“Great for the team” – Fulham boss reveals reason for benching Calvin Bassey since AFCON return

Fulham head coach Marco Silva has stated that he has been benching Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey due to the impressive performances of Jorge Cuenca, Soccernet.ng reports.

​Bassey has been a major defensive stalwart for Fulham over the last two seasons; he was even named the club's best player last season.

​In the first half of the current campaign, he continued his impressive run of form, forming a solid partnership with Joachim Andersen at center-back.

​However, he had to leave the club to join Nigeria's campaign at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. While it was feared his absence would be deeply felt, that was not the case, as the Cottagers actually hit a rich vein of form in his absence.

​Cuenca, who filled in for him, performed admirably and remained composed, developing a strong understanding with Andersen.

​Still, it was widely expected that Bassey would reclaim his starting spot the moment he returned from AFCON, especially since he was one of the standout players at the competition in Morocco.

​Surprisingly, however, since the Super Eagles star returned to the club in the final week of January, he has not started a single game for the Cottagers.

In the first match for which he was available — against Brighton — he remained on the bench for the duration of the game.

​Then, against Manchester United last weekend, Bassey saw just five minutes of action.

​Marco Silva Reveals Why Calvin Bassey Has Not Started A Game Since Returning From AFCON

​Coach Marco Silva's decision to bench Calvin Bassey for two consecutive games has raised a few eyebrows, and he was questioned about the move during a recent pre-match press conference.

​While acknowledging Bassey’s quality, Silva noted that he has continued to start Cuenca due to the Spaniard's recent performances.

He also asserted that maintaining this lineup is important to foster healthy competition among his players.

“It's a great thing for the team. I am the first one praising Calvin's impact at the club, a great, great CB. Huge potential to keep growing,” Silva said, per Jack Kelly.

“Cuenca has stepped in & shown his qualities. It's a competition, Cuenca knows the pro he's up against.”

Fulham's next game is against Everton at Craven Cottage on Sunday, and it is unknown if coach Silva will stick with Cuenca.

But the Bassey's quality, he will likely return to being a bang-on starter for Fulham very soon.