rui Costa per lo splendido comportamento tenuto fuori e dentro il campo e per il prezioso contributo tecnico che nel corso dei cinque anni in cui ha indossato la maglia rossonera ha portato alla conquista di uno scudetto, una Coppa Italia, una Supercoppa di Lega, una Champions League e una Supercoppa Europea

[Milan4ever]

Goodbye Rui, thanks for all your wonderfull moments! We'll miss you!

Hope your star is gonna shine there up in Lisbon :5schal:

[Franco6]

Wish to say thanks and good bye to a great player and especially to a great man. Rui Costa spent the last 2 season on the bench when he deseved to play more and inspite of that he kept his feelings for himself and never showed his anger or frustration in front of everyone. Many others should learn from him! He just wants to play for his 1 or 2 seasons in his homeland so its quite understandable for a 34 year old.
Rui was very unlucky in 2001 when his first season was of injury, but his second was great, full of assists and ending with the Manchester triumph. In the last 3 seasons, due to Kaka's explosion he spent a lot of time on the bench even though in many time he deserved a chance becasue the others where not doing well.

[kef]

He's a brilliant player, but when Kakà joined us he lost his place and a player like Rui deserves to play a lot more then he played the last year with us, so it's the best choice for him to go to Benfica, where I think he will end his carreer as a hero in Benfica with an exellent last year as football player.

Forza Rui, good luck

[Bosniaco]

Well, this kid from France scored today in the u21 against Germany.

[mk18]

thanks for the great memories rui .. good luck at benfica

[Xudong]

Got it from XT, Benfica forum.

I’ve translated a few lines of Rui’s interview tonight, taken from our official site (which is not complete in our site) :


"Both Fiorentina and Milan were amazing with me. I have to thank Milan in particular for letting me comeback home, to Mr Galliani for understanding that this was my dream”

Rui added that he felt both nervous, emotional and happy “I’m here with an open heart, because I always felt this was my home”

“Even though money is important, there are priorities in life and my return to Benfica was the main one”

«I had to pay this debt to Benfica, since this club gave me a love from the size of the world”

«The wages issue was never an issue. I just couldnt return because the transfer fees were higher than one might think of “

Rui confirmed what Benfica’s President had previously said, by stating that he signed a contract without knowing how much he would be earning “ I’m not better than the others, I simply wanted very bad to comeback and money wasn’t the key issue”


«I would never step in as a saviour, and neither without feeling fit and able. I know this club only thinks about winning and therefore I promise to Benfica fans that i will give it all to help this club win titles”
«And i feel capable of doing it, i didnt come to sunbathe”

Turning to fernando santos «Provided the coach picks me , i will step into the pitch to help this team win it all”
To which the coach nodded and smiled

«It might be “safer” not to risk this comeback, but this is not just a passionate decision. This is a choice from a professional who feels able to be effective and to feel the club he loves”

Then people asked him: “ will u be the n10?”, to which Rui replied smiling ( and giggling) :” the number of the jersey is not a priority. I just want to be given a jersey”


You will be dearly missed. :)

[savage_mau]

All the best rui n we at milanmania will remember u always.

[hottie]

Rui realy is a model player,not 2 many like him left.

[kris]

Yeah, Maunel Rui Costa :star:

I would thank him for his contribution and the class he showed on and off the pitch. and also wish him best of luck in his new endeavor.

[Kaka1899]

We will never forget u rui costa hope you are as a valuble player in lisbon as you were at milan FORZA RUI COSTA!!!!!

[Milan_Mad]

Thanks Costa for what you have done at Milan, good luck in benfica were you will be the star player

[Gipson]

Thanx :star: Rui :star: and good luck :respect: