If you walked into the Museu Cosme Damião in Lisbon today, you’d see two big, silver trophies staring back at you. Those are the 1961 and 1962 European Cups. For Benfica in Champions League history, those two years are the mountain top. But if you talk to any fan at the Estádio da Luz, they’ll tell you the story didn't end there. It just got a lot more complicated.
Honestly, being a Benfica fan in Europe is a bit of a rollercoaster. You have this massive history—the era of Eusébio, the back-to-back titles, the five other finals they reached but didn't win—and then you have the modern reality. They’re basically the ultimate "giant killer" that sometimes forgets to actually kill the giant.
The Curse, the Near Misses, and the Modern Grind
Everyone talks about the Béla Guttmann curse. You've heard it, right? The legendary manager leaves in 1962 and supposedly says Benfica won't win a European trophy for a hundred years. We’re over 60 years into that now. It sounds like a ghost story, but when you lose five European Cup finals and three UEFA Cup/Europa League finals in a row, you start to wonder.
But forget the spooky stuff for a second.
Look at the 2024-25 season. It was wild. They were under Roger Schmidt, then Bruno Lage took over in September. They had some massive nights. They absolutely hammered Atlético Madrid 4-0 at home. That was a "pinch me" moment for the fans. But then they’d turn around and lose to Feyenoord or get into a 5-4 shootout loss against Barcelona.
They eventually made it through the knockout play-offs against Monaco—a tight 4-3 aggregate win—only to run into Barcelona again in the Round of 16. That was the end of the road that year. A 4-1 aggregate loss. It’s that classic Benfica ceiling lately: good enough to scare the elite, but just a step away from the final four.
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The Mourinho Era and the New Look Eagles
By the time the 2025-26 season rolled around, things took a massive turn. José Mourinho took the job. Yeah, that Mourinho. Coming back to the club where he basically started his head coaching career in 2000. It’s sort of a full-circle moment that has the whole city buzzing.
The squad looks different now. They’ve moved on from the legendary (but aging) Ángel Di María and sold young stars like João Neves and David Neres for huge money.
Who's actually on the pitch now?
Right now, the 2025-26 Champions League campaign is leaning on a mix of gritty veterans and some high-priced new arrivals. You've still got Nicolás Otamendi at the back, somehow still playing at 37. But the real noise is coming from guys like:
- Vangelis Pavlidis: The Greek striker has been a machine. He’s already bagged over 20 goals across all competitions this season.
- Heorhiy Sudakov: On loan from Shakhtar, he’s the creative spark in the middle.
- Richard Ríos: The Colombian midfielder who joined for about €27 million and brings that "Mourinho-style" physicality to the pitch.
- Anatoliy Trubin: The Ukrainian keeper who is basically the reason they didn't concede ten more goals during the league phase.
It’s been a tough slog this year, though. They had to fight through qualifying rounds against Nice and Fenerbahçe just to get into the main draw. Once they got there, it wasn't exactly a vacation. They lost to Qarabağ at home—which caused a minor meltdown in the stands—and got thumped 3-0 by Newcastle. But they bounced back with a massive 2-0 win over Napoli. That’s just the Benfica experience. You never know which version is showing up.
Why the World Keeps Watching
So, why does everyone care about Benfica in Champions League matches?
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It’s the talent factory. Seriously. If you look at the starting lineups of almost every major club in England or Spain, there’s a good chance a former Benfica player is there. Ederson, Rúben Dias, Darwin Núñez, Enzo Fernández—the list goes on.
People watch Benfica because they want to see who the next €100 million player is. For a club that doesn't have the oil money of Manchester City or the global commercial power of Real Madrid, staying competitive in the Champions League is a miracle of scouting and academy work. They produce. They sell. They rebuild.
The Financial Reality
It's a tough business model. You've got to sell your best players to survive, but you're expected to win trophies. Rui Costa, the club president, is constantly walking that tightrope. In the summer of 2025, they brought in over €100 million in sales, including a €50 million deal for Álvaro Carreras to Real Madrid.
That money goes right back into the machine. It bought guys like Dodi Lukébakio and Franjo Ivanović. Is it enough to win a Champions League? Probably not this year. But it’s enough to make sure that when a big team comes to the Estádio da Luz, they know they're in for a fight.
What Most People Get Wrong About Benfica
A lot of people think Benfica is just "the other team" in Portugal or a feeder club. That’s a mistake. They have more league titles than anyone else in Portugal (38 and counting). They have one of the highest paid-member counts in the world.
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When they play in Europe, they aren't just representing a club; they're representing a massive historical legacy. They don't play like a small team. Even under Mourinho, who loves a good defensive block, they still have that DNA of wanting to attack. They play with a chip on their shoulder.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the Eagles this season or looking to understand their trajectory, keep these specific points in mind:
- Watch the Pavlidis/Sudakov connection: This is where the goals come from. If Sudakov is marked out of the game, Benfica tends to stall.
- The "Luz" Factor: Benfica’s home record in Europe is significantly better than their away form. If they can’t get a result in Lisbon, they’re usually in trouble.
- Mourinho’s Tactical Shift: Notice how they’ve moved toward a more structured 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. They are much harder to break down than they were under Schmidt.
- Academy Watch: Keep an eye on the bench. Players like António Silva and Tomás Araújo are the next big defensive exports.
Benfica is currently sitting in a weird spot in the 2025-26 league phase, fighting for every point to stay in the playoff conversation. They aren't the favorites to lift the trophy in Munich, but they are exactly the kind of team no one wants to draw in a knockout round.
Check the latest UEFA coefficients; Benfica is still hovering around the top 20 clubs in Europe. For a team from outside the "Big Five" leagues, that's an incredible feat of consistency. They keep coming back, curse or no curse.
Stay updated on the official UEFA site for live match stats and upcoming fixtures against teams like Juventus and Real Madrid.