S.L. Benfica B

Sport Lisboa e Benfica "B" (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɨˈpɔɾ liʒˈβoɐ i βɐ̃jˈfikɐ ˈβe]), commonly known as Benfica B, is a Portuguese professional football team based in Seixal. Founded in 1999, dissolved in 2006, and restarted in 2012, it is the reserve team of Portuguese club S.L. Benfica. They play in the Liga Portugal 2, holding home matches at Benfica Campus' main pitch.

Benfica B

Full name	Sport Lisboa e Benfica "B"
Nickname(s)	As Águias (The Eagles) Os Encarnados (The Reds)
Founded	1999
Ground	Benfica Campus
Capacity	2,644
President	Rui Costa
Head coach	Nélson Veríssimo
League	Liga Portugal 2
2022–23	Liga Portugal 2, 15th of 18
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours
Current season

During the 2012–13 season, Benfica B played home matches at the Estádio da Luz until February, when they moved to Estádio da Tapadinha to prevent excessive wear of the stadium's grass.^[1] In 2013–14, they permanently moved to their own training ground, capable of receiving professional league matches.

As a reserve team, Benfica B cannot play in the same division as the club's main team, thus being ineligible for promotion to the Primeira Liga. Moreover, they cannot enter domestic cup competitions such as the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga.

Since 2018–19, Benfica have an under-23 team playing in Liga Revelação, a competition for players who left the under-19s but who are not ready to join or regularly play for the first-team.^[2]

History

As Benfica sought a way to provide playing time for their youth and reserve players, they created a B team in 1999. The team officially started competing in the 1999–2000 season, with their first match played away against Portimonense S.C. (2–2) in late August.^[3] After three seasons in the Portuguese Second Division, they suffered relegation to the Terceira Divisão, where they would spend three years,^[4] before achieving promotion to the Portuguese Second Division in 2005. In May of the following year, the board of directors extinguished the side, which returned to activity shortly after as part of the Liga Intercalar. As part of this competition, the team's best league finish was a second place, behind Estoril B, in the South Zone of the 2010–11 season.

Before the end of the 2011–12 football season in Portugal, seven Primeira Liga clubs announced their interest in creating a reserve team to fill the six vacancies available in the Segunda Liga (now Liga Portugal 2) for the 2012–13 campaign.^[5] Of those seven clubs, six were selected to take part in the competition: Benfica, Braga, Marítimo, Porto, Sporting CP and Vitória de Guimarães.^[6]

LPFP, who organize the professional football tiers in Portugal, announced that the clubs would have to pay €50,000 to register themselves at the league in order to compete in the upcoming season.^[7] In addition, LPFP also required them to follow new rules regarding player selection, in which each B team must have a squad with a minimum of ten players formed at the club's academy and with an age between 15 and 21 years, and a maximum of three players above 23 years old. LPFP also decided that reserve teams are unable to compete in cup competitions and to gain promotion to the Primeira Liga due to the possibility of playing against their club's first team.

In late May 2012, it was officially announced that the B teams of six Primeira Liga clubs would compete in the 2012–13 Segunda Liga, a decision that increased the number of teams from 16 to 22 and the number of matches from 30 to 42.^[8]

Starting line-up of Benfica B for a friendly match against F.C. United of Manchester in May 2015

In 2014, Benfica B were invited to play in the first Premier League International Cup. On 29 May 2015, they played a friendly against F.C. United of Manchester in Broadhurst Park's official opening match.^[9][10] On 26 May 2019, they played a practice match against Liverpool in Marbella, Spain, five days before the latter's Champions League final.^[11]

Players

Current squad

As of 11 July 2024^[12][13]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 48 DF  POR Rafael Rodrigues 52 FW  POR Henrique Pereira 60 MF  POR Nuno Félix 62 DF  FRA Lenny Lacroix 66 DF  USA Joshua Wynder 67 FW  POR Rodrigo Rêgo 70 DF  POR Filipe Cruz 73 DF  BRA Tiago Cóser 74 MF  SVN Žan Jevšenak 75 GK  POR André Gomes 76 DF  BRA Gustavo Marques 77 FW  POR Gerson Sousa

No. Pos. Nation Player 78 DF  POR Kiko Domingues 79 MF  POR Hugo Félix 81 DF  ALB Adrian Bajrami 82 DF  POR Diogo Spencer 83 MF  POR Rafael Luís 84 MF  POR João Rego 86 MF  POR Diogo Prioste 89 FW  POR Gustavo Varela 92 GK  POR Pedro Souza 97 FW  POR José Melro 98 GK  POR Ricardo Ribeiro 99 FW  BRA Luan Farias

Other players under contract

For first-team players under contract, see S.L. Benfica § Other players under contract.

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

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  POR Ricardo Teixeira

Out on loan

For first-team players on loan^{[lower-alpha 1]}, see S.L. Benfica § Out on loan.

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

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  POR Henrique Araújo (at Arouca until 30 June 2025)[14]

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Nélson Veríssimo[15]
Assistant coaches	Marco Pimenta Jorge Cordeiro
Goalkeeper coach	Paulo Marques
Analyst coach	Pedro Pitacas
Analyst assistant coach	Rúben Damazio
Personal trainers (Benfica LAB)	Tiago Vaz Duarte Carvalho

Last updated: 6 July 2023
Source: ^[16]

Records and statistics

Season-to-season record

Season	Div	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	Top scorer	Goals	Refs
1999–2000	III	13th	38	14	6	18	53	49	48	Cláudio Oeiras	11	[17][18]
2000–2001	III	9th	38	14	11	13	58	57	57	Jorge Cordeiro	16	[19][20]
2001–2002	III	18th	38	11	11	16	35	42	44	Jorge Ribeiro	5	[21]
2002–2003	IV	3rd	34	14	14	6	47	25	56			[22]
2003–2004	IV	5th	34	15	8	11	63	48	53			[22]
2004–2005	IV	1st	34	21	9	4	71	29	72			[22]
2005–2006	III	11th	30	11	8	11	40	40	41	Vasco Firmino	5	[23][24]
2012–2013	II	7th	42	15	17	10	71	54	62	Miguel Rosa	17	[25][26]
2013–2014	II	5th	42	20	10	12	77	56	70	Funes Mori	13	[27][28]
2014–2015	II	6th	46	22	11	13	81	60	77	Rui Fonte	17	[29][30]
2015–2016	II	19th	46	15	10	21	59	64	55	Sancidino Silva	6	[31][32]
2016–2017	II	4th	42	18	9	15	56	58	63	Heriberto Tavares	11	[33][34]
2017–2018	II	13th	38	14	7	17	54	60	49	Heriberto Tavares	14	[35]
2018–2019	II	4th	34	15	7	12	47	42	52	Chris Willock	11	[36]
2019–2020	II	14th	24	7	7	10	31	35	28	Daniel dos Anjos	8	[37]
2020–2021	II	8th	34	12	8	14	53	43	44	Gonçalo Ramos Henrique Araújo	11	[38]
2021–2022	II	5th	34	17	6	11	61	44	57	Henrique Araújo	14	[39]
2022–2023	II	15th	34	10	8	16	52	58	38	Henrique Pereira	9	[40]

Champions

Relegated

Managerial statistics

As of match played 27 May 2023. Only competitive matches are counted, including those in the Premier League International Cup.

Name	Nat	From	To	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Win %	Honours	Refs
Alan Murray		1999	November 1999	9	4	0	5	13	12	044.44		[41][42]
José Morais		November 1999	2001	67	24	17	26	98	94	035.82		[43][44]
António Veloso		9 June 2001	2002	38	11	11	16	35	42	028.95		[45][46]
Carlos Gomes		2002	July 2004	68	28	24	16	107	72	041.18		[47][48]
João Santos		2004	2006	64	32	17	15	111	69	050.00	2004–05 Terceira Divisão	[49][50]
Luís Norton de Matos		4 May 2012	30 May 2013	42	15	17	10	71	54	035.71		[51][52]
Hélder Cristóvão		3 July 2013[53]	12 May 2018	224	93	49	82	340	309	041.52		[54][55]
Bruno Lage		1 July 2018[56]	3 January 2019	15	8	3	4	15	11	053.33		[57][58]
Nélson Veríssimo (caretaker)		3 January 2019	15 January 2019	3	0	1	2	5	7	000.00		[59][60]
Renato Paiva		15 January 2019	25 December 2020	58	21	12	25	84	85	036.21		[61]
Nélson Veríssimo		25 December 2020	28 December 2021	36	18	10	8	64	38	050.00		[60]
Paulo Mateus (caretaker)		28 December 2021	28 December 2021	1	0	0	1	1	2	000.00		[62]
António Oliveira		5 January 2022	13 May 2022	18	7	3	8	37	57	038.89		[63]
Luís Castro		2 June 2022	8 June 2023	34	10	8	16	52	58	029.41		[64]
Nélson Veríssimo		6 July 2023	Present	0	0	0	0	0	0	!—		[60]

Honours

• Terceira Divisão

Winners: 2004–05

Under-23s current squad

As of 7 September 2023^[65]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  SWE Alexander Sandahl — GK  POR João Félix — GK  POL Marcel Mendes — GK  SRB Luka Velickovic — DF  POR João Conceição — DF  POR Leandro Santos — DF  BRA Tiago Coser — DF  POR José Müller — DF  POR João Fonseca — DF  MLI Modibo Keita — DF  POR Tiago Parente — DF  POR Vladimir Mendes — MF  POR João Veloso

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  AUS Paul Okon-Engstler — MF  CAN Carlos Meotti — MF  POR Tiago Freitas — FW  POR Gonçalo Moreira — FW  POR José Melro — FW  NED Kyanno Silva — FW  POR Ivan Lima — FW  POR Ricardo Nóbrega — FW  POR Rodrigo Rêgo — FW  EST Karel Mustmaa — FW  POR Martim Fortes — FW  USA Marcos Zambrano — FW  FRA Sofiane Dris

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Paulo Lopes[66]
Assistant coaches	Pedro Valido Paulo Mateus
Goalkeeper coach	Gonçalo Reduto
Analyst coach	Rodolfo Fernandes
Analyst assistant coach	José Marques
Personal trainers (Benfica LAB)	Luke Garcia

Last updated: 6 July 2023
Source: ^[65]

Notes

1. Players who last played for the first-team before being loaned out.

References

1. "Benfica B muda-se para a Tapadinha". Maisfutebol.
2. Pereira, David (17 August 2018). "Liga Revelação estreia este sábado. Sabe como funciona?" [Liga Revelação debuts this Saturday. Do you know how it works?]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
3. "Despertador encarnado tocou tarde" A Bola, 30 August 1999 (in Portuguese)
4. "II Divisão Série D". zerozero. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
5. "Sete clubes interessados nas seis vagas para equipas B" [Seven clubs interested for the six vacancies for B teams]. Relvado. 17 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
6. "Equipas B de FC Porto, Benfica e Sporting confirmadas" [B teams of FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting have been confirmed]. Relvado. 28 May 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
7. "Equipas B custam 50 mil euros de inscrição" [B teams' registration costs €50,000]. O Jogo. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
8. "Liga: seis clubes inscreveram a equipa "B"" [League: six clubs register for a B team]. Maisfutebol. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
9. Aaron Flanagan. "FC United of Manchester open new stadium against Benfica... and show what football fans can achieve". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
10. Ben Collins (29 May 2015). "FC United 0 Benfica 1: Match report of official opening of new Broadhurst Park stadium". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
11. Chegodaev, Andrey (26 May 2019). "Liverpool beat Benfica B before return from Marbella training camp". Tribuna. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
12. "Plantel" [Squad]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 June 2023.
13. "Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Futebol, SAD B". Liga Portugal. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
14. "Henrique Araújo emprestado ao Arouca" [Henrique Araújo loaned out to Arouca]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
15. "Experience and Benfiquista DNA with an eye to the future!". S.L. Benfica. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
16. "Coaching Staff". S.L. Benfica. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
17. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
18. "Squad 1999–2000". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
19. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
20. "Squad 2000–2001". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
21. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
22. "Portugal - Table of Honor" (PDF). Soccer Library. pp. 28, 30, 32.
23. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
24. "Plantel 2005–2006". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
25. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
26. "Segunda Liga 2012–2013". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
27. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
28. "Liga2 Cabovisão 2013–2014". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
29. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
30. "Segunda Liga Portuguesa 2014–2015". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
31. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
32. "Ledman LigaPro 2015–2016". thefinalball. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
33. "Fixtures". thefinalball. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
34. "Ledman LigaPro 2016–2017". thefinalball. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
35. Top Scorers Liga Portugal
36. Top Scorers Liga Portugal
37. Top Scorers Liga Portugal
38. Top Scorers Liga Portugal
39. Top Scorers Liga Portugal
40. Top Scorers Liga Portugal
41. "Alan Murray". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
42. "Alan Murray". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
43. "José Morais". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
44. "José Morais". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
45. "António Veloso". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
46. "António Veloso". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
47. "Carlos Gomes". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
48. "Carlos Gomes". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
49. "João Santos". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
50. "João Santos". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
51. "Norton de Matos". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
52. "Luís Norton de Matos". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
53. "Equipa entra hoje em cena" [Team gets going today]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 July 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
54. "Hélder Cristóvão". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
55. "Hélder Cristóvão". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
56. "Bruno Lage is the new coach of Benfica B". S.L. Benfica. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
57. "Bruno Lage". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
58. "Bruno Lage". thefinalball. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
59. "Nélson Veríssimo". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
60. "Nélson Veríssimo". thefinalball. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
61. "Renato Paiva". thefinalball. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
62. "Paulo Mateus - Histórico II Liga Portuguesa".
63. "António Oliveira". Zerozero.
64. Luís Castro at zerozero.pt
65. "Plantel" [Squad]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
66. "Experience and Benfiquista DNA with an eye to the future!". S.L. Benfica. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.

External links

• Official website (in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French)
• S.L. Benfica B at LPFP (in English and Portuguese)