1937–38 S.L. Benfica season
| 1937–38 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Manuel da Conceição Afonso | ||
| Head coach | Lippo Hertzka | ||
| Stadium | Estádio da Luz | ||
| Primeira Divisão | 1st | ||
| Campeonato de Portugal | Runners-up | ||
| Campeonato de Lisboa | 2nd | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Espírito Santo (12) All: Espírito Santo (35) | ||
| Biggest win | Benfica 13–1 Casa Pia (5 December 1937) | ||
| Biggest defeat | Porto 4–2 Benfica (29 May 1938) Sporting 3–1 Benfica (26 June 1938) | ||
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| |||
The 1937–38 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 34th season in existence and the club's 4rd consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football, covering the period from 1 September 1937 to 30 June 1938. Benfica competed in the Campeonato da Liga, the Campeonato de Portugal and in the Campeonato de Lisboa.
Benfica entered the season aiming to defend its league title while also competing for the Campeonato de Portugal and the Campeonato de Lisboa. After finishing runners-up in the regional competition, the club went on to win its third consecutive Campeonato da Liga title, the first team in Portugal to achieve such a feat. In the Campeonato de Portugal, Benfica reached the final after eliminating Porto and Académica, but lost to Sporting in the fifth Derby de Lisboa of the season, narrowly missing out on the double.
Season summary
Benfica entered the season seeking to defend the league title it had secured the previous year, as well as to win the Campeonato de Portugal and the Campeonato de Lisboa. After guiding the team to consecutive league titles, Hungarian coach Lippo Hertzka remained in charge for a second season. During the off-season, Cândido Tavares left for Casa Pia, and Alberto de Jesus departed to join Belenenses. The club brought in Pedro Ferreira from Sporting.
Before the start of the Campeonato de Lisboa, Benfica played six friendlies, recording four wins and two losses. Five of these matches were against rivals Belenenses, Sporting, and Porto, including a 4–1 victory over Sporting and a 6–0 win against Belenenses.[1]
On 17 October, Benfica visited União de Lisboa in the opening round of the Campeonato de Lisboa, winning 8–0.[2] The team won its next two matches, scoring six goals across both, before travelling to face Belenenses, where it won 3–2 and remained level on points with Sporting at the top of the table.[3] On 14 November, Benfica visited Sporting in the Derby de Lisboa, losing 1–0 and dropping to second place.[4] Benfica closed the month with a 5–4 win over União de Lisboa, overcoming a four-goal deficit by the 49th minute.[5]
Benfica began December with a 13–1 victory over Casa Pia, in which Guilherme Espírito Santo scored nine goals.[6] Before hosting Sporting, the team defeated Belenenses 5–2. On 19 December, Benfica faced Sporting in a match that would decide the title, with the Derby ending in a 2–2 draw, giving Sporting the championship.[7]
Before the beginning of the Campeonato da Liga, the team hosted MTK Budapest FC in a rare international match, losing 4–0.[8] Benfica began its title defence with a 4–0 away win over Académico F.C.. In the following round, the team hosted Sporting in the season’s first league Derby de Lisboa, winning 3–2 with Rogério scoring twice and Espírito Santo adding the decisive goal.[9]
February opened with a goalless draw against Barreirense, dropping the team to third place, three points behind leaders Porto.[10] Benfica then recorded a 4–1 away win over Carcavelinhos, followed by a 3–1 victory against Porto in the first O Clássico of the season, climbing to first place.[11] However, a loss to Belenenses in the following matchday saw Benfica fall back to second place. The team won its next two matches before meeting Sporting for the fourth time that season and drawing 2–2, a result that left Benfica two points behind Porto.[12]
With two further wins over Barreirense and Carcavelinhos, combined with a Porto defeat, Benfica drew level on points with its rival.[13] On 10 April, a 2–2 away draw with Porto in a decisive O Clássico gave Benfica the head-to-head advantage going into the final two matches of the season.[14] Victories over Belenenses and Académica secured Benfica’s third consecutive league title, making it the first club in Portugal to achieve the feat.[15]
After the conclusion of the league, Benfica entered the Campeonato de Portugal, defeating União de Lisboa 4–1 on aggregate in the round of 16, setting up a O Clássico quarter-final against Porto. In the first leg, Benfica lost 4–2 away after conceding twice in the second half.[16] The second leg ended in a 7–0 victory, with five first-half goals and a hat-trick from Espírito Santo, sending the team into the semi-finals.[17] In the semi-finals, Benfica lost the first leg 2–1, but a 4–1 win over Académica in the return leg secured a place in the final.[18] In the fifth Derby de Lisboa of the season, Benfica faced Sporting and lost 3–1, missing the chance to achieve a double.[19]
Competitions
Win Draw Loss Postponed
Overall record
| Competition | First match | Last match | Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | Source | |||
| Campeonato da Liga | 16 January 1938 | 8 May 1938 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 16 | +18 | 71.43 | |
| Campeonato de Portugal | 15 May 1938 | 26 June 1938 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 11 | +8 | 42.86 | |
| Campeonato de Lisboa | 17 October 1937 | 19 December 1937 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 14 | +28 | 70.00 | |
| Total | 31 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 95 | 41 | +54 | 64.52 | |||
Primeira Divisão
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benfica (C) | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 16 | +18 | 23 |
| 2 | Porto | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 43 | 22 | +21 | 23 |
| 3 | Sporting CP | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 67 | 23 | +44 | 22 |
| 4 | Carcavelinhos | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 18 | 36 | −18 | 11 |
| 5 | Belenenses | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 10 |
Results by round
Matches
| 16 January 1938 1 | Académico F.C. | 0–4 | Benfica | Porto |
| Report | Stadium: Estádio do Lima Referee: Álvaro Santos |
| 23 January 1938 2 | Benfica | 3–2 | Sporting | Lisbon |
| Rogério Espírito Santo |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Abel Ferreira |
| 6 February 1938 3 | Benfica | 0–0 | Barreirense | Lisbon |
| Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras |
| 13 February 1938 4 | Carcavelinhos | 1–4 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Pratas |
Report |
| 20 February 1938 5 | Benfica | 3–1 | Porto | Lisbon |
| Rogério Espírito Santo Valadas |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Cunha Pinto |
| 27 February 1938 6 | Belenenses | 2–1 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| José Luis |
Report |
| 13 March 1938 8 | Benfica | 3–0 | Académico | Lisbon |
| Valadas Barbosa |
Report | Stadium: Estádio do Campo Grande |
| 20 March 1938 9 | Sporting | 2–2 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Peyroteo |
Report | Stadium: Stadium de Lisboa |
| 27 March 1937 10 | Barreirense | 1–2 | Benfica | Barreiro |
| Rodrigues |
Report |
| 3 April 1938 11 | Benfica | 3–2 | Carcavelinhos | Lisbon |
| Valadas Albino Xavier |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras |
| 10 April 1938 12 | Porto | 2–2 | Benfica | Porto |
| Costuras Silva |
Report | Stadium: Estádio do Lima |
| 17 April 1938 13 | Benfica | 1–0 | Belenenses | Lisbon |
| Rogério |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras |
| 8 May 1938 14 | Benfica | 3–1 | Académica | Lisbon |
| Xavier Rogério |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras |
Taça de Portugal
Round of 16
| 15 May 1938 First leg | Benfica | 3–0 | União de Lisboa | Lisbon |
| Barbosa Valadas Espírito Santo |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Cunha Pinto |
| 22 May 1938 Second leg | União de Lisboa | 1–1 (1–4 agg.) | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Machado |
Report | Stadium: Campo do Santo Amaro Referee: António Palhinhas |
Quarter-Finals
| 29 May 1938 First leg | Porto | 4–2 | Benfica | Porto |
| Pinga Nunes Costuras |
Report | Stadium: Campo do Ameal Referee: Álvaro Santos |
| 5 June 1938 Second leg | Benfica | 7–0 (9–4 agg.) | Porto | Lisbon |
| Valadas Lopes Xavier Espírito Santo |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Cunha Pinto |
Semi-Finals
| 12 June 1938 First leg | Académica | 2–1 | Benfica | Coimbra |
| Oliveira Vieira |
Report | Stadium: Campo de Santa Cruz Referee: Santos Palma |
| 19 June 1938 Second leg | Benfica | 4–1 (5–3 agg.) | Académica | Lisbon |
| Espírito Santo Barbosa Valadas |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Eduardo Augusto |
Final
| 26 June 1938 | Sporting | 3–1 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Mourão
Soeiro |
Report | Stadium: Stadium de Lisboa Referee: Abel Ferreira |
Campeonato de Lisboa
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting (C) | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 11 | +33 | 29 |
| 2 | Benfica | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 14 | +28 | 26 |
| 3 | Belenenses | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 34 | 22 | +12 | 21 |
| 4 | Carcavelinhos | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 26 | −11 | 17 |
| 5 | União de Lisboa | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 35 | −16 | 16 |
| 6 | Casa Pia | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 59 | −46 | 11 |
| 17 October 1937 1 | União de Lisboa | 0–8 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Report | Stadium: Campo de Santo Amaro Referee: Claudino Nunes |
| 24 October 1937 2 | Benfica | 2–1 | Carcavelinhos | Lisbon |
| Valadas |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Abel Ferreira |
| 31 October 1937 3 | Casa Pia | 1–4 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Marques |
Report | Stadium: Campo do Restelo Referee: José António Diniz |
| 7 November 1937 4 | Belenenses | 2–3 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Alberto de Jesus |
Report | Stadium: Estádio José Manuel Soares Referee: Claudino Nunes |
| 14 November 1937 5 | Sporting | 1–0 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Peyroteo |
Report | Stadium: Stadium de Lisboa Referee: António Ferreira |
| 21 November 1937 6 | Benfica | 5–4 | União de Lisboa | Lisbon |
| Espírito Santo Rogério Valadas Xavier |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: João Vaz |
| 1 December 1937 8 | Carcavelinhos | 0–0 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| Report | Stadium: Estádio da Tapadinha Referee: Armelim Martins |
| 5 December 1937 7 | Benfica | 13–1 | Casa Pia | Lisbon |
| Espírito Santo Rogério Baptista Oliveira |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Carlos Canuto |
| 12 December 1937 9 | Benfica | 5–2 | Belenenses | Lisbon |
| Rogério Espírito Santo |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Abel Ferreira |
| 19 December 1937 10 | Benfica | 2–2 | Sporting | Lisbon |
| Espírito Santo Rogério |
Report | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: Claudino Nunes |
Non-Official matches
| 12 September 1937 B.S.B. Tournament | Benfica | 3–5 | Sporting | Lisbon |
| Valadas Espírito Santo |
[21] | Stadium: Campo das Salésias Referee: Manuel da Silva |
| 19 September 1937 B.S.B. Tournament | Benfica | 3–2 | Belenenses | Lisbon |
| Espírito Santo |
[22] | Stadium: Campo das Salésias Referee: José António Diniz |
| 3 October 1937 | Académico F.C. | 2–3 | Benfica | Porto |
| Quecas |
[23] | Stadium: Estádio do Lima |
| 10 October 1937 Benfica-Belenenses Cup | Belenenses | 0–6 | Benfica | Lisbon |
| [25] | Stadium: Campo das Salésias Referee: Aurélio Peixoto de Carvalho |
| 26 December 1937 | Benfica | 0–4 | MTK Budapest FC | Lisbon |
| [26] | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras Referee: José António Diniz |
| 1 May 1938 | Benfica | 7–1 | Luso FC | Lisbon |
| Xavier Freire Duarte |
[27] | Stadium: Estádio das Amoreiras |
Player statistics
The squad for the season consisted of the players listed in the tables below, as well as staff member Lippo Hertzka (manager).
Note 1: Note: 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 1937-38 season via transfer, with more details in the following section.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Campeonato da Liga | Campeonato de Portugal | Campeonato de Lisboa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 1 | GK | Augusto Amaro | 30 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1 | GK | Mário da Rosa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | Luiz Rodrigues | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| DF | Ricardo Freire | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2 | DF | António Vieira | 24 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 3 | DF | Gustavo Teixeira | 29 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| MF | Alberto Cardoso | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MF | Francisco Costa | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| MF | Pedro Ferreira | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4 | MF | João Correia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 4 | MF | Raul Baptista | 28 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 5 | MF | Francisco Albino | 31 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| 6 | MF | Gaspar Pinto | 30 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 6 | MF | Joaquim Alcobia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | MF | Domingos Lopes | 20 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
| 8 | MF | Feliciano Barbosa | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| FW | António Navalhas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| FW | Eduardo Oliveira | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| FW | José Gomes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 8 | FW | Rogério Sousa | 24 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 11 | |
| 9 | FW | Guilherme Espírito Santo | 30 | 35 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 21 | |
| 10 | FW | Luís Xavier | 29 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 2 | |
| 11 | FW | Alfredo Valadas | 29 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 3 | |
Transfers
In
| Position | Player | From | Fee | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MF | Pedro Ferreira | Sporting CP | Undisclosed |
Out
| Position | Player | To | Fee | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Cândido Tavares | Casa Pia A.C. | Undisclosed | |
| MF | Jacinto Esperança | Lusitânia Reguengos de Monsaraz | Undisclosed | |
| FW | Alberto de Jesus | CF Os Belenenses | Undisclosed |
References
- ^ "O Benfica inflingiu pesada derrota ao Belenenses". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Sporting e Benfica bateram Casa Pia e União". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica venceu Belenenses e Sporting derrotou Carcavelinhos". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Sporting venceu o Benfica". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica 5–4 União". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica e União venceram". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica-Sporting dá aos leões o titulo de campeão". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Hungária fez uma exibição primorosa". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica ganhou 3–2". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Classificação geral". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica vencedo o FC Porto coloca-se isolado á frente da classificação". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica e o Sporting estavam empatado quando terminou o jogo". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Classificação geral". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Porto e o Benfica empataram". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica é campeão da Liga pela terceira vez". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Os desafios FC Porto-Benfica e Sporting-Belenenses". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica venceu o Porto". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica e o Sporting são finalistas". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Sporting venceu o Benfica". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Portugal 1937-38". RSSSF.
- ^ "O Sporting venceu o Benfica". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica venceu o Belenenses por 3–2". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica obteve no Porto, contra a Académica, uma vitória nitida". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Porto derrotou o Benfica por 4–3". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Benfica inflingiu pesada derrota ao Belenenses". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "O Hungária fez uma exibição primorosa". Diário de Lisboa.
- ^ "Benfica 7–1 Luso". Diário de Lisboa.