The rise of Portuguese football: Are Benfica, Sporting and Porto returning to the European elite?

Portuguese football is at a huge level. The Iberian country regularly produces footballers who are among the best in the world. However, it’s been a long time since Portuguese clubs have experienced great success in Europe. Can that change now?

In recent years, with a few exceptions, it has been a clearing of positions in Europe by Portuguese clubs. The last time Sporting Lisbon were in the Champions League was in the 2017/18 season and they crashed out in the group stage. A year earlier, they also dropped out in the group stage. The last time Sporting reached the eighth round was in the 2008/09 season.

Last year, Benfica crashed out in the third round. In the 2019/20 season, they made it to the group stage but dropped out immediately. Group eliminations also came in the 2018/19 and 2017/18 seasons, with Benfica last reaching the eighth round in the 2016/17 edition.

So the banner of Portuguese football was at least held by Porto. It reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last year, having knocked out Juventus in the eighth round and then falling short to the later winner of the entire competition, Chelsea. A year earlier, however, it didn’t make it to the millionaire competition at all when it crashed out in the third round, but in the 2018/19 season it also reached the quarter-finals.

Thanks to these promotions of Porto, Portugal’s coefficient went up and after last season’s Liga Nos, the first two teams (Sporting, Porto) went straight to the Champions League, while the third Benfica went to the preliminary round. And for the first time since the 2017/18 season, all three Portuguese big clubs made it to the Champions League.

And it is not at all impossible that all teams will continue in this millionaire competition in the spring. Sporting were the first to secure promotion, having swept Borussia Dortmund with a 3-1 win and are already assured of promotion from second place behind Ajax.

Today, Tuesday, the fate of the next Portuguese club will be decided. Porto are second behind unbeaten Liverpool (15) with 5 points. AC Milan and Atlético Madrid have 4 points. Porto welcome the Colchoneros to their Estádio do Dragão and have everything in their hands. If they win, they will advance to the eighth round. Assuming AC Milan don’t beat Liverpool, a draw would be enough for Porto.

And on Wednesday, a third Portuguese side will also be fighting to qualify. Benfica Lisbon impressed with an impressive 3-0 win over Barcelona at home. They drew 0:0 at the Camp Nou and Seferovic could have almost sent the team from the Portuguese capital to the next stage in the last minute, but he missed the empty net.

Benfica will welcome Dynamo Kiev at home in the last round and must win. If Barcelona fails to beat Bayern on its home ground, Benfica will advance to the knockout stages. The chances are really quite big and more fans and experts favour Benfica to qualify than Barcelona.

If all three teams advance, it would be the first time in Champions League history that Portugal has had three teams in the knockout stage. The last time two Portuguese teams were at least in the eighth round was in the 2016/17 season, with both Benfica and Porto dropping out in the eighth round then.

Portugal’s last major club success in Europe was in 2004. Back then, Porto sensationally reached the Champions League final under Jose Mourinho, where they beat AS Monaco to celebrate winning the Eared Cup. This season, Portuguese club football could see some success again.

Source: UEFA