| 2017–18 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Luís Filipe Vieira | ||
| Manager | Rui Vitória | ||
| Stadium | Estádio da Luz | ||
| Primeira Liga | 2nd | ||
| Taça de Portugal | Fifth round | ||
| Taça da Liga | Third round | ||
| Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira | Winners | ||
| UEFA Champions League | Group stage | ||
| Top goalscorer | League:Jonas (34) All: Jonas (37) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 63,526 vPorto (15 April 2018) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 21,355 vPortimonense (20 December 2017) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 53,209 | ||
| Biggest win | Benfica 6–0Vitória de Setúbal (26 November 2017) | ||
| Biggest defeat | Basel 5–0 Benfica (27 September 2017) | ||
The 2017–18 season wasSport Lisboa e Benfica's114th season in existence and the club's84th consecutive season in the top flight ofPortuguese football. It started on 5 August 2017 with Benfica's victory in theSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira and concluded on 13 May 2018.[1]
Benfica played in thePrimeira Liga as four-time defending champions for the first time in their history and finished second. Benfica also entered theTaça de Portugal as title holders but were eliminated in the fifth round. Moreover, they were eliminated in the third round of theTaça da Liga.
Internationally, Benfica competed in theUEFA Champions League for the eight time in a row but failed to gain a single point in the group stage for their first time, finishing with a negative goal difference of 13, which became the worst campaign of a Portuguese team in that competition.[2]
On 29 June 2017, club presidentLuís Filipe Vieira gave the motto for the coming season, "Rumo ao Penta", and promised a renewed ambition to conquer an unprecedented fifth-straight Primeira Liga title for Benfica.[3] The following day, managerRui Vitória explained his approach to the new season: "We know that there's a goal previously assumed by the President and the best way to achieve it is to go on together, like it was the first time. It is fundamental to have the first time ambition. Humble and focused so that it can happen."[4] Despite the ambition, on 31 July, Vieira said "one can mortgage a title or another but not the future [of the club]", referring to a strategy of managing the club's debt through the sale of players.[5]
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Haris Seferovic,Filip Krovinović,Martin Chrien andBruno Varela transferred to Benfica.Diogo Gonçalves andRúben Dias were promoted fromBenfica B andJoão Carvalho integrated the team after a loan spell atVitória de Setúbal.
Benfica lost three players from the starting 11 before the season started: on 1 June,Ederson signed withManchester City for €40 million; on 14 June,Victor Lindelöf left toManchester United for €35 million; and on 14 July,Nélson Semedo moved toBarcelona for €30.5 million. On 31 July, referring to the club's sales, Vieira said, "Until we do not have control over the debt, we will not stop selling."[5]
Later in August, Benfica loaned outAndré Carrillo toWatford andAndré Horta toBraga, whileMile Svilar joined fromAnderlecht. On transfer deadline day, Benfica announced the signings ofDouglas andGabriel Barbosa, both on a one-year loan spell from their respective clubs. The same day,Kostas Mitroglou, Benfica's top goalscorer in theprevious season, was transferred toOlympique de Marseille for €15 million.
During the mid-season transfer window,Lisandro López signed withInter Milan on a half-year loan deal with an option to make the switch permanent. On 25 January,Filipe Augusto was loaned out toAlanyaspor for one-and-a-half years and Barbosa's contract was terminated.
The pre-season started on 30 June 2017 with the usual medical exams and physical tests atCaixa Futebol Campus and at Hospital da Luz. Until 12 July, the work schedule took place on the club's training ground. As for the team's commitments, the program included theUhrencup in Switzerland, a five-day stay in Algarve with two matches, and a stage atSt George's Park in England, from 23 to 28 July, before theEmirates Cup.[6] Benfica finished third in the Swiss tournament after a 5–1 defeat toYoung Boys.[7] The team redeemed itself with a victory in theAlgarve Football Cup thanks to a brace by newly signed Seferovic. On 26 July, Benfica played a behind-closed-doors friendly againstSwindon Town at Futebol Campus, where Seferovic andAndrija Živković scored for Benfica in a 2–1 win.[8] Once again, Benfica stood powerless in the Emirates Cup. By losing both matches, the team repeated itsfourth-place finish achieved in 2014. Due toChapecoense's cancellation, Benfica did not host theEusébio Cup in the pre-season for the first time since its first edition in 2008.
As with the previous season,[9] Benfica kept struggling with player injuries. On 17 June,Álex Grimaldo did not take part in Spain's squad for theUEFA European Under-21 Championship due to a "little injury" resulting in him missing the start of Benfica's pre-season.[10] Nine days after signing with Benfica, Krovinović underwent surgery on 23 June to correct a left inguinal hernia.[11] He was one of three players absent from the squad who travelled to Switzerland, along withLuisão (right knee injury) andEduardo Salvio (right tibiotarsal sprain).[12]André Almeida suffered a contusion on his right thigh, which prevented him from travelling to Algarve.[13]
For the opening match of the regular season, Benfica had five players on the injury list:Júlio César, Živković, Carrillo, Horta and Mitroglou.[14]Andreas Samaris was also not an option because he was serving the first of a four-match suspension for having punchedDiego Ivo on 9 April.[15] Benfica defeatedVitória de Guimarães 3–1 with goals fromJonas, Seferovic andRaúl Jiménez.Raphinha scored for Vitória. It was the first time Benfica managed to win back-to-backSuper Cup trophies. Seferovic made his official debut for Benfica and Varela, a former Benfica B player, debuted for the first team after being called-up to the substitutes' bench nine times since 2011.[16][17] Grimaldo suffered a muscular injury on his right leg and was substituted forEliseu in the 75th minute.[18]
With three consecutive victories, Benfica achieved their best start in the Primeira Liga since the2004–05 season. By scoring a goal in each of those matches, Seferovic managed to score in his first four official appearances for Benfica, repeating the feat ofMário Coluna andNolito (all behindEusébio).[19] A 1–1 draw atRio Ave, in a match whereJardel was substituted due to injury on his right tight,[20][21] left Benfica in third place of theleague by the end of August. After losing 2–1 atBoavista and drawing 1–1 withMarítimo at theEstádio dos Barreiros, Benfica were 5 points behind leadersPorto before October's international break.
Benfica won their next three matches but maintained the point difference to the top of the table. By scoring, at least, one goal per match between Match 3 and Match 11, Jonas became the third Benfica player to score in nine consecutive Primeira Liga matches afterJulinho (1949–50) and Eusébio (1964–65).[22] He improved his mark by scoring in the following match. Benfica ended 2017 with 36 points, 3 less than theirtwo rivals.
2018 started with theLisbon derby at home, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Midway through January, in a match againstChaves, Krovinović suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee.[23][24] The results of round 21 lifted Benfica into second place, thus surpassingSporting CP on the account of the goal difference criteria. Despite the ascendant in the league table, Benfica still could not avoid player injuries;[25] Salvio suffered another right knee injury[26] and was submitted to anarthroscopy.[27]
After a 5–0 home win on 3 March, Benfica achieved five consecutive victories for the first time during the season. On 10 March, Benfica assured a place in Europa League's qualifying rounds. On round 28, Benfica regained the first place, with a one-point lead over Porto. The nine-match win streak came to an end after a 1–0 home defeat inO Clássico, a result that also culminated in a return to the second place. It was the fourth match in a row Benfica could not beat Porto at the Estádio da Luz (two draws and two defeats), a negative record achieved for the third time.[28] With a 3–2 home loss toTondela, Benfica suffered two consecutive league defeats at Estádio da Luz for the first time since the2008–09 season.[29]
With a 1–0 home win againstMoreirense on the last matchday, Benfica attained 80+ points in the Primeira Liga for the fourth consecutive season. Due to the defeat of Sporting CP atFunchal, Benfica's result allowed the club to secure the second place and the qualification for the2018–19 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
"It did not went well. It started early with the first game... but there is life beyond the Champions League. We are looking to win the domestic competitions."
Twenty five players made Benfica's list for the group stage of theUEFA Champions League.[31] Benfica started the European campaign with a 2–1 home defeat toCSKA Moscow, in what was their first loss of the season. On 27 September, Benfica moved to the bottom of Group A after a 5–0 away loss toBasel. It was Benfica's biggest defeat in the UEFA Champions League (tied with the loss toBorussia Dortmund in the1963–64 European Cup) andsecond overall in international competition.
On 18 October, Svilar became the youngest goalkeeper to play in Champions League,[32] in a match where Benfica suffered a 1–0 home loss againstManchester United. Benfica was eliminated from European competitions after a 2–0 away loss to CSKA Moscow. By failing to score, Benfica put an end toIgor Akinfeev's streak of 43 straight UEFA Champions League group stage matches without a clean sheet.[33] Also, with this result, Benfica lost 6 consecutive European matches for the first time in their history.[citation needed] This entry increased to seven consecutive losses with a 2–0 home defeat on the last matchday. Benfica became the nineteenth club, and the first seeded into Pot 1, tofinish the UEFA Champions League group stage with 0 points.
Benfica started with a 1–1 home draw against Braga, in a match where Krovinović made his official debut. It was the first time since 2007 that Benfica did not win in the competition at theEstádio da Luz, ending a 20-home-game win run.[34] After the final whistle, Samaris was involved in an altercation withPaulinho and saw a yellow card. Six days later, Samaris was punished by the Disciplinary Committee with a three-match suspension, missing Primeira Liga fixtures.[35] Benfica continued to perform under expectations and, on 20 December, they had another home draw, despite having a 2–0 lead before the break. Two days later, they were eliminated from the competition after Vitória de Setúbal defeated Braga. With a third draw in the last match, Benfica ended their participation in theTaça da Liga without a single win for the first time.
On 14 October, Benfica beatOlhanense 1–0 away from home in the third round ofTaça de Portugal. The match was initially scheduled to be played at theEstádio José Arcanjo but was changed to theEstádio Algarve.[36] Four players (Júlio César, Eliseu, Jardel and Jonas) missed the game due to injury,[37] while Douglas, Carvalho and Svilar made their debut for Benfica. On 13 December, for the second time in this season, Benfica could not win at theEstádio dos Arcos. After a 2–2 draw at the end of regulation time,Hélder Guedes scored the winning goal for Rio Ave, thus eliminating the reigning title holders. Luisão got injured (right thigh muscle injury[38]) during the second half's stoppage time, leaving Benfica to play the extra time in numerical disadvantage.[39]
On 11 June, Vieira regretted the club's disappointing season overall and took responsibility for not managing to win thepenta and for the negative campaign in the Champions League. Despite that, he denied disinvestment in the football team and highlighted its competitiveness.[40] Former Benfica player and sporting directorAntónio Simões criticised the team's lack of quality and said, "With this squad and other rivals reinforcing themselves, Benfica will not win again."[41] By failing to win the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal, Benfica did not qualify for the2018 edition of the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, breaking a streak of four consecutive appearances at the competition.
Five Benfica players were called by their respective national team to take part in the2018 FIFA World Cup: Dias (Portugal), Salvio (Argentina), Živković (Serbia), Seferovic (Switzerland) and Jiménez (Mexico).
On 7 July, Benfica announced thatShéu Han, the team's technical secretary since 1989, decided to leave his post.[42] On 31 July,Paulo Lopes announced his retirement viaInstagram, making this his last season as a professional footballer.[43] Similarly, Eliseu also retired after his contract was not renewed, even though he said in a 2019 interview that his career was on standby.[44] Although Luisão integrated the squad for thefollowing season, his last professional match was on round 34 of Primeira Liga, before retiring on 25 September.[45]
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| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Rui Vitória |
| Assistant coach | Sérgio Botelho Marco Pedroso Minervino Pietra Arnaldo Teixeira |
| Rehabilitation physiotherapist | Bruno Mendes |
| Goalkeeping coach | Luís Esteves |
| Fitness coach | Paulo Morão |
| Match observer scout | Luís Figueiredo Renato Sousa |
| Physiotherapist | Telmo Firmino Paulo Rebelo |
| Scout | José Boto |
| Technical secretary | Shéu |
| Doctor | Bento Leitão António Martins Lluís Til |
| Nurse | Duarte Pinto |
| President | Luís Filipe Vieira |
| Vice-president | Sílvio Cérvan José Eduardo Moniz |
| Chairman | Domingos Soares de Oliveira Rui Costa |
| Communications director | Luís Bernardo Ricardo Lemos |
| Ground(capacity and dimensions) | Estádio da Luz(64,642 / 105×68 metres) |
| Training ground | Caixa Futebol Campus |
Source: [46]
| N | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Age | Since | App | Goals | Ends | Transfer fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK |  | Svilar | 18 | 2017 | 9 | 0 | 2022 | €4.5M | |
| 3 | LB |  | Grimaldo | 22 | 2016(Winter) | 63 | 3 | 2021 | €2.12M | |
| 4 | CB |  | Luisão (captain) | 37 | 2003 | 538 | 46 | 2018 | Undisclosed | |
| 5 | DM |  | Fejsa | 29 | 2013 | 131 | 2 | 2021 | Undisclosed | |
| 7 | CM |  | Samaris | 29 | 2014 | 135 | 3 | 2019 | €10M | |
| 8 | RB | | Douglas | 27 | 2017 | 10 | 0 | 2018 | Undisclosed | On loan fromBarcelona |
| 9 | ST |  | Raúl | 27 | 2015 | 120 | 30 | 2020 | €21.8M | Record signing |
| 10 | ST | | Jonas | 34 | 2014 | 152 | 122 | 2019 | Free | |
| 13 | GK |  | Paulo Lopes | 40 | 2012 | 11 | 0 | 2018 | Free | Originally fromyouth system |
| 14 | FW |  | Seferovic | 26 | 2017 | 27 | 7 | 2022 | €3.9M | |
| 17 | RW | | Živković | 21 | 2016 | 54 | 4 | 2021 | €6M | |
| 18 | RW |  | Salvio | 27 | 2010–2011 2012 | 238 | 55 | 2019 | €13.5M | Played on loan in the2010–11 season |
| 19 | LB | | Eliseu | 34 | 2014 | 109 | 4 | 2018 | Undisclosed | |
| 20 | MF |  | Krovinović | 22 | 2017 | 19 | 2 | 2022 | €3.5M | |
| 21 | CM | | Pizzi | 28 | 2014 | 175 | 31 | 2022 | €14M | |
| 22 | LW | | F. Cervi | 24 | 2016 | 78 | 11 | 2022 | €5.74M | |
| 27 | LW | | Silva | 25 | 2016 | 56 | 3 | 2021 | €16.4M | |
| 30 | GK | | B. Varela | 23 | 2017 | 35 | 0 | 2022 | Undisclosed | Originally fromyouth system |
| 33 | CB | | Jardel (VC) | 32 | 2011(Winter) | 211 | 13 | 2020 | Undisclosed | |
| 34 | RB | | A. Almeida | 27 | 2012 | 196 | 4 | 2021 | Undisclosed | |
| 66 | CB | | Rúben Dias | 21 | 2017 | 29 | 3 | 2021 | Youth system | Promoted fromBenfica B |
| 84 | FW | | D. Gonçalves | 21 | 2017 | 13 | 0 | 2021 | Youth system | Promoted fromBenfica B |
| 90 | MF | | J. Carvalho | 21 | 2017 | 10 | 0 | 2021 | Youth system |
| No. | Pos | Player | Contract length | Contract end | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | LB | Eliseu | 1 year | 2018 | 19 July 2017 | Benfica |
| 34 | RB | André Almeida | 3 years | 2021 | 11 August 2017 | Benfica |
| 5 | DM | Ljubomir Fejsa | 2 years | 2021 | 11 September 2017 | Benfica |
| — | CM | Talisca | 1 year | 2020 | 10 January 2018[48] | Record |
| — | LB | Yuri Ribeiro | 5 years | 2023 | 19 May 2018 | Benfica |
| 9 | FW | Raúl Jiménez | 1 year | 2021 | Undisclosed | Record |
Sponsors:Emirates[50][51] (front),Sagres[52] (back)
Home kit: Inspired by a model used in the 1960s, this vivid red kit featured a classical design with a white polo collar and white sleeve cuffs. On the front, the manufacturer logo and the iconic sponsor phrase "Fly Emirates" were both white, as well as the beer brand logo on the back. The shirt also presented an embroidered symbol at the bottom, allusive to the 75th birthday of Eusébio.[53] The shorts were white and the socks were in the same red shade as the shirt's. The first appearance of this kit was againstNeuchâtel Xamax on 13 July.[54]
Away kit: The alternative kit featured two tones of grey, with the body of the shirt being lighter and the sleeves and necktie (V-neck) darker. The three white Adidas' stripes were displayed vertically along the sides of the shirt. The club's badge was monochromatic and, just like in the previous seasons, it had the three stars above, each representing 10 league titles won by the club.[55] The shorts were dark grey and the socks were predominantly light grey, with the exception of a horizontal stripe. The first appearance of this kit was againstReal Betis on 20 July.[56]
On 26 April 2017, it was announced that Benfica would take part in the Emirates Cup.[57] It was the club's second participation in the tournament, after the presence in 2014.[58] On 17 May, the schedule for the Uhrencup was announced; Benfica played against Neuchâtel Xamax and Young Boys.[59] On 20 July, Benfica faced Real Betis in the Algarve Football Cup.[60][61] On 30 June, Benfica announced their pre-season program, which included a standalone friendly match againstHull City on 22 July.[6]
A match between Benfica and Chapecoense was announced on 21 April, to be played on 22 July as part of the annual Eusébio Cup, but it was cancelled on 13 June due to incompatibilities with the Brazilian's team schedule, according to theBrazilian Football Confederation.[62]
Win Draw Loss
| 13 July 2017Uhrencup | Benfica | 2–0 | Neuchâtel Xamax | Grenchen, Switzerland |
| 20:00CEST |
| Report | Stadium:Stadion Brühl Referee: Vladimir Ocharov (Switzerland) |
| 15 July 2017Uhrencup | Benfica | 1–5 | Young Boys | Biel, Switzerland |
| 17:00CEST | Jonas 22' 31' | Report | Stadium:Tissot Arena Attendance: 5,200[63] Referee:Sascha Amhof (Switzerland) |
| 20 July 2017Algarve Football Cup | Benfica | 2–1 | Real Betis | Faro andLoulé |
| 20:30WEST | Seferovic 15',50' | Report | León 32' | Stadium:Estádio Algarve Referee: Luís Godinho (Évora) |
| 22 July 2017Friendly | Benfica | 0–1 | Hull City | Faro andLoulé |
| 20:30WEST | Filipe Augusto 90+2' | Report | Stadium:Estádio Algarve Referee: Hélder Malheiro (Lisbon) & Nuno Almeida (Algarve)[c] |
| 29 July 2017Emirates Cup | Arsenal | 5–2 | Benfica | London, England |
| 16:20BST | Report | Stadium:Emirates Stadium Attendance: 54,538[64] Referee:Anthony Taylor (England) |
| 30 July 2017Emirates Cup | RB Leipzig | 2–0 | Benfica | London, England |
| 16:20BST |
| Report | Stadium:Emirates Stadium Referee:Peter Green (Australia) |
On 8 September, the Eusébio Cup match was again announced, this time withRangers as guests.[65][66] It was scheduled to take place in Canada on 6 October, but Benfica announced its cancellation on 30 September due to the promoters' (Elite Soccer Entertainment) non-compliance with deadlines.[67][68] "Unforeseen reasons and poor ticket sales" were the explanations given by the organising entity for the unexpected outcome.[69][70]
| Competition | Starting round | Final position/round | First match | Last match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primeira Liga | N/a | 2nd | 9 August 2017 | 13 May 2018 |
| Taça de Portugal | Third round | Fifth round | 14 October 2017 | 13 December 2017 |
| Taça da Liga | Third round | Third round | 20 September 2017 | 29 December 2017 |
| Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira | N/a | Winners | 5 August 2017 | |
| UEFA Champions League | Group stage | Group stage | 12 September 2017 | 5 December 2017 |
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% | Top scorer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primeira Liga | 34 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 79 | 22 | +57 | 073.53 | Jonas, 34 |
| Taça de Portugal | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 066.67 | 5 players, 1 |
| Taça da Liga | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | +0 | 000.00 | 5 players, 1 |
| Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 100.00 | 5 players, 1 |
| UEFA Champions League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 000.00 | Haris Seferovic, 1 |
| Total | 47 | 28 | 9 | 10 | 93 | 45 | +48 | 059.57 | Jonas, 37 |
| 5 August 2017 | Benfica | 3–1 | Vitória de Guimarães | Aveiro |
| 20:45WEST | Report | Stadium:Estádio Municipal de Aveiro Attendance: 29,100 Referee:Artur Soares Dias (Porto) Man of the Match:Pizzi[71] |
On 5 July 2017,Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional announced nine stipulations for thePrimeira Liga fixture draw that took place on 7 July. Among previous conditions, two new were added, with one directly concerning Benfica: the two teams who would play theSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira could not play against Sporting CP (Portuguese team in the UEFA Champions League play-off round) on the first two matchdays.[72]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porto(C) | 34 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 82 | 18 | +64 | 88 | Qualification for theChampions League group stage |
| 2 | Benfica | 34 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 80 | 22 | +58 | 81 | Qualification for theChampions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Sporting CP | 34 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 63 | 24 | +39 | 78 | Qualification for theEuropa League group stage[a] |
| 4 | Braga | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 74 | 29 | +45 | 75 | Qualification for theEuropa League third qualifying round[a] |
| 5 | Rio Ave | 34 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 40 | 42 | −2 | 51 | Qualification for theEuropa League second qualifying round[a] |
| 9 August 20171 | Benfica | 3–1 | Braga | Lisbon |
| 21:00WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 58,826 Referee: Carlos Xistra (Castelo Branco) |
| 14 August 20172 | Chaves | 0–1 | Benfica | Chaves |
| 21:00WEST (UTC+01:00) | Pereira 90+5' | Report | Stadium:Estádio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira Attendance: 8,480 Referee:Jorge Sousa (Porto) |
| 19 August 20173 | Benfica | 5–0 | Belenenses | Lisbon |
| 20:30WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Hanin 53' | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 56,262 Referee: Rui Costa (Porto) |
| 26 August 20174 | Rio Ave | 1–1 | Benfica | Vila do Conde |
| 20:30WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report |
| Stadium:Estádio dos Arcos Attendance: 8,614 Referee: Hugo Miguel (Lisbon) |
| 8 September 20175 | Benfica | 2–1 | Portimonense | Lisbon |
| 21:00WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 52,795 Referee: Gonçalo Martins (Vila Real) |
| 16 September 20176 | Boavista | 2–1 | Benfica | Porto |
| 18:15WEST (UTC+01:00) |
| Report | Stadium:Estádio do Bessa Attendance: 12,312 Referee:Artur Soares Dias (Porto) |
| 23 September 20177 | Benfica | 2–0 | Paços de Ferreira | Lisbon |
| 20:30WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Leão 90+1' | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 47,309 Referee: Carlos Xistra (Castelo Branco) |
| 1 October 20178 | Marítimo | 1–1 | Benfica | Funchal |
| 20:15WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio dos Barreiros Attendance: 9,537 Referee:Jorge Sousa (Porto) |
| 22 October 20179 | Desportivo das Aves | 1–3 | Benfica | Vila das Aves |
| 18:00WEST (UTC±00:00) | Defendi 75' | Report | Stadium:Estádio do CD Aves Attendance: 5,450 Referee: Nuno Almeida (Algarve) |
| 27 October 201710 | Benfica | 1–0 | Feirense | Lisbon |
| 19:00WEST (UTC±00:00) | Jonas 11' | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 47,207 Referee: Luís Godinho (Évora) |
| 5 November 201711 | Vitória de Guimarães | 1–3 | Benfica | Guimarães |
| 18:00WET (UTC±00:00) | Martins 85' | Report | Stadium:Estádio D. Afonso Henriques Attendance: 25,702 Referee:Artur Soares Dias (Porto) |
| 26 November 201712 | Benfica | 6–0 | Vitória de Setúbal | Lisbon |
| 20:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Pinto 33'  44' | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 47,632 Referee: Luís Godinho (Évora) |
| 1 December 201713 | Porto | 0–0 | Benfica | Porto |
| 20:30WET (UTC±00:00) | Otávio 62' | Report | Stadium:Estádio do Dragão Attendance: 49,809 Referee:Jorge Sousa (Porto) |
| 9 December 201714 | Benfica | 3–1 | Estoril | Lisbon |
| 18:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 49,520 Referee:João Pinheiro (Braga) |
| 17 December 201715 | Tondela | 1–5 | Benfica | Tondela |
| 20:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio João Cardoso Attendance: 4,987 Referee:Tiago Martins (Lisbon) |
| 3 January 201816 | Benfica | 1–1 | Sporting CP | Lisbon |
| 21:30WET (UTC±00:00) | Report |
| Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 61,996 Referee: Hugo Miguel (Lisbon) |
| 7 January 201817 | Moreirense | 0–2 | Benfica | Moreira de Cónegos |
| 16:00WET (UTC±00:00) | Sagna 48' | Report | Stadium:Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas Attendance: 4,507 Referee: Manuel Mota (Braga) |
| 13 January 201818 | Braga | 1–3 | Benfica | Braga |
| 20:30WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio Municipal de Braga Attendance: 20,407 Referee:Artur Soares Dias (Porto) |
| 20 January 201819 | Benfica | 3–0 | Chaves | Lisbon |
| 18:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 57,383 Referee: Bruno Esteves (Setúbal) |
| 29 January 201820 | Belenenses | 1–1 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| 21:00WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio do Restelo Attendance: 9,268 Referee:Bruno Paixão (Setúbal) |
| 3 February 201821 | Benfica | 5–1 | Rio Ave | Lisbon |
| 18:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 53,828 Referee: Manuel Oliveira (Porto) |
| 10 February 201822 | Portimonense | 1–3 | Benfica | Portimão |
| 20:30WET (UTC±00:00) |
| Report | Stadium:Estádio Municipal de Portimão Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Carlos Xistra (Castelo Branco) |
| 17 February 201823 | Benfica | 4–0 | Boavista | Lisbon |
| 18:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 56,884 Referee:Tiago Martins (Lisbon) |
| 24 February 201824 | Paços de Ferreira | 1–3 | Benfica | Paços de Ferreira |
| 20:30WET (UTC±00:00) |
| Report | Stadium:Estádio Capital do Móvel Attendance: 8,810 Referee: Fábio Veríssimo (Leiria) |
| 3 March 201825 | Benfica | 5–0 | Marítimo | Lisbon |
| 18:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 52,460 Referee: Hélder Malheiro (Lisbon) |
| 10 March 201826 | Benfica | 2–0 | Desportivo das Aves | Lisbon |
| 11:45WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 50,050 Referee: Rui Costa (Porto) |
| 17 March 201827 | Feirense | 0–2 | Benfica | Santa Maria da Feira |
| 18:15WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio Marcolino de Castro Attendance: 5,449 Referee: Manuel Mota (Braga) |
| 31 March 201828 | Benfica | 2–0 | Vitória de Guimarães | Lisbon |
| 18:15WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 56,402 Referee: Carlos Xistra (Castelo Branco) |
| 7 April 201829 | Vitória de Setúbal | 1–2 | Benfica | Setúbal |
| 20:30WEST (UTC+01:00) |
| Report | Stadium:Estádio do Bonfim Attendance: 13,739 Referee: Luís Godinho (Évora) |
| 15 April 201830 | Benfica | 0–1 | Porto | Lisbon |
| 18:00WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 63,526 Referee:Artur Soares Dias (Porto) |
| 21 April 201831 | Estoril | 1–2 | Benfica | Estoril |
| 20:30WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio António Coimbra da Mota Attendance: 6,415 Referee: Hugo Miguel (Lisbon) |
| 28 April 201832 | Benfica | 2–3 | Tondela | Lisbon |
| 18:15WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 50,547 Referee: Nuno Almeida (Algarve) |
| 5 May 201833 | Sporting CP | 0–0 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| 20:30WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Jardel 71' | Stadium:Estádio José Alvalade Attendance: 49,339 Referee: Carlos Xistra (Castelo Branco) |
| 13 May 201834 | Benfica | 1–0 | Moreirense | Lisbon |
| 18:00WEST (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 41,926 Referee: Fábio Veríssimo (Leiria) |
| 14 October 2017 | Olhanense | 0–1 | Benfica | Faro andLoulé |
| 19:00WEST (UTC+01:00) | Léléco 79' | Report | Barbosa 4' | Stadium:Estádio Algarve Referee:Bruno Paixão (Setúbal) |
| 18 November 2017 | Benfica | 2–0 | Vitória de Setúbal | Lisbon |
| 18:15WET (UTC+01:00) |
| Report | Podstawski 37' | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Referee: João Capela (Lisbon) |
| 13 December 2017 | Rio Ave | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Benfica | Vila do Conde |
| 21:00WET (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio dos Arcos Referee: Fábio Veríssimo (Leiria) |
Initially,Real was drawn into group A of the Taça da Liga; however, due to the irregular use ofAbou Touré, the Disciplinary Committee of the Portuguese Football Federation awarded the team with an administrative loss in their second round match. After reformulation, Real was replaced byPortimonense.[73]
Matches 2 and 3 were originally intended to be played on 25 October and 29 November, respectively, but were rescheduled to 20 and 29 December.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | VSE | BEN | PRT | BRA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitória de Setúbal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 7 | Advance toknockout phase | — | 2–2 | — | 2–1 | |
| 2 | Benfica | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | — | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | Portimonense | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 2 | 1–2 | — | — | — | ||
| 4 | Braga | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 | — | — | 2–2 | — |
| 20 September 20171 | Benfica | 1–1 | Braga | Lisbon |
| 21:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 24,160 Referee: Bruno Esteves (Setúbal) |
| 20 December 20172 | Benfica | 2–2 | Portimonense | Lisbon |
| 19:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 21,355 Referee: Manuel Oliveira (Porto) |
| 29 December 20173 | Vitória de Setúbal | 2–2 | Benfica | Setúbal |
| 21:15WET (UTC±00:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio do Bonfim Attendance: 2,736 Referee: Luís Ferreira (Braga) |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MUN | BSL | CSKA | BEN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Manchester United | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 15 | Advance toknockout phase | — | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | |
| 2 | Basel | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 12 | 1–0 | — | 1–2 | 5–0 | ||
| 3 |  CSKA Moscow | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 9 | Transfer toEuropa League | 1–4 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | |
| 4 | Benfica | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | — |
CSKA Moscow| 12 September 20171 | Benfica | 1–2 | CSKA Moscow | Lisbon, Portugal |
| 20:45CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 38,323 Referee:Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) |
vBenfica| 27 September 20172 | Basel | 5–0 | Benfica | Basel, Switzerland |
| 20:45CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium:St. Jakob-Park Attendance: 34,111 Referee:Craig Thomson (Scotland) |
Manchester United| 18 October 20173 | Benfica | 0–1 | Manchester United | Lisbon, Portugal |
| 20:45CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 57,684 Referee:Felix Zwayer (Germany) |
vBenfica| 31 October 20174 | Manchester United | 2–0 | Benfica | Manchester, England |
| 20:45CET (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:Old Trafford Attendance: 74,437 Referee:Gediminas Mažeika (Lithuania) |
vBenfica| 22 November 20175 | CSKA Moscow | 2–0 | Benfica | Moscow, Russia |
| 18:00CET (UTC+01:00) | Report | Stadium:VEB Arena Attendance: 27,709 Referee:Deniz Aytekin (Germany) |
Basel| 5 December 20176 | Benfica | 0–2 | Basel | Lisbon, Portugal |
| 20:45CET (UTC+01:00) | Samaris 68' | Report |
| Stadium:Estádio da Luz Attendance: 22,470 Referee:Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain) |
Benfica used a total of 28 players during the 2017–18 season, with one being from theB squad. Three players did not make a first-team appearance in the campaign: Lopes,Branimir Kalaica andChris Willock.Pizzi featured in 45 matches – the most of any squad member.
The team scored a total of 93 goals (including 1 own goal) in all competitions and there were 17 different goalscorers. The season's top scorer was Jonas, with 37 goals.
Nineteen players were booked during the season. Three of them were sent off: Almeida, Luisão and Živković.
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Primeira Liga | Taça de Portugal | Taça da Liga | Supertaça | Champions League | Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||||
| 1 | GK | | Mile Svilar | 3 | 0 | -2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -3 | — | 3 | 0 | -5 | 9 | 0 | -10 | ||
| 3 | DF | | Álex Grimaldo | 28 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | DF | | Luisão | 16 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | | Ljubomir Fejsa | 27 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | | Andreas Samaris | 4 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 1 |
| 8 | DF | | Douglas | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 9 | FW | | Raúl Jiménez | 6 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 33 | 8 |
| 10 | FW | | Jonas | 29 | 1 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 5 | 37 |
| 13 | GK | | Paulo Lopes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | | Haris Seferovic | 9 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 7 |
| 16 | DF | | Branimir Kalaica | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 17 | MF | | Andrija Živković | 17 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 8 | 3 |
| 18 | MF | | Eduardo Salvio | 19 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 8 | 9 |
| 19 | DF | | Eliseu | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | | Filip Krovinović | 9 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 21 | MF | | Pizzi | 31 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 3 | 6 |
| 22 | MF | | Franco Cervi | 29 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 4 | 4 |
| 24 | FW | | Chris Willock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 27 | MF | | Rafa Silva | 13 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 3 |
| 30 | GK | | Bruno Varela | 29 | 0 | -19 | 2 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 0 | -4 | 34 | 1 | -28 |
| 33 | DF | | Jardel | 26 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 2 |
| 34 | DF | | André Almeida | 31 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 2 |
| 42 | MF |  | Martin Chrien | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 55 | MF |  | Keaton Parks(B) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 66 | DF | | Rúben Dias | 23 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 4 |
| 84 | FW | | Diogo Gonçalves | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| 90 | FW | | João Carvalho | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Players transferred out during the season | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | | Lisandro López | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | | Filipe Augusto | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | | Gabriel Barbosa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 12 | GK | | Júlio César | 2 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -5 | 4 | 0 | -7 |
(B) – Benfica B player
| Player | Against | Result | Date | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonas | Belenenses | 5–0 (H) | 19 August 2017 | Primeira Liga |
| Marítimo | 5–0 (H) | 3 March 2018 |
(H) – Home; (A) – Away
| No. | Player | Primeira Liga | Taça de Portugal | Taça da Liga | Supertaça | Champions League | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mile Svilar | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 12 | Júlio César | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 30 | Bruno Varela | 13 | 1 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Totals | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | |
The number in parentheses represents the shared match on match 3 against Vitória de Setúbal, where Varela was the goalkeeper who was substituted on, whilst Svilar was the one on the field at the start of play.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Primeira Liga | Taça de Portugal | Taça da Liga | Supertaça | Champions League | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | |  | | | | |||
| 1 | GK | Mile Svilar | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 3 | DF | Álex Grimaldo | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
| 4 | DF | Luisão | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | |||||
| 5 | MF | Ljubomir Fejsa | 8 | 8 | |||||||||
| 6 | MF | Filipe Augusto | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| 7 | MF | Andreas Samaris | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
| 9 | FW | Raúl Jiménez | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
| 10 | FW | Jonas | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 14 | FW | Haris Seferovic | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||
| 17 | MF | Andrija Živković | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | ||||
| 18 | MF | Eduardo Salvio | 4 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||
| 19 | DF | Eliseu | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||
| 21 | MF | Pizzi | 5 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||
| 22 | MF | Franco Cervi | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 30 | GK | Bruno Varela | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 33 | DF | Jardel | 5 | 5 | |||||||||
| 34 | DF | André Almeida | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | |||||
| 66 | DF | Rúben Dias | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||
| 84 | FW | Diogo Gonçalves | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| Totals | 55 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 76 | 2 | 1 | ||
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| No. | Pos | Name | Award | Period | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | FW | Jonas | Samsung/Liga NOS Player of the Month | October/November | [74] |
| December | [75] | ||||
| January | [76] | ||||
| February | [77] | ||||
| March | [78] | ||||
| Liga NOS Forward of the Month | January | [76] | |||
| February | [77] | ||||
| March | [78] | ||||
| SJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year | 2017 | [79] | |||
| Cosme Damião Award – Footballer of the Year | [80] | ||||
| Bola de Prata | 2017–18 | [81] | |||
| 21 | MF | Pizzi | SJPF Primeira Liga Team of the Year | 2017 | [79] |
| 22 | MF | Franco Cervi | Liga NOS Goal of the Month | February | [77] |
| 30 | GK | Bruno Varela | SJPF Young Player of the Month | December | [82] |
| Liga NOS Goalkeeper of the Month | March | [78] | |||
| 66 | DF | Rúben Dias | Cosme Damião Award – Revelation | 2017 | [80] |
| Liga NOS Defender of the Month | March | [78] | |||
| LPFP Breakthrough Player | 2017–18 | [83] |
| Name | Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rui Vitória | Liga NOS Manager of the Month | January | [76] |
| Cosme Damião Award – Coach of the Year | 2017 | [80] |
Mais à frente, Vieira sublinhou que se "pode hipotecar um título, mas não o futuro" do clube da Luz.
