Full name Sport Lisboa e Benfica Manager José Jardim 2015–16 2nd Location Lisbon, Portugal Date founded 31 May 1939 | Chairman Rui Mourinha League League A1 Website Club home page Ground Pavilhão da Luz Nº 2 | |
Sport Lisboa e Benfica is a professional volleyball team based in Lisbon, Portugal, that play in the Portuguese first division.
Contents
- Beginning
- Road to the first title
- Second title and disbandment
- Third title
- Between championships
- Dominance
- Current squad
- Out on loan
- Honours
- Domestic
- European
- Women
- References
Benfica have won 6 Portuguese league titles, 16 Portuguese Cup and 7 Portuguese Super Cup. As of October 2006, Benfica is ranked 30th in the Men's European clubs ranking.
Beginning
Founded on 31 May 1939, it is one of the oldest Portuguese volleyball clubs. Never achieving the success and notability of other sections like basketball and roller hockey, Benfica won its first title 27 years after its foundation.
Road to the first title
Starting in 1965–66 until 1979–80, Benfica was present at 10 Portuguese Volleyball Cup finals, winning 7 and losing 3. In 1980/81, Benfica finally achieved its first championship, led by coach Fernando Luís, with players like Luís Quelhas, Manuel Silva, Jorge Infante, José Barros, João Abelho, Pedro Barros, Ilídio Ramos and already with a young José Jardim appearing in some matches.
Second title and disbandment
In a vibrating game against Sporting CP, trailing 2–0 at Nave de Alvalade, Benfica led now by captain José Jardim, plus others like Nuno Brites, Luís Quelhas, Nilson Júnior, Eduardo Gallina, Miguel Silva, Márcio Karas, Davidkov and Radoslav Peytchev managed to recover the disadvantage and win 3–2, claiming its second title. In 1993–94, then president Manuel Damásio decided to disband the volleyball team. The next president João Vale e Azevedo restarted it in 1996–97, but in Third Division. Former player José Jardim lead them back to Portuguese Volleyball League A1 in 2000 with the help of players like André Cabacinha, Nuno Brites, António Silva and captain José Fernandez.
Third title
In 2004–05, a team coached by José Jardim, with players like the Brazilians Adriano Lamb, Renato Júnior, André França, Roberto Purificação, André Lukianetz, plus Portuguese André Lopes, Carlos Teixeira, António Silva, Rui Guedes, António Seco, José Simões, Bruno Feteira and Pedro Fiúza win the third title for the section, plus the Portuguese Cup
Between championships
The next season, important players like Adriano Lamb, Renato Junior and André França left, and Benfica only managed to win the Portuguese Cup. and reach the quarter-finals of the Top Teams Cup.
In 2006–07, Benfica won their third Portuguese Cup in a row.
In 2010–11 season, Benfica acquired Hugo Gaspar and Flávio Cruz, which were later joined by Roberto Reis in 2011–2012, all players of the Portugal men's national volleyball team. In spite of this investments, the team failed to win the league, coming runners-up to Fonte Bastardo in the first season, and then Sporting Espinho in the latter. Still, Benfica managed to win the Portuguese Cup and Super Cup in 2010–11, and another Portuguese Cup in 2011–2012.
Dominance
In 2012–13, Flávio Cruz left for Espinho and was replaced by Brazilian Willian Reffati. A new setter to replace Ronaldo "Royal" and Robert Koch was also acquired, Brazilian Rafael "Vinhedo". Benfica started the season by winning their third Super Cup by defeating Espinho (3–0).
On 4 May 2013, Benfica defeated title holders Espinho (3–2) and conquered their fourth championship after a 7-year wait and three consecutive second places. After a SC Espinho protest with the Portuguese Volleyball Federation on a basis of a technical error, the match at May 4 was annulled and the game ordered to be repeated. Benfica won the replay match by 3–1 On 4 May 2014, Benfica successfully defended their title, defeating Fonte Bastardo by 3–1, winning their first back-to-back championship.
On 9 May 2015, Benfica won a third consecutive league title, for the first time in their history, winning at Fonte Bastardo (0–3) in the fifth and final match (2–3). They also won the Portuguese Cup and Super Cup thus winning all the domestic competitions. On 3 October 2015, they won a fifth consecutive Super Cup and became the club with most trophies in that competition (6).
Current squad
As of 12 January 2017Out on loan
Honours
According to Benfica's official website
Domestic
1980–81, 1990–91, 2004–05, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
1965–66, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1989–90, 1991–92, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16
1990, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
European
Women
1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75
1972–73, 1973–74