Teixeira Again Not in Starting XI as Manafa Returns to Familiar Right-Back Role and Delivers Precise Passes

In the 26th round of the Chinese Super League, there were only three foreign players in Shenhua's starting lineup. Mineiro being unavailable due to a red-card suspension was easy to understand, but Teixeira not starting caused speculation. In this match, Manafa returned to his familiar position and immediately produced a precise long-range pass.

Teixeira not starting came as a surprise to some fans because Shenhua's next match is the AFC Champions League Two match 11 days later. His inclusion on the substitute list proves that he is capable of playing; if he were injured, he would not even be included in the match squad. Previously, he also did not start in the 25th-round match against Shandong Taishan. As for why he was not selected in the starting lineup, later reports will reveal the reason. Personally, I feel that during Milosevic's era, the new coach seems to prefer No. 30 Xie Pengfei more, while during Slutsky's era, Teixeira was heavily relied upon. Shenhua's No. 10 Teixeira's contract with the club expires at the end of the year, and it is unknown whether he can renew. However, Teixeira's ball control ability and his pressing ability in the attacking midfield area remain very strong, although his goals and assists output are relatively average. As some netizens have said, by Shenhua fans' standards, their No. 10 should be at the level of Zhejiang's Mitryushkin and Dalian Yingbo's Stanciu.

Speaking of foreign players whose contracts expire this year, Manafa must be mentioned. In this match, Manafa returned to his familiar right-back position. Like Mineiro and Teixeira, his contract also expires this year. The writer personally believes Manafa has a higher chance of renewing his contract. In the 26th-round away match against Tonglianglong, he produced a beautiful lofted pass in the 8th minute to find Gao Tianyi, who assisted Asue for an easy finish to score the first goal. In the 11th minute, he again delivered a beautiful and precise pass to a teammate. Manafa remains very strong when breaking forward from the right side, and he gave Gao Tianyi two additional opportunities to provide assists.

After these recent matches, Milosevic has also studied Manafa's characteristics. Following the unsuccessful tactical change in the previous match, he returned Manafa to his familiar position in this round, allowing him to showcase his defensive strengths while, more importantly, highlighting his attacking qualities and reducing the pressure on Wu Xi and Gao Tianyi. Hopefully, he can also perform well in the AFC Champions League Two matches.