2009–10 S.L. Benfica season

Season summary

After a disappointing season in which Benfica failed to qualify for the Champions League, the club appointed Jorge Jesus as head coach. To strengthen the squad, Benfica signed Javi García and Javier Saviola from Real Madrid, Ramires from Cruzeiro, and César Peixoto from Braga. Fábio Coentrão also returned from loan, while Kostas Katsouranis, Reyes, and David Suazo left the club.

The pre-season began with a 2–2 draw against Sion in Switzerland, followed by victories over Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao, and Olhanense, a defeat to Atlético Madrid, four consecutive wins against Sunderland, Ajax, Portsmouth and Vitória de Guimarães, and a 1–1 draw with Milan in the Eusébio Cup.

The official season opened on 16 August with a 1–1 home draw against Marítimo, followed by a 1–0 away victory over Vitória de Guimarães and an 8–1 home win against Vitória de Setúbal. Later that month, Benfica defeated Vorskla Poltava 5–2 on aggregate in the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League play-off round.

In September Benfica won all four of its matches: 4–0 away at Belenenses, 2–1 away at Leiria, 5–0 at home against Leixões, and 2–0 at home against BATE Borisov in their opening Europa League group stage match. October began with a 1–0 away loss to AEK Athens, but the team responded with victories over Paços de Ferreira, Monsanto in the Taça de Portugal, and a 5–0 home win against Everton in the Europa League. The month ended with a 2–0 away defeat to Braga, leaving Benfica three points behind them in the league table.

Benfica began November with a 2–0 away win over Everton in the Europa League, followed by a league victory against Naval 1º de Maio. The team was then eliminated at home by Vitória de Guimarães in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal. The month concluded with a 0–0 draw against Sporting at the Estádio José Alvalade. In December, Benfica defeated BATE Borisov and Académica, drew 2–2 away with Olhanense, and won 2–1 against AEK Athens before hosting Porto. In a tightly contested match, a 23rd-minute goal from Javier Saviola secured a 1–0 victory, allowing Benfica to end the year level on points with Braga.

The new year began with a 1–0 win over Nacional in the Taça da Liga, followed by league victories against Rio Ave away, Marítimo away, and Vitória de Guimarães at home. A draw against Guimarães and a win over Rio Ave in the Taça da Liga ensured Benfica advanced to the semi-finals, finishing January as joint league leaders.

In February, Benfica recorded league wins over Leiria, Belenenses and Leixões, drew away to Vitória de Setúbal, eliminated Sporting with a 4–1 away victory in the Taça da Liga semi-finals, and defeated Hertha BSC 5–1 on aggregate in the Europa League round of 32. March began with league wins over Paços de Ferreira and Nacional, followed by three decisive fixtures. Benfica eliminated Marseille 3–2 on aggregate in the Europa League round of 16, after a 1–1 home draw and a 2–1 away win secured in extra time. The team then defeated Porto 3–0 in the Taça da Liga final at the Estádio Algarve, before hosting Braga in a decisive league match at the Estádio da Luz, which Benfica won 1–0. The month ended with Benfica advancing in the Europa League, winning the Taça da Liga, and extending their lead at the top of the league to six points.

April began with a UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie against Liverpool, where Benfica won the first leg 2–1 at home but lost 4–1 at Anfield, resulting in elimination from the competition. The team then secured league victories over Naval 1º de Maio, Sporting, Académica and Olhanense, moving closer to the league title. On 2 May, Benfica visited Estádio do Dragão to face Porto, knowing that a win would secure the championship. However, the match ended in a 3–1 defeat, delaying their celebrations. One week later, Benfica clinched their 32nd league title with a victory over Rio Ave.

Competitions

Pre-season friendlies

• Die
• Dabo
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Cardozo
• Martins
• Cardozo
• Vítor
• Cardozo
• García
• Forlán
• Cardozo
• Pereira
• Donald
• Rommedahl
• Aissati
• Di María
• David Luiz
• Cardozo
• Weldon
• Wilkinson
• Weldon
• Amorim
• Keirrison
• Shaffer
• Coentrão
• Amorim
• Weldon
• Yebda
• Patric
• Sidnei
• Pirlo
• Ronaldinho
• Jankulovski
• Silva
• Borriello
• Pato
• Zambrotta
• Antonini

Regular season friendlies

• Keirrison
• Pinto
• Saviola
• Netto
• Lico
• Danilo Silva
• Renan
• Menezes
• Ribeiro
• Sidnei
• Shaffer
• Jean
• Menezes
• Sidnei
• Peixoto
• Kardec

Primeira Liga

Main article: 2009–10 Primeira Liga

League table

Results by round

Matches

• García
• Luisão
• Cardozo
• Aimar
• Ramires
• Nuno Gomes
• Saviola
• Cardozo
• García
• Ramires
• Saviola
• Cardozo
• David Luiz
• Cardozo
• Ramires
• Pereira
• David Luiz
• Martins
• Cardozo
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Nuno Gomes
• Viana
• Paulo César
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Fernandes
• Toy
• Saviola
• Nuno Gomes
• Saviola
• Pereira
• Cardozo
• Roberto
• Luisão
• Aimar
• Martins
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Amorim
• Éder Luís
• Di María
• Amorim
• Saviola
• Cardozo
• Fábio Junior
• Bolívia
• Weldon
• Di María
• Cardozo
• Cardozo
• Aimar
• Gomes
• Tiero
• Weldon
• Amorim
• Cardozo
• Di María
• Aimar
• Alves
• Farías
• Belluschi

Taça de Portugal

Main article: 2009–10 Taça de Portugal

• Menezes
• Martins
• Saviola
• Peixoto
• Coentrão

Taça da Liga

Main article: 2009–10 Taça da Liga

Group stage

• Di María
• Martins

Semi-finals

• David Luiz
• Ramires
• Luisão
• Cardozo

Final

Main article: 2010 Taça da Liga final

• Amorim
• Martins
• Cardozo

UEFA Europa League

Main article: 2009–10 UEFA Europa League

Play-off round

Main article: 2009–10 UEFA Europa League qualifying phase and play-off round#Play-off round

• Di María
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Weldon
• Sachko
• Yesin

Group stage

Main article: 2009–10 UEFA Europa League group stage#Group I

• Nuno Gomes
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Cardozo
• Luisão
• Saviola
• Cardozo
• Saviola
• Coentrão

Knockout phase

Main article: 2009–10 UEFA Europa League knockout phase

Round of 32

• Aimar
• Cardozo
• García

Round of 16

• Pereira
• Kardec

Quarter-finals

• Kuyt
• Lucas
• Torres

Overall record

Player statistics

|- ! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Goalkeepers |- ! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Defenders |- ! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Midfielders |- ! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Strikers |}

Transfers

In

Summer

Winter

Spend : €32.4M

Out

Summer

Winter

: Transfer income: €6.83M

Overall transfer activity

Spending

: Summer: €25,300,000 : Winter: €7,100,000 : Total: €32,400,000

Income

: Summer: €6,730,000 : Winter: €100,000 : Total: €6,830,000

Expenditure

: Summer: €18,570,000 : Winter: €7,000,000 : Total: €25,570,000

References

Filmography

References

1. "Painel de Espectadores". ligaportugal.pt.
2. "Painel de Espectadores". ligaportugal.pt.
3. Paulo, Isabel. (19 May 2010). "Benfica é o 10.º clube europeu com maiores assistências". [[Expresso (Portuguese newspaper).
4. "2009–10 Portuguese Liga - Matchday 4". football-lineups.com.
5. "Benfica in Europa League 2009-10". football-lineups.com.
6. (March 2, 2010). "Benfica – the most attractive side in Europe?". zonalmarking.ne.
7. "Jorge Jesus assina por dois anos". RTP.
8. "Benfica contrata Saviola por 5 milhões". Diário de Notícias.
9. "Benfica confirma contratação de Ramires". Público.
10. "César Peixoto já é do Benfica". RTP.
11. "Katsouranis no Panathinaikos". UEFA.
12. "Benfica goleia Vitória de Setúbal". RTP.
13. "Braga para o Benfica". RTP.
14. "Benfica eliminado pelo Vitória de Guimarães". RTP.
15. "Sporting e Benfica anulam-se no Dérbi Lisboeta". Expresso.
16. "Benfica 4-0 Hertha". UEFA.
17. "Benfica 3-0 Porto". RTP.
18. "Benfica 1-0 Braga". RTP.
19. "Benfica não faz a festa no Dragão". RTP.
20. [http://uafootball.net.ua/2009-10/evro/vorskla-benfika.htm "Ворскла" - "Бенфика" 2:1] (Russian)
21. "Almanaque do Benfica". Lua de Papel.
22. "2009–10 season".