ASSISTANT coach Matt Gill has reacted to Saints’ 2-0 pre-season friendly loss against Benfica.

Russell Martin’s side got their season preparations underway with a defeat against the Portuguese champions at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

Brazilian international David Neres put Benfica ahead before Serbian full-back Mihailo Ristic doubled their lead just before the break.

Despite the defeat, against a side that reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season, Gill believes it was a valuable experience ahead of the 2023-24 Championship campaign.

“I think it was a really good exercise,” he told the club's media team. "We played two elevens so the boys got 45 minutes each, which was great for a first run out against a very good team.

"They’ve come off the back of a very good season, but there was some brilliant stuff today and obviously some stuff we can be better at.

“But that’s always going to be the case throughout pre-season and our time here.

“We knew there was going to be some difficult moments today, but we handled it really well on the whole."

The 42 year old added: “The squad have been returning at different stages, so some of the boys have more information at this stage than others.

“I think that [game] was the hardest it’s going to be, so the lads need to recognise that they’ve pretty much-shared possession in that game.

READ MORE: Russell Martin’s Southampton beaten by Benfica in pre-season friendly

"To handle it like they did is really pleasing. Hopefully, that gives them a lot of belief moving forward to the rest of pre-season.”

A number of youngsters featured during the behind-closed-doors friendly, with 16 year old Sam Amo-Ameyaw being the only player to start both halves.

Fellow youth players Jayden Meghoma, Kami Doyle and Tyler Dibling were involved having trained with the first team during Martin’s first weeks as Southampton boss.

“Today there were four teenagers who handled it brilliantly,” Gill continued when speaking after the match.

“They’ve trained with us from the off pretty much and hopefully, we can continue the good work that went on from Louis and Dave last season.

“Hopefully they can stay with us a little longer and keep progressing because they’ve handled the situation really well today and I’m sure they will be with us for a few more weeks.”