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2001–02 S.L. Benfica season

Benfica 2001–02 football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The 2001–02 season, covering the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002, was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 98th season in existence and the club's 68th consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. Benfica competed domestically in the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup), but did not take part in European football due to their league finish in the previous season.

Quick Facts President, Head coach ...
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Expectations were high with head coach Toni, who had been part of Benfica's wins in 1988–89 and 1993–94, starting his third complete season with the team. In the transfer market, the club shipped out regular starters from the past seasons and brought in new players, mixing the experience of Zlatko Zahovič and Ljubinko Drulović with acquisitions Pedro Mantorras and Simão Sabrosa. By December the team was still in the title race after seven wins and seven draws. However, that month the team suffered its first defeat, a close draw against Sporting, and their exit from the Taça de Portugal. These setbacks caused Toni to resign and be replaced by his assistant, Jesualdo Ferreira. After the change, Ferreira guided the team to third-place by late March, where several injuries in key players impacted their momentum. They finished the season with 17 wins, twelve draws and five losses, putting them in fourth place and keeping them out of the European league for another year.

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Season summary

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Pre-season

After the worst season since the start of the Primeira Liga, Benfica made significant changes, starting with bringing in former president of Futebol Clube de Alverca Luís Filipe Vieira to run all football-related affairs.[1] One of his first decisions was transferring players deemed surplus to the new project,[2] including Serhiy Kandaurov, Ronaldo Guiaro, José Calado, and both strikers of the previous season, Pierre van Hooijdonk and João Tomás.[3] Argel Fucks, Ljubinko Drulović and Zlatko Zahovič, all players who gained notability at Porto, were added to the team,[4] along with the highly expected Pedro Mantorras and Simão Sabrosa, the latter costing a record 12 million Euros.[5][6][7] With Simão's signing, Filipe Vieira stated, "Now we have a dream-team".[8]

The pre-season started on 5 July in Lisbon, followed by four games in Nyon, Switzerland, beginning 14 July. Later in the month, Benfica returned to Portugal for two more games, playing Feyenoord in Guimarães and closing against Fiorentina on 5 August.[9]

August–October

Benfica started the 2001–02 Primeira Liga campaign on the road against Varzim on 11 August 2001.[10] The game ended with a 2–2 draw, after a stoppage time own-goal from Benfico's Paulo Cabral.[11] A week later, Benfica had its opening game at home, defeating Salgueiros 2–0, with both goals in the second half.[12] They closed the month with a second home win, as Mantorras scored three past Vitória Setúbal in a 3–2 win.[13]

Benfica opened September at Estádio Mário Duarte against home team Beira-Mar.[10] The team took a two-goal lead and "looked like the certain winner" according to João Marcelino of Record, but after a penalty committed by Diogo Luís, Beira-Mar took the lead in four minutes. With Benfica trailing by one, Tomo Šokota scored in the 58th minute to make the final score 3–3.[14] Benfico's next game was a Clássico against Porto on 15 September.[10] The match ended with a 0–0 draw but, as João Marcelino commented, Benfica "built more opportunities to score".[15] On the following Sunday, Benfica visited Belenenses, dropping two more points in the rankings with a one-all draw; it had been a full month since their last victory.[16] On 30 September, Benfica received Alverca.[10] The game ended with a 3–2 win for Benfica, finishing the month just three points shy of the leader, Boavista.[17]

Benfica started October on the road against former manager José Mourinho with União de Leiria. A final score of 1–1 made the fifth draw in just eight games for Benfica, but the team still gained a point on the title race, as Boavista and Porto were tied for first.[18] Their second match of October was played in Da Luz against Gil Vicente on the 20th, and resulted in a 2–0 win for Benfica, after João Mawete opened the score in the second half.[19] They played Farense away on the 26th,[20] where a 2–0 win carried Benfica to second place and ended their eight-month streak without winning an away game.[21]

November–February

Benfica played Vitória Guimarães at home in the beginning of November, resulting in a 0–0 draw that brought Benfica down to third place.[22] On the 17th, Benfica made its debut in the 2001–02 Taça de Portugal, playing Infesta at Matosinhos.[23] They won the game 3–0, with two goals right at the end of first half, an own goal and a penalty.[24] In the last week of November, Benfica played visitor to Braga, winning 1–0 after Mantorras unlocked the game in the 69th minute.[20] It was the club's first away win against Braga since November 1995.[25]

December opened with a home game against Santa Clara.[20] The guests took an early lead, but Simão evened the score only fifteen minutes later; Mantorras then set the final score at a 2–1 win.[26] On 8 December, Benfica played Paços de Ferreira on the road.[20] Although they would have reached first place in the Primeira Liga standings if they had won, Benfica "did not perform to expectations, as the defence was a disaster", according to Manuel Queiroz of Record. The game ended in a 1–2 loss, the first loss of the season.[27] Four days later, Benfica played a fifth round Taça de Portugal game against Marítimo.[23] The game went into overtime after no goals from either team in regular time; Two minutes into overtime, Marítimo scored. Benfica evened the score in the 116th minute, narrowly avoiding its second loss in a row.[28] On 15 December, Benfica hosted Sporting.[20] The game ended in a 2–2 draw, despite Benfica leading by two nil until the last five minutes, when Mário Jardel scored a double and saved the cross-town rivals from defeat.[29] On the 19th, Benfica went to Madeira to play in the Portuguese Cup in a rematch against Marítimo.[23] A sole goal from Mitchell van der Gaag knocked Benfica out of the competition.[30] Benfica's last game of 2001 was on the road against Boavista.[31] An early goal from Boavista made the game very difficult, as Manuel Queiroz explained in his match analysis: "It was a game at their [Boavista's] style. Ball in the center, intense fighting, score early and then manage time, free-kicks and bookings... Benfica could not connect two passes, and even make a single imminent goal threat". With that the team took a second league loss.[32] Four days later, Toni resigned, with Benfica looking for Mourinho to return.[33][34] Disagreements over the composition of the technical staff caused Mourinho to decline the invitation, so Benfica turned to assistant manager Jesualdo Ferreira to lead the team.[35][36]

Benfica opened the new year at home, once more against Marítimo; the game ended 1–1 as the eighth draw of the season, sliding Benfica down to fifth place in the league.[37][38] On the 8th, Benfica added Edgaras Jankauskas on loan from Real Sociedad to their roster, strengthening a sector that only had Mantorras as reliable option.[39] In the second week of January, Benfica played Varzim at home.[20] After trailing at halftime 2–0, Benfica scored three in less than fifteen minutes for a final score of 3–2, the first win since 2 December.[40] Three days later, Benfica improved its squad again, signing Tiago Mendes from Braga, with Armando Sá also moving to Lisbon.[41] On 19 January, with Tiago already in the lineup, Benfica played Salgueiros at Estádio Engenheiro Vidal Pinheiro.[42] The game ended in a 4–1 win for Benfica, defined by Record as the team's "first comfortable win in the league, and the first improvements after the comatose state that led to managerial change".[43] On the final Sunday of the month, Benfica visited Bonfim to face Vitória de Setúbal.[42] Benfica scored first with a goal from Carlitos in the 20th minute, but couldn't keep the lead, resulting in yet another draw.[44]

On 3 February, Benfica received Beira-Mar in Da Luz.[42] António Tadeira characterized the game for Record, complementing the team's effectiveness: "The unprecedented scoring ratio, turned a poor and colourless performance into a satisfying thrashing". The 4–1 win brought Benfica to third place.[45] A week later, Benfica faced Porto at Estádio das Antas for the Clássico.[42] Despite Simão scoring first, Benfica's old rival reversed the game, giving the team a 2–3 loss that dropped them to fourth place.[46] On 17 February, the team played Belenenses at home, winning 2–1 with a last minute goal from Jankauskas.[47] Benfica played the last game of February on the 24th, away at Alverca.[42] They managed to take a two-goal lead halfway through the second half, with goals by Zahovic and João Manuel Pinto Tomé. The last goal in the 3–1 win was netted by Drulovic one minute before regular time ended.[48] With the end of February, Benfica was placed fourth in the league standings.[a][49]

March–May

In the opening match of March, Benfica faced União de Leiria at home.[42] The game ended with a 0–2 loss, the first ever win for the visitors in Da Luz, with José Manuel Delgado and Luís Pedro Sousa criticizing the team for a "really poor game of the home side".[50] Benfica recovered their step when they played Gil Vicente at Estádio Adelino Ribeiro Novo on the 9th;[42] they took an early lead in the first half with a goal by Argel, with Drulovic doubling the score fifteen minutes later for a 2–0 victory.[51] On 18 March, Benfica played Farense at home.[52] Jesualdo played Simão upfront, and as Joaquim Semeano of Record stated, "the small-great player confirmed his good momentum, giving speed to the game every time he touched the ball". The team won 5–0 and regained third place over Porto.[53] They went on to win their third match in a row against Vitória Guimarães at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques with a score of 4–1, including a double from Miguel Monteiro.[54] However, just days later, Simão was severely injured while playing for the Portugal national football team, and was expected to miss several months.[55] At the last game of the month, Benfica hosted Braga with Jankauskas, Simão and Sokota all sidelined by injuries.[56] Without any firepower, the team took a 1–1 draw, allowing Porto to catch up in the league race.[52]

Benfica opened April in Azores against Santa Clara on the 6th.[52] Lacking attacking options, the team was unable to score and ended with a goalless draw; they remained ahead of Porto only with the goal difference.[57] On 14 April, Benfica received Paços de Ferreira at home. With two goals in the first half and another two in the second, the team won 4–0 and remained in third.[58] A week later, Benfica visited Sporting for the second Lisbon derby of the season. Despite a first score by Jankauskas, a mistake by Armando Sá allowed Sporting's Jardel to score from the penalty spot.[59] With its third draw in just one month, Benfica was overtaken by Porto in the league table, dropping to fourth.[60] On the 28th, Benfica hosted Boavista, knowing that by beating them, they would award the league title to Sporting.[61] The meet ended with a 2–1 win for Benfica, after Mantorras took advantage of an error from Bassey William Andem in the 81st minute, confirming the second title in three years for Sporting.[62]

Benfica played its last game of the season on 5 May, on the road against Marítimo.[52] They closed the season with a 2–3 loss.[63] 17 wins, twelve draws and five losses during the season gave Benfica a league score of 63 points, putting the team 12 behind champion Sporting, but crucially, five behind Porto, placing fourth and missing out on UEFA competitions for a second year in a row.[64][65]

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Competitions

Overall record

More information Competition, First match ...

Primeira Liga

League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: Primeira Divisão
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored

Results by round

More information Round, Ground ...
Source: FootballPortugal
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

11 August 2001 1 Varzim 2–2 Benfica Póvoa de Varzim
20:30 Fumo 83'
Cabral 96' (o.g.)
Report Zlatko Zahovič 15'
Fernando Meira 47'
Pesaresi Red card 60'
Porfirio Red card 95'
Stadium: Estádio do Varzim Sport Club
Attendance: 7,500
Referee: Isidoro Rodrigues
19 August 2001 2 Benfica 2–0 Salgueiros Lisbon
21:15 Tomo Šokota 54'
Zlatko Zahovič 74'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: João Vilas Boas
25 August 2001 3 Benfica 3–2 Vitória Setúbal Lisbon
21:00 Mantorras 32', 37', 69' Report Marco Ferreira 21'
Eliseu Yellow card 66' Yellow-red card 84'
Hugo Henrique 87'
Costa Red card 89'
Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Pedro Proença
9 September 2001 4 Beira Mar 3–3 Benfica Aveiro
21:15 Hugo 44' (pen.)
Fary 46', 48'
Report Mantorras 2'
Drulović 27'
Tomo Šokota 58'
Stadium: Estádio Mário Duarte
Referee: Isidoro Rodrigues
15 September 2001 5 Benfica 0–0 Porto Lisbon
21:00 Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Duarte Gomes
23 September 2001 6 Belenenses 1–1 Benfica Lisbon
20:30 Marcão 67' Report Mantorras 52' Stadium: Estádio do Restelo
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Augusto Duarte
30 September 2001 7 Benfica 3–2 Alverca Lisbon
21:00 Júlio César 7', 21'
Drulović 82'
Report Anderson Luiz 10', 86' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Paulo Costa
13 October 2001 8 União Leiria 1–1 Benfica Leiria
20:30 Derlei 41' Report Mawete 46' Stadium: Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Bruno Paixão
20 October 2001 9 Benfica 2–0 Gil Vicente Lisbon
19:00 Mawete 50'
Fernando Meira 79'
Report Sérgio Lomba Yellow card 58' Yellow-red card 79' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 17,800
Referee: Jacinto Paixão
26 October 2001 10 Farense 0–2 Benfica Faro
21:30 Report Hugo Gomes 37' (o.g.)
Simão 89'
Stadium: Estádio de São Luís
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Duarte Gomes
3 November 2001 11 Benfica 0–0 Vitória Guimarães Lisbon
20:00 Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Pedro Proença
24 November 2001 12 Braga 0–1 Benfica Braga
20:30 Idalécio Red card 60' Report Mantorras 69'
Cabral Red card 71'
Stadium: Estádio 1º de Maio
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: João Ferreira
2 December 2001 13 Benfica 2–1 Santa Clara Lisbon
19:00 Simão 20' (pen.)
Mantorras 40'
Caneira Yellow card 74' Yellow-red card 89'
Report Rui Gregório 4' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Bruno Paixão
8 December 2001 14 Paços de Ferreira 2–1 Benfica Paços de Ferreira
21:00 Zé Manel 10'
Leonardo 25'
Report João Manuel Pinto 13' Stadium: Estádio da Mata Real
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Martins dos Santos
15 December 2001 15 Benfica 2–2 Sporting Lisbon
20:00 Simão 11' (pen.)
Andrade Yellow card 37' Yellow-red card 53'
Zlatko Zahovič 55'
Report Mário Jardel 85' (pen.), 87' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 75,000
Referee: Duarte Gomes
23 December 2001 16 Boavista 1–0 Benfica Porto
18:00 Silva 6' Report Stadium: Estádio do Bessa
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Pedro Proença
5 January 2002 17 Benfica 1–1 Marítimo Lisbon
21:15 Mantorras 25' Report Gaúcho 9' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Paulo Baptista
12 January 2002 18 Benfica 3–2 Varzim Lisbon
19:00 Simão 47'
Jankauskas 53'
Carlitos 61'
Report Marco Freitas 9'
Margarido 44'
Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Bruno Paixão
19 January 2002 19 Salgueiros 1–4 Benfica Porto
21:15 João Pedro 45' Report Júlio César 18'
Jankauskas 48', 73'
Simão 88'
Stadium: Estádio Engenheiro Vidal Pinheiro
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Olegário Benquerença
27 January 2002 20 Vitória Setúbal 1–1 Benfica Setúbal
20:00 Ico 57' Report Carlitos 20' Stadium: Estádio do Bonfim
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Duarte Gomes
3 February 2002 21 Benfica 4–1 Beira Mar Lisbon
19:30 Simão 41'
Jankauskas 46', 81'
Mantorras 90'
Report Juninho Petrolina 6' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 14,200
Referee: Pedro Proença
10 February 2002 22 Porto 3–2 Benfica Porto
21:15 Deco 42'
Alenichev 49'
Capucho 54'
Report Simão 18'
Mantorras 55'
Stadium: Estádio das Antas
Attendance: 46.225
Referee: João Ferreira
17 February 2002 23 Benfica 2–1 Belenenses Lisbon
19:30 Simão 40'
Jankauskas 90+6'
Report Verona 43' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Martins dos Santos
24 February 2002 24 Alverca 1–3 Benfica Alverca
20:00 Cajú 79' Report Zlatko Zahovič 57'
João Manuel Pinto 59'
Drulović 89'
Stadium: Complexo Desportivo do Alverca FC
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: José Pratas
3 March 2002 25 Benfica 0–2 União Leiria Lisbon
17:45 Report Maciel 38'
Derlei 62'
Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 24,500
Referee: Paulo Paraty
9 March 2002 26 Gil Vicente 0–2 Benfica Barcelos
20:30 Report Argel 3'
Drulović 20'
Stadium: Estádio Adelino Ribeiro Novo
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Carlos Xistra
18 March 2002 27 Benfica 5–0 Farense Lisbon
21:00 Simão 18', 90'
Tiago 49'
Miguel 52'
Drulović 76'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Pedro Henriques
23 March 2002 28 Vitória Guimarães 1–4 Benfica Guimarães
19:00 Romeu Red card 37'
Fangueiro 48'
Report Miguel 34', 90'
Simão 70' (pen.)
Zlatko Zahovič 77'
Stadium: Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
Attendance: 13,680
Referee: Duarte Gomes
30 March 2002 29 Benfica 1–1 Braga Lisbon
17:00 Zlatko Zahovič 71' (pen.) Report Abiodun 52' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 16,200
Referee: Isidoro Rodrigues
6 April 2002 30 Santa Clara 0–0 Benfica Ponta Delgada
19:00 Report Stadium: Estádio de São Miguel
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: João Vilas Boas
14 April 2002 31 Benfica 4–0 Paços de Ferreira Lisbon
19:00 Andersson 25'
Miguel 43', 70'
Jankauskas 81'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 12,850
Referee: Vítor Pereira
21 April 2002 32 Sporting 1–1 Benfica Lisbon
21:30 Mário Jardel 89' (pen.) Report Jankauskas 73'
Argel Yellow card 61' Yellow-red card 89'
Zlatko Zahovič Yellow card 4' Yellow-red card 89'
Stadium: Estádio de Alvalade
Attendance: 42,290
Referee: Martins dos Santos
28 April 2002 33 Benfica 2–1 Boavista Lisbon
20:45 Argel 54'
Pesaresi Yellow card 61' Yellow-red card 76'
Mantorras 81'
Report Erwin Sánchez 40' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Paulo Baptista
5 May 2002 34 Marítimo 3–2 Benfica Funchal
16:00 Gaúcho 49', 86' (pen.)
Kenedy 72'
Report Mantorras 38', 55'
Toni Red card 84'
Stadium: Estádio dos Barreiros
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Lucílio Baptista

Taça de Portugal

17 November 2001 Fourth Rd Infesta 0–3 Benfica Infesta, Matosinhos
18:00 Report Marcelo 38', o.g.'
Drulović 40' (pen.)
Hugo Porfírio 90'
Stadium: Parque de Jogos Manuel Ramos
Referee: Paulo Pereira
12 December 2001 Fifth Rd Benfica 1–1 (a.e.t.) Marítimo Lisbon
21:15 Zlatko Zahovič 116' Report Joaquim Ferraz 92' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Referee: Lucílio Baptista
19 December 2001 5R Replay Marítimo 1–0 Benfica Funchal
16:00 Van der Gaag 17' Report Stadium: Estádio dos Barreiros
Referee: Paulo Paraty

Friendlies

13 July 2001 Benfica 3–2 Alverca Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
21:00 Fernando Meira
Mantorras
Tomo Šokota 88'
Report Anderson Luiz 13'
Tinaia 90'
Stadium: Campo da Mata
Attendance: 10,000
17 July 2001 Gland 0–13 Benfica Gland, Switzerland
19:00 Report Fernando Meira 2'
Bruno Aguiar 6'
Zlatko Zahovič 27', 37'
Miguel 29'
João Tomás 31'
Drulovic 41'
Tomo Šokota 50', 60'
Rui Baião 57'
Porfirio 58'
Mantorras 81'
Carlitos 90'
Stadium: Sporting Center En Bord
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Jean-Luc Schmid
18 July 2001 Bastia 0–1 Benfica Yverdon, Switzerland
19:00 Report Mantorras 8' Stadium: Stade Municipal
Attendance: 5,000
2 August 2001 Benfica 2–1 Feyenoord Guimarães, Portugal
21:00 Mantorras 6', 84' Report Tomasson 25' Stadium: Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Duarte Gomes
5 August 2001 Benfica 1–0 Fiorentina Lisbon, Portugal
21:00 Argel 7' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 80,000
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Player statistics

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The squad for the season consisted of the players listed in the tables below, as well as staff members Toni (manager) and Jesualdo Ferreira (manager).[66][67]

Note 1: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note 2: Players with squad numbers marked ‡ joined the club during the 2001–02 season via transfer, with more details in the following section.

More information No., Pos ...

Transfers

In

More information Entry date, Position ...

In by loan

More information Date from, Position ...

Out

More information Exit date, Position ...

Out by loan

More information Date from, Position ...
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Notes

  1. Same points as Porto, but lost the head-to-head

References

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