President Luís Filipe Vieira Stadium Estádio da Luz Taça de Portugal Semi-finals | Manager Jorge Jesus Primeira Liga 2nd Taça da Liga Winners | |
The 2010–11 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 107th season in existence and the club's 77th consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. It involved Benfica competing in the Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal, Taça da Liga and the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Benfica qualified for the Champions League by winning the previous Primeira Liga.
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In Jesus' second season, the loss of Ángel Di María and Ramires was devastating to the team. He moved Carlos Martins to the right wing as an substitute to Ramires. Nicolás Gaitán freshly landed in Europe to replace Di María. These changes had the immediate effect of breaking the high-pressure, high-tempo football of the previous years. By late September, Benfica was already trailing nine points from Porto, a difference it never recovered.
In December 2010, Eduardo Salvio replaced Carlos Martins and Benfica changed to a more common 4-4-2 formation, with two out-and-out wingers to provide width, a pure attacking midfielder combined with a defensive midfielder. That decision left to a good winning streak and Jesus surpassed the record held by Jimmy Hagan's 1972–73 team, with 16 consecutive wins, including a 2–0 win at Stuttgart for the season's Europa League (4–1 on aggregate), Benfica's first ever victory in Germany. As fatigue started to influence the most used players, in the only competitions the club were actively competing, Benfica was unable to maintain a 2–0 lead against Porto, and lost the chance to go the Portuguese Cup final. A 1–0 loss in Braga prevented Benfica from reaching the Europa League final. Benfica only trophy was their third League Cup, against Paços de Ferreira.
In January, the Portuguese winter transfer record was broken when David Luiz went to Chelsea for £21 million.
Competitions
Win Draw Loss Postponed
League table
Source: LPFP
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head goals scored; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
Head-to-Head: used when head-to-head record is used to rank tied teams.
Results by round
Last updated: 12 May 2011.
Source: ForaDeJogo.net
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.
Knockout phase
Round of 32
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Player statistics
As of 29 November 2012.Winter
Spend : €37,950,000