Mantorras has been away for a year

Mantorras, voted Africa's young footballer of the year in 2001, completed a 40-minute light workout this week.

It was the first time in over a year that he had joined his playing colleagues.

Although Mantorras only ran around the pitch and engaged in stretching exercises, his return received a lot of attention from the Portuguese media.

The Angolan said he was relieved that he was back on the road to regaining match-fitness.

It was great to train with my team mates Pedro Mantorras

"I feel very good and it was great to train with my team mates again, just to feel their affection," he told reporters.

Mantorras had a succession of personal trainers working with him in Lisbon and the Angolan capital Luanda, in order to strengthen the troublesome right knee.

He had a cartilage operation to correct the problem but subsequently suffered a series of setbacks.

Benfica team doctor Joao Paulo Almeida refused to predict a date for Mantorras' comeback but said the player would have to go back to Spain for further consultations with medical experts.