1997–98 S.L. Benfica season

Benfica
1997–98 season
President Manuel Damásio
(until November 1997)
João Vale e Azevedo
Head coach Manuel José
(until 20 September 1997)
Mário Wilson
(interin until 1 November 1997)
Graeme Souness
Stadium Estádio da Luz
Primeira Divisão 2nd
Taça de Portugal Semi-finals
UEFA Cup First round
Top goalscorer League:
Nuno Gomes (18)
All:
Nuno Gomes (22)
Highest home attendance 70,000 vs Braga
(1 March 1998)
Lowest home attendance 5,000 vs Varzim
(21 December 1997)
Home colours
Away colours

The 1997–98 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 94th season in existence and the club's 64th consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football, covering the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. It involved Benfica competing in the Primeira Divisão and the Taça de Portugal. Benfica qualified for the UEFA Cup by finishing 3rd in the previous Primeira Divisão.

After three seasons without a league title, Benfica signed more than ten players in an attempt to regain competitiveness. Important signings were 21 year-old Nuno Gomes who scored 15 league goals in the past season, and together with Sánchez (also signed), were vital in denying Benfica the opportunity to retain the Portuguese Cup in the 1997 Taça de Portugal Final. An addition with high expectations was Paulo Nunes, the 1996 Brasileirão top-scorer, which was meant to partner with João Pinto in the attack, but ended clashing with him.[1] Manuel José briefly led the team, being replaced due to poor results after five games. Mário Wilson returned for a third spell of just a month, until Scottish manager Graeme Souness assumed the team in November. Although not an immediate success, changes in the squad during the winter transfer market made instant impact, with an ensuing seven-game winning streak helping the team secure a second-place finish, and benefiting from recent changes in format, qualify for the UEFA Champions League.[2]

Season summary

After a season that broke negative records,[3] Benfica started the new one hoping to improve its previous year's performance. Manuel José continued as manager, with the opportunity to rebuild the squad in his preference. Despite many misses, new signings Nuno Gomes, Gamarra and Scott Minto jumped immediately to the starting eleven.

The season opened with a convincing home against S.C. Campomaiorense, but this impact was immediately cut short. In the first game as visitor, Benfica conceded the first loss; in the next matchday, the club had to fight not to lose at home against Académica.[2] In the first European game, a second loss, against Bastia, which had qualified using the Intertoto Cup.[2][4] A second league loss in four games led to the immediate dismissal of José, as disciplinary problems also emerged, mainly the incident involving João Pinto and a fireman after the game in Vila do Conde.[5][2]

Benfica resorted to Mário Wilson for a third time in two years, until a permanent substitute was found.[2] The experienced manager was unable to revert the one-nill deficit brought from first leg of the UEFA Cup, ending European football in September for the first time since 1990–91. The situation did not improve in the league, with a five-game win less spree, seeing the club drop to eleventh.[6] Wilson's influence only made effect on late October, with three straight wins, one counting for the Portuguese Cup.[4]

After a presidential change, Benfica hired Graeme Souness on 1 November. The Scottish manager had spells at Rangers, Liverpool, and had worked abroad, in Turkey and Italy, but was mostly unheard of in Portuguese football. In his first month, the helped the team climb from sixth to fourth, only three points from second place.[7] Despite this, Benfica was still losing much needed points, entering the Clássico against Porto with an eleven-point difference.[7] After a losing in Estádio das Antas, and with two more points lost at home, the winter signings, Poborský, Brian Deane and Luís Carlos began to impact the team performance, helping the club start a winning run, that saw them climb to second place, and beat Sporting C.P. by four-one in Alvalade in February.[2] The only downside was the semi-final exit in the Portuguese cup, at the hands of S.C. Braga; the fourth time in history that Braga had eliminated Benfica (1966, 1979, and 1982).[2]

In March, even though the team lost five points, the reappearance of João Pinto after an injury suffered in the Clássico gave Souness one more option to partner with Nuno Gomes.[2] Isolated in second and with Porto clinching the title in late April, the team faced them only fighting for their honour. With a three-nil victory, the team exacted revenge from the defeat in January.[8] The season ended with a seven-one victory over Leça; the biggest home win in the league, as Souness was certain to remain in charge.[8]

Competitions

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Overall record

Competition First match Last match Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win % Source
Primeira Divisão 24 August 1997 17 May 1998 34 20 8 6 62 29 +33 058.82 [9]
Taça de Portugal 26 October 1997 24 February 1998 6 4 1 1 11 5 +6 066.67 [9]
UEFA Cup 16 September 1997 30 September 1997 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 000.00 [9]
Total 42 24 10 8 73 35 +38 057.14

Primeira Divisão

League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Porto (C) 34 24 5 5 75 38 +37 77 1998–99 UEFA Champions League Group stage
2 Benfica 34 20 8 6 62 29 +33 68 1998–99 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round
3 Vitória de Guimarães 34 17 8 9 42 25 +17 59 1998–99 UEFA Cup First round

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH
ResultWLDLDDWWWDWDLWLDWWWWWWWDWWLWWWDWLW
Position1571111117655444465552222222222222222

Source: ForaDeJogo
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

Taça de Portugal

UEFA Cup

First round

Friendlies

Player statistics

The squad for the season consisted of the players listed in the tables below, as well as staff member Manuel José (manager), Mário Wilson (manager) and Graeme Souness (manager).[14][9]

Note 1: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note 2: Players with squad numbers marked ‡ joined the club during the 1997-98 season via transfer, with more details in the following section.

No. Pos Nat Player TotalPrimeira DivisãoTaça de PortugalUEFA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1 GK Belgium Michel Preud'homme 33-2628-224-410
2 DF Morocco Tahar El Khalej 2562152120
3 DF Portugal Jorge Soares 60500010
5‡ DF Portugal Paulo Madeira 2602204000
6 MF Portugal Tiago Pereira 2412111020
7‡ FW Brazil Paulo Nunes 82521020
8 MF Portugal João Pinto 3072563120
9 MF Romania Basarab Panduru 2041525200
10‡ MF Bolivia Erwin Sánchez 3062663010
11 FW Sweden Martin Pringle 1931423120
12‡ GK Russia Ovchinnikov 9-96-72-11-1
13 DF Brazil Ronaldo Guiaro 3502706020
14‡ MF Brazil Leônidas 50400010
15‡ MF Brazil Amaral 50500000
16‡ DF England Scott Minto 2502104000
17‡ MF Netherlands Gaston Taument 2011602120
18 DF Morocco Abdelkrim El Hadrioui 2101702020
19 MF Portugal Bruno Caires 10100000
20‡ MF Portugal Jordão 80601010
21‡ FW Portugal Nuno Gomes 402233186410
22 MF Portugal José Calado 3722926020
23 MF Portugal Edgar Pacheco 1331231000
24 GK Portugal Paulo Lopes 00000000
25‡ MF Czech Republic Karel Poborský 2351954000
26‡ MF Portugal Luís Carlos 2311914000
27‡ MF Ukraine Serhiy Kandaurov 91712000
28‡ FW England Brian Deane 1771473000
32‡ DF Paraguay Carlos Gamarra 1711302120
34‡ FW Brazil Duda 00000000
36‡ DF Portugal Sousa 3012515000
37 MF Portugal Hugo Leal 40400000
38‡ DF Portugal José Soares 50302000
39‡ DF Portugal Bruno Basto 30300000

Transfers

[15]

In

Entry date Position Player From club
July 1997 ST Nuno Gomes Boavista
July 1997 AM Erwin Sánchez Boavista
July 1997 CB Paulo Madeira Belenenses
July 1997 CB Carlos Gamarra Internacional
July 1997 GK Ovchinnikov Lokomotiv Moscow
July 1997 CM Jordão Estrela Amadora
July 1997 RW Gaston Taument Feyenoord
July 1997 LB Scott Minto Chelsea
July 1997 FW Paulo Nunes Grêmio[16]
July 1997 LW Leônidas Corinthians Alagoano
July 1997 AM Deco Corinthians Alagoano
July 1997 RW Duda Corinthians Alagoano
August 1997 RB Sousa Alverca
December 1997 DM Amaral Parma
December 1997 LW Luís Carlos Salgueiros
December 1997 ST Brian Deane Sheffield United
December 1997 CM Serhiy Kandaurov Maccabi Haifa
28 December 1997 RW Karel Poborský Manchester United[17]
January 1998 CB José Soares Alverca
January 1998 LB Bruno Basto Alverca

Out

Exit date Position Player To club
July 1997 GK Fernando Brassard Varzim
July 1997 CB Paredão Sheffield Wednesday
July 1997 CB Bermúdez Boca Juniors
July 1997 RB Marinho Campomaiorense
July 1997 LB Pedro Henriques Porto
July 1997 LB Lúcio Wagner Sevilla
July 1997 DM Amaral Parma
July 1997 CM Luís Gustavo Cruzeiro
July 1997 FB Nélson Morais Alverca
July 1997 AM Valdo Filho Nagoya Grampus
July 1997 CM Paulão Académica
July 1997 AM Iliev Slavia Sofia
July 1997 ST Hassan Nader Farense
July 1997 FW Mauro Airez Estrela da Amadora
July 1997 ST Valdir Atlético Mineiro
July 1997 FW Akwá Académica
July 1997 RW Glenn Helder Arsenal
August 1997 DM Bruno Caires Celta de Vigo
January 1998 FW Paulo Nunes Palmeiras
January 1998 CB Carlos Gamarra Corinthians
January 1998 RW Gaston Taument Anderlecht
January 1998 CM Jordão Braga
January 1998 LW Leônidas Arsenal Tula

Out by loan

Exit date Position Player To club Return date
July 1997 DM Jamir Flamengo 30 June 1998
July 1997 AM Deco Alverca 30 June 1998

References

  1. ↑ Christian Carvalho Cruz; Sérgio Garcia (March 1997). "Perigo: 50 maneiras do Brasil perder a Copa" [Danger: 50 ways that Brasil could lose the World Cup]. Placar (in Portuguese). Brazil (1137): 42. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tovar 2012, p. 556.
  3. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 548.
  4. 1 2 Tovar 2012, p. 561.
  5. ↑ "João Pinto assume-se como "capitão da nau"" [João Pinto assumes as the ship captain]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 October 1999. Retrieved 24 September 2014. In the previous season, João Pinto was physically ok, but a punishment from the Liga (due to an alleged assault on a fireman in Vila do Conde) prevented the number 8 from playing in the preseason games
  6. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 557.
  7. 1 2 Tovar 2012, p. 558.
  8. 1 2 Tovar 2012, p. 560.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Tovar 2012, p. 562.
  10. 1 2 3 Alberto Miguéns (3 April 2014). "Às Terras Baixas das Papoilas...Regressam as "Papoilas Saltitantes"". Em Defesa do Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  11. 1 2 Vitor Serpa (August 1997). "Queridos Presidentes". A Bola magazine. No. 123. Portugal: A Bola. pp. 46–47.
  12. 1 2 3 Ricardo Pontes (6 August 1999). "Copa Centenário de Belo Horizonte 1997". RSSSF (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  13. ↑ "Mancini, parole di uno che ci crede" [Mancini earns credit]. Gazzeta Dello Sport (in Italian). 14 August 1997. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "Sport Lisboa e Benfica Squad 1997-98". Thefinalball.com.
  15. ↑ "Transfers". Thefinalball.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  16. ↑ "Paulo Nunes vai para o Benfica por US$ 10 milhões" [Paulo Nunes will go to Benfica por $10 million]. Folha Online. 8 July 1997. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  17. ↑ "Football: Benfica and Souness snap up Poborsky". The Independent. 28 December 1998. Retrieved 4 September 2015.

Bibliography

  • Tovar, Rui Miguel (2012). Almanaque do Benfica [Benfica Almanac]. Portugal: Lua de Papel. ISBN 978-989-23-2087-8.
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