S. L. Benfica’s bus was attacked by unknown assailants on Thursday, 4 June, shattering glass and leaving two players injured.

The bus was stoned on the motorway between the club’s home of Estadio da Luz, and their training grounds.

Serbian winger, Andrija Zivkovic, and German midfielder, Julian Weigl, were hit with shrapnel during the ordeal, and subsequently taken to Hospital da Luz nearby to be proactively treated.

The Portuguese team had just played their first game – a goalless draw on home soil to Tondela – since the coronavirus shut down all European football in mid-March.

The attack was rightly condemned, with Sport Lisboa and Benfica saying in a statement that they “lament” the stoning of the bus, and would collaborate with local authorities to find those responsible for the criminal act.

The reigning Primeira Liga champions received warm support after the incident from their fans, who gathered outside the gates of the club’s stadium – due to pandemic restrictions in place, they are not allowed to enter the grounds.