The 2016–17 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 113th season in existence and the club's 83rd consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. It started on 7 August 2016 with the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira match and concluded on 28 May 2017 with the Taça de Portugal final.
Benfica played in the Primeira Liga as three-time defending champions, and were successful in defending their title, becoming a four-time champions (tetra) for the first time in their history; setting a new record of 36 league titles. In the Taça da Liga, Benfica, who also participated as the three-time defending holders, lost to eventual winners Moreirense in the semi-finals. It was Benfica's first defeat in the competition since 31 October 2007, which ended a 42-game unbeaten run. In the Taça de Portugal, Benfica beat Vitória de Guimarães to win their 26th trophy – a new record. With this victory, Benfica also achieved their 11th double (dobradinha) and second treble of league, cup and super cup, 36 years after the first one.
Internationally, Benfica played in the UEFA Champions League, where they reached the knockout phase for the first time in two consecutive years. They were eliminated from the competition in round of 16 by Borussia Dortmund on 4–1 aggregate.
Season summary Pre-Season After a successful season in which Benfica retained the league title and won the Taça da Liga, the club entered the new season aiming for a historic fourth consecutive league championship (tetra), under manager Rui Vitória.
During the summer transfer window, Benfica sold key players, Renato Sanches, Nicolás Gaitán, and Anderson Talisca. To reinforce the squad, the club signed midfielder André Horta, wingers André Carrillo, Franco Cervi, and Andrija Živković, as well as striker Kostas Mitroglou on a permanent deal.
The pre-season began on 14 July with a 0–0 draw against Vitória de Setúbal. They followed this with a 4–0 win over Derby County, a 1–0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday, a 2–0 victory against Wolfsburg, a 1–1 draw with Torino FC in the Eusébio Cup, and a 3–2 defeat to Lyon.
August–November Benfica's first official match of the season took place on 7 August in the 2016 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira at Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, where Benfica defeated Braga 3–0 with goals from Cervi, Jonas, and Pizzi. In the league, Benfica began with a 2–0 away win over Tondela, a 1–1 home draw against Vitória de Setúbal, and a 3–1 away win over Nacional. In September, the team won all its league matches: away to Arouca, at home against Braga, and away to Chaves, finishing the month one point ahead of Sporting and three ahead of Porto. In the UEFA Champions League, Benfica opened with a 1–1 home draw against Beşiktaş, with Talisca scoring the equaliser in stoppage time. The following match saw Benfica lose 4–2 away to Napoli.
In October, Benfica won all of its matches: 4–0 at home against Feirense, 2–1 away against 1º Dezembro in the third round of the 2016–17 Taça de Portugal, 2–0 away against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League, 2–0 away against Belenenses, and 3–0 at home against Paços de Ferreira, extending its league lead to five points. In November, the team recorded a 1–0 home win against Dynamo Kyiv, followed by a 1–1 away draw with Porto, in which Benfica equalised in stoppage time. The month continued with a 6–0 home win over Marítimo in the Taça de Portugal and a 3–0 home victory against Moreirense.
December–January December began with a 2–1 away defeat to Marítimo, followed by a 2–1 home loss to Napoli in the Champions League. The team then earned a 2–1 home win against Sporting, a 3–0 away win over Real SC in the Taça de Portugal, a 1–0 away win against Estoril, a 2–0 home win over Rio Ave, and a 1–0 home victory against Paços de Ferreira in the Taça da Liga, finishing the year with a four-point lead at the top of the league.
The new year opened with a 4–0 win over Vizela in the Taça da Liga, followed by consecutive 2–0 away wins against Vitória de Guimarães in the league and Taça da Liga. A 3–3 home draw with Boavista was followed by a 6–2 home win against Leixões in the Taça de Portugal quarter-finals and a 4–0 league win over Tondela. However, Benfica then suffered two defeats: a 3–1 loss to Moreirense in the Taça da Liga semi-finals and a 1–0 away defeat to Vitória de Setúbal, ending January eliminated from the Taça da Liga, in the semi-finals of the Taça de Portugal, and holding a one-point lead over Porto.
February–April After a difficult January, Benfica won all of its matches in February: home victories over Nacional and Arouca, a 1–0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League round of 16, a 1–0 away win over Braga secured by a goal from Kostas Mitroglou, a 3–1 home victory against Chaves, and a 2–1 away win over Estoril in the Taça de Portugal semi-finals. This was followed by a 1–0 away defeat to Feirense and a 4–0 away loss to Borussia Dortmund, which eliminated Benfica from the Champions League. The team then responded with a 4–0 home win over Belenenses and a 0–0 away draw with Paços de Ferreira.
On 1 April, Benfica hosted Porto in a decisive league match. The game ended 1–1, allowing Benfica to retain its lead, followed by a 3–3 home draw with Estoril in the Taça de Portugal semi-finals, which qualified Benfica for its first final in three years. Subsequent results included a 1–0 away win over Moreirense, a 3–0 home victory against Marítimo, and a 1–1 away draw with Sporting, in which center-back Lindelöf scored from a free kick. A 2–1 home win over Estoril closed the month with Benfica holding a three-point league lead and a place in the Taça de Portugal final.
May In May, a 1–0 away win against Rio Ave brought Benfica closer to the league title. On 13 May, a 5–0 victory over Vitória de Guimarães secured the club's first ever fourth consecutive league championship (tetra) in its 113-year history. The season concluded with a 2–2 draw against Boavista at the Estádio do Bessa, followed by a 2–1 win over Vitória de Guimarães in the Taça de Portugal final, completing a domestic double (dobradinha).
Players Squad information
New contracts PlayerContract lengthContract endDateSource21 Benfica1 Benfica10 Benfica2 Relatório e Contas14 Relatório e Contas4 Benfica
Transfers In
Out
Technical staff Position Name Head coach Rui Vitória Assistant coach Arnaldo TeixeiraMinervino PietraSérgio BotelhoMarco Pedroso Fitness coach Paulo Morão Goalkeeping coach Luís Esteves Benfica LAB coordinator Bruno Mendes Physiotherapist Paulo RebeloCarlos CostaTelmo Firmino Scout José Boto Technical coordinator Shéu Doctor Bento LeitãoAntónio Martins Nurse Duarte Pinto Nutritionist Diogo Ferreira Goalkeeper training coordinator Hugo Oliveira
Terminated his contract with Benfica. Signed with Hull City on 5 January.
Pre-season friendlies
Competitions
Overall record +Performance by competitionCompetitionStarting roundFinal position/roundFirst matchLast matchPrimeira Liga 1st 13 August 2016 20 May 2017Taça de Portugal Third round Winners 14 October 2016 28 May 2017Taça da Liga Third round Semi-finals 29 December 2016 26 January 2017Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Winners 7 August 2016UEFA Champions League Group stage Round of 16 13 September 2016 8 March 2017
+ Statistics by competitionCompetitionPrimeira LigaTaça de PortugalTaça da LigaSupertaça Cândido de OliveiraUEFA Champions LeagueTotal
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
Primeira Liga
League table
Results by round
Matches
Taça de Portugal
Third round
Fourth round
Fifth round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Taça da Liga
Third round
Semi-finals
UEFA Champions League
Group stage
Round of 16
Statistics
Squad statistics Players transferred out during the season (B) – Benfica B player
Includes Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
Goalscorers PlayerLeagueCupLeague CupChampions LeagueTotal1FW Kostas Mitroglou16911272FW Jonas13320183MF Pizzi10300134FW Raúl Jiménez730111MF Eduardo Salvio411396FW Gonçalo Guedes21227MF Franco Cervi221278DF Lisandro López301049MF André Carrillo2100310DF Álex Grimaldo20002DF Nélson Semedo10012MF Rafa Silva20002DF André Almeida1100214MF André Horta10001MF Danilo01001DF Luisão01001MF Ljubomir Fejsa00011MF Andrija Živković01001DF Victor Lindelöf10001DF Branimir Kalaica10001Own goals40004Totals7227811118 Includes Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
Hat-tricks
Player Against Result Date Competition Kostas MitroglouLeixões6–2 (H)18 January 2017Taça de Portugal (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Clean sheets Number of appearances inside brackets. PlayerLeagueCupLeague CupChampions LeagueTotal1 Ederson18* (27)1 (3)2 (3)3 (7)24 (40)2 Júlio César3* (8**)2 (5)106 (15)3 Paulo Lopes1 (**)———1Totals20 (34)3 (8)3 (4)3 (8)29 (54)
Disciplinary record
Awards
Player NameAwardMonth/Year21MF PizziLiga Portugal/Samsung Best PlayerOctober/NovemberDecemberSJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year2016LPFP Primeira Liga Best Player201720FW Gonçalo GuedesSJPF Young Player of the MonthOctober/November27MF Rafa SilvaSamsung Goal of the MonthJanuary50DF Nélson SemedoSJPF Young Player of the MonthFebruarySJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year2016LPFP Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player20171GK EdersonSJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year2016LPFP Primeira Liga Best Goalkeeper201711FW Kostas MitroglouSJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year201614DF Victor LindelöfSJPF Primeira Liga Team of the YearCosme Damião Award – Revelation of the YearSJPF Goal of the MonthApril10FW JonasSJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year2016Cosme Damião Award – Footballer of the YearLiga Portugal/Samsung Best PlayerAprilSamsung Goal of the Month
Manager
Name Award Year Rui VitóriaCosme Damião Award – Manager of the Year2016LPFP Primeira Liga Best Coach2017
References