S.L. Benfica (handball)

Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɨˈpɔɾ liʒˈβoɐ i βɐ̃jˈfikɐ] ⓘ), commonly known as Benfica, is a professional handball team based in Lisbon, Portugal.

Benfica
Full nameSport Lisboa e Benfica
Nickname(s)As Águias (The Eagles)
Os Encarnados (The Reds)
Founded8 May 1932 (1932-05-08)
(parent club in 1904)
ArenaPavilhão da Luz Nº 2
Capacity1,800
PresidentFilipe Gomes[1]
Head coachJota González[2]
CaptainPaulo Moreno
LeagueAndebol 1
2022–23Andebol 1, 3rd of 16
Club colours   
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Home
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Away
Website
Official site
Active departments of S.L. Benfica
Football
(men's)		 Football B
(men's)		 Football U19
(men's)
Football
(women's)		 Futsal Roller hockey
Basketball Handball Volleyball
Athletics Swimming Rugby union
Table tennis Billiards Canoeing

Benfica play in the top tier domestic league, Andebol 1, and hold home matches at the Pavilhão da Luz Nº 2. Since its inception in 1932, Benfica have won 7 Portuguese League titles, 6 Portuguese Cups, 2 Portuguese League Cups, and 7 Portuguese Super Cups. Internationally, Benfica won the EHF European League in 2021–22, becoming the first Portuguese club to win the competition.

In addition to the club's men's reserve team, Benfica B, playing in the second division,[3] Benfica also has a women's team, who are the current Portuguese champions, having won 9 League titles, 8 Cups, and 4 Super Cups.

History

Beginning

Founded on 8 May 1932, Benfica's handball section endured a troubled start shortly after being founded. It was inactive from 1939 to 1942–43 because of a conflict between Benfica and the Portuguese Handball Federation.[4] Until the 1960s, handball was played by eleven players, and after 1962–63, in another dispute with the federation, Benfica closed the eleven players team and opted for the current team handball.[5] The handball section did not achieve success until 1961–62, being overshadowed by the football, cycling, basketball and roller hockey sections of the club during that time.

Golden years

After a period of dominance by crosstown rivals Sporting CP, Benfica experienced great success in the 1980s and early 1990s, when was led by coach Eugene Troffin, and later by Ângelo Pintado,[6] along with players such as Paulo Bunze, Swedish international Fredrik Appelgren,[7] Dogărescu, Covaciu and Drăgăniță,[8] goalkeeper João Santa Bárbara, wingman Mário Gentil,[9] Vasco Vasconcelos, Luís Lopes and Rui Ferreira;[10] Benfica won four national championships, three Portuguese Cup and two Portuguese Super Cup.

Decay

In the 1997–98 season, club president João Vale e Azevedo decided to shut down the section.[11] It was restarted in the next season, but from the Regional Championship, four divisions away from the top flight.[12]

Rebuilding years

In 2005, after years in anonymity, Benfica hired former ABC Braga coach Aleksander Donner on a three-year deal.[13] Because of a dispute between Liga and the Handball Federation, which managed the Divisão de Elite, there were two simultaneous championships. In the 2005–06 season, Benfica played in the Divisão de Elite. In 2006–07, Benfica joined the Liga Portuguesa de Andebol along with Sporting CP. During that season, Benfica won their first title since 1994, the League Cup.[14] In the following season, Benfica finally achieved their first league title since 1990.[15] Despite the success, Aleksander Donner did not renew his contract at the end of the season.[16]

Recent years

To replace Donner, Benfica hired José António Silva, who won three titles in three years: the 2008–09 League Cup, 2010–11 Portuguese Cup[17] and 2010 Super Cup.[18] In the 2010–11 season, Benfica reached the final of the EHF Challenge Cup, but lost to Slovene side RK Cimos Koper.[19] In 2011–12, José António Silva was replaced by another former ABC Braga coach, Jorge Rito.[20] With him, Benfica finished fourth in league for the first time.[21] On 2 September 2012, Jorge Rito won Benfica's fourth Super Cup trophy.[22] The season ended with only a second place in the league.[23] In 2013–14, Benfica's performances worsened, and the team finished the league in fourth place. Jorge Rito did not renew his contract and was replaced by Mariano Ortega.[24][25] On 3 April 2016, Benfica, who had beaten rivals FC Porto in the semi-finals the day before,[26] beat Lisbon rivals Sporting in the final and conquered their fifth Portuguese Cup, ending a four-year trophy drought.[27][28]

Current squad
Squad for the 2023–24 season[29]

Results in international competition

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.[30]
H = home match; A = away match

Season Competition Round Opposition Score
1962–63 European Cup Round 1 Spain Atlético Madrid BM 13–6
1975–76 Round 1 Spain CB Alicante Withdrew
1982–83 Round 1 Spain FC Barcelona 25–32
18–32
1983–84 Round 1 Austria ATSE Graz 25–25 (H)
20–29 (A)
1987–88 EHF Cup Winners' Cup Round 1 Spain Atlético Madrid BM 21–20 (H)
11–29 (A)
1989–90 European Cup Round 1 Spain FC Barcelona 20–18 (H)
17–28 (A)
1990–91 Round 1 Luxembourg Red Boys Differdange 28–18 (H)
26–28 (A)
Round 2 France USAM Nîmes 23–21 (H)
23–31 (A)
1993–94 EHF City Cup 1/16 Finals Italy Pallamano Rubiera 27–19 (H)
20–22 (A)
1/8 Finals Hungary ETO Győri 24–21 (A)
19–17 (H)
1/4 Finals France PSG Asnieres Hand-Ball 27–32 (A)
25–28 (H)
1995–96 1/16 Finals Switzerland ZMC Amicitia Zürich 19–30 (A)
30–27 (H)
1996–97 1/16 Finals North Macedonia Borec Veles 18–15 (A)
32–14 (H)
1/8 Finals Netherlands Horn/Sittardia 21–14 (H)
15–29 (A)
1997–98 1/16 Finals Greece ESN Vrilissia 26–21 (A)
30–12 (H)
1/8 Finals Turkey Trabzon Belediyespor 27–20 (H)
30–30 (A)
1/4 Finals Spain Academia Octavio Vigo 22–32 (A)
25–23 (H)
1998–99 1/16 Finals Switzerland BSV Wacker Thun 0–10 (A)
0–10 (H)
2002–03 EHF Cup Winners' Cup Round 3 Finland Dennis Turku 14–26 (A)
17–25 (H)
2007–08 EHF Challenge Cup Round 3 Montenegro HC "Mojkovac" 46–22 (A)
46–26 (H)
1/8 Final Ukraine Shakhtar-Academiya 33–26 (A)
21–25 (H)
1/4 Final Romania CSU Poli-Izometal Timişoara 32–22 (H)
22–21 (A)
1/2 Final Romania UCM Sport Reșița 31–26 (H)
25–32 (A)
2008–09 EHF Champions League Qualification Round 1 Austria A1 Bregenz 38–34 (H)
28–35 (A)
2008–09 EHF Cup Round 2 Montenegro RK Lovćen 26–28 (A)
24–23 (H)
2009–10 Round 2 Georgia (country) H/C "Tbilisi" 34–21 (H)
29–25 (A)
Round 3 Russia SKIF Krasnodar 29–28 (A)
35–30 (H)
Round 4 Germany TBV Lemgo 30–27 (A)
18–31 (H)
2010–11 EHF Challenge Cup Round 3 Romania CSA Steaua București 43–29 (H)
23–29 (A)
Last 16 Ukraine HC "Motor-ZNTU-ZAS" 33–28 (A)
30–23 (H)
Quarter-finals Serbia Radnički Kragujevac 28–29 (A)
29–21 (H)
Semi-finals Serbia Partizan Dunav Osiguranje 30–36 (A)
33–25 (H)
Finals Slovenia RK Cimos Koper 27–27 (H)
27–31 (A)
2011–12 EHF Cup Winners' Cup Round 3 Montenegro HC Lovćen-Cetinje 25–21 (A)
26–14 (H)
Last 16 Romania Pandurii Târgu Jiu 33–27 (A)
41–24 (H)
Quarter-finals Slovenia HC Celje Pivovarna Lasko 23–29 (A)
31–30 (H)
2012–13 EHF Cup Round 1 Switzerland Pfadi Winterthur 28–21 (A)
27–27 (H)
Round 2 Italy Loacker Südtirol Team 32–20 (H)
40–25 (H)
Round 3 France HBC Nantes 21–29 (A)
28–21 (H)
2013–14 Round 2 Iceland Haukar 34–22 (A)
34–19 (H)
Round 3 Hungary Pick Szeged 25–31 (A)
24–25 (H)
2014–15 EHF Challenge Cup Round 3 Norway FyllingenBergen 33–32 (H)
28–25 (H)
Last 16 Luxembourg HB Dudelange 36–30 (H)
28–24 (H)
Quarter-finals Poland KS Azoty-Puławy 37–29 (A)
32–31 (H)
Semi-final Romania Odorheiu Secuiesc 29–31 (A)
25–27 (H)
2015–16 Round 3 Iceland ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar 28–26 (A)
34–26 (H)
Last 16 Greece A.C. Filippos Verias 34–14 (H)
23–26 (A)
Quarter-finals Russia St. Petersburg HC 24–20 (H)
25–27 (A)
Semi-finals Norway FyllingenBergen 35–22 (H)
29–27 (A)
Finals Portugal ABC/UMinho 22–28 (H)
29–25 (A)
2016–17 EHF Cup Qualification Round 2 Luxembourg Käerjeng 31–26 (H)
33–30 (A)
Qualification Round 3 Poland KS Azoty-Puławy 29–34 (A)
24–18 (H)
Group D Germany MT Melsungen 22–32 (A)
26–24 (H)
Spain Helvetia Anaitasuna 33–28 (H)
28–35 (A)
Finland Riihimäki Cocks 23–21 (A)
26–25 (H)
2017–18 Qualification Round 1 Serbia HC Dinamo Pančevo 39–20 (H)
28–35 (H)
Qualification Round 2 Poland Gwardia Opole 28–24 (H)
21–26 (A)
2018–19 Qualification Round 2 Iceland FH Hafnarfjordur 37–32 (H)
34–31 (H)
Qualification Round 3 Germany TSV Hannover-Burgdorf 36–41 (A)
33–33 (H)
2019–20
(cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)		 Qualification Round 2 Croatia RK Dubrava 29–28 (H)
34–16 (H)
Qualification Round 3 Croatia RK Nexe 26–30 (A)
28–24 (H)
Group A Denmark Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 33–24 (A)
(H) cancelled
Germany MT Melsungen 29–26 (H)
(A) cancelled
Poland Gwardia Opole 29–24 (H)
30–23 (A)
2020–21 EHF European League Qualification Round 1 Austria Fivers 28–26 (H)
34–38 (A)
2021–22 Qualification Round 1 Switzerland HC Kriens-Luzern 31–24 (A)
29–18 (H)
Qualification Round 2 Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen 31–31 (A)
33–28 (H)
Group B France HBC Nantes 31–30 (H)
33–33 (A)
Denmark GOG Håndbold 38–39 (A)
25–33 (H)
Russia Chekhovskiye Medvedi 32–27 (A)
38–35 (H)
Germany TBV Lemgo 35–30 (H)
30–29 (A)
Finland Riihimäki Cocks 37–23 (H)
37–32 (A)
Last 16 France Fenix Toulouse Handball 34–38 (A)
36–30 (H)
Quarter-finals Slovenia RK Gorenje Velenje 36–29 (H)
27–27 (H)
Semi-finals Poland Orlen Wisła Płock 26–19
Final Germany SC Magdeburg 40–39 (a.e.t.)

Honours

According to Benfica's official website[31]

Domestic competitions
Winners (7): 1961–62, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1989–90, 2007–08
Winners (6): 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2010–11, 2015–16, 2017–18
Winners (2): 2006–07, 2008–09
Winners (7): 1989, 1993, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2022

International competitions
Winners (1): 2021–22
Runners-up (2): 2010–11, 2015–16

Women's honours

According to Benfica's official website[32]

Winners (9): 1983–84, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2021–22, 2022–23[33][34]
  • Second Division
Winners (1): 1996–97[35]
Winners (8): 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1991–92, 2021–22, 2022–23[36]
Winners (4): 1990, 1992, 2022, 2023[37]

References
  1. Dores, Márcia; Nascimento, Diogo (30 July 2019). "Andebol: apresentação à Comunicação Social" [Handball: presentation to the media]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  2. Jota González é o novo treinador S.L. Benfica
  3. "SL Benfica B". Federaçao de Andebol de Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  4. "Andebol a caminho dos 80 anos" [Handball on his away to 80 years old]. Em Defesa do Benfica. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  5. "Andebol, pergunta e resposta" [Handball, question and answer]. Em Defesa do Benfica. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  6. "Angêlo Pintado homenageado" [Angêlo Pintado homage]. Record. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  7. "Svenska landslagsmän i handboll 1934–2005" [Swedish internationals 1934–2005]. sporthistoria. 10 August 2012.
  8. 1 FEDERAŢIA ROMÂNĂ DE HANDBAL. "ISTORIA HANDBALULUI ROMÂNESC 1921–2014" [History of Romanian handball 1921–2014] (PDF). p. 62.
  9. "100 anos, extremo moderno" [100 years, modern wingman]. Record. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  10. "Obrigado querido Benfica" [Thanks dear Benfica]. Em Defesa do Benfica. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  11. "José Manuel Antunes: "Tudo farei para manter eclectismo no Benfica"" [José Manuel Antunes "I will do everything to keep amateur sports in Benfica "]. Record. 1 December 1999. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  12. "Andebol: "Cabelos brancos" ajudam mística do novo Benfica" [Handball: "white hair's" help Benfica]. Record. 11 October 1999. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  13. "Donner: "Desafio como no início do ABC"" [Donner "Challenge like in beginning of ABC"]. Record. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  14. "Benfica vence Taça da Liga" [Benfica wins League Cup]. Região Sul. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  15. "S.L. Benfica – Campeão Nac. Andebol 2007–08 : 1ºParte (Jogo)" [Benfica National Champion 2007–08]. Youtube. 25 May 2008. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  16. "Aleksander Donner deixa andebol encarnado no final da época" [Donner leaves Benfica in end of season]. RTP. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  17. "Andebol: Benfica vence Taça 24 anos depois" [Benfica wins Portuguese Cup]. Mais Futebol. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  18. "Benfica vence Supertaça" [Benfica wins Portuguese Super Cup]. Sol Noticias. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  19. "BENFICA PERDE JOGO DA 2.ª MÃO DA FINAL DA CHALLENGE CUP" [Benfica loses Challenge Cup final]. Banhadas de Andebol. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  20. "Jorge Rito é o novo treinador do andebol do Benfica" [Jorge Rito new coach of Benfica]. TSF. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  21. "Madeira SAD 27–26 Benfica". Vivaaobenfica. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  22. "Benfica vence 4ª Supertaça" [Benfica win's 4th Super Cup]. Vivaaobenfica. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  23. "Campeonato Nacional Seniores Masculinos – 1.Divisao – 2012/2013" [Handball Championship 2012/13]. fpa.pt.
  24. "Jorge Rito deixa comando técnico do andebol do Benfica" [Jorge Rito leaves position as head coach]. visao. 27 May 2014.
  25. "Mariano Ortega: "Representar o Benfica é uma responsabilidade"" [Mariano Ortega: "To represent Benfica is a responsibility"]. slbenfica.pt. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  26. "Andebol: Benfica vence FC Porto no último segundo e está na final da Taça" [Handball: Benfica beat FC Porto in the last second and is in the Portuguese Cup final]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). 2 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  27. "Benfica vence Taça de Portugal de andebol" [Benfica win handball Portuguese Cup]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  28. "Andebol conquista 5.ª Taça de Portugal" [Handball conquer fitth Portuguese Cup]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  29. "Team". S.L. Benfica. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  30. "European Handball Federation – S.L. Benfica". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  31. "Palmarés" [Honours]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  32. "Palmarés" [Honours]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  33. A conquista do título nacional S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese)
  34. Campeonato 1ª Divisão Feminina: SL Benfica revalida o título de Campeão Nacional FAP (in Portuguese)
  35. Provas Nacionais - Seniores Femininos Federação de Andebol de Portugal (in Portuguese)
  36. Benfica conquista Taça de Portugal feminina e faz a dobradinha Record (in Portuguese)
  37. Benfica vence Supertaça feminina de andebol pela quarta vez SAPO Desporto (in Portuguese)

Further reading
  • Perdigão, Carlos; Pires, Fernando (2004). 100 Anos de Lenda [100 Years of Legend] (in Portuguese) (First ed.). Diário de Notícias. pp. 254–257. ISBN 972-9335-52-4.
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