In the aftermath of qualifying for the round of 16 of the Champions League and while Benfica's various European participations are taking place, it is important to take stock of the situation.
Benfica's presence in Europe in several modalities is considered strategic, as part of a policy of international affirmation that has been implemented with greater impetus. Still at an intermediate stage this season, the balance is, for now, very positive.
Starting with football, the passage to the round of 16 of the Champions League is about fulfilling a goal that most analysts, at the time of the draw, judged inaccessible, due to the integration of a group accompanied by Bayern and Barcelona.
The financial impact of this qualification is significant, even so far from the sport prestige achieved, after all, the main motivation of the Club. It is precisely the consolidation of Benfica's European statute that is intended, considering that the dispute in the qualifiers becomes the rule and not an occasional feat.
Also in football, we have witnessed, in women, the first presence of a Portuguese club among the top 16 at European level. In a still recent project, we naturally have a lot of room for progression. Continuous improvement is the aim and this experience has been important in this regard as well. The presence in the top circle of European football is essential for the increase of competitiveness of our athletes, in a debut in which the results (a victory and a draw in five games) are, in this context, very satisfactory.
There is also the UEFA Youth League, in which we guarantee the first place in our group and the subsequent direct qualification to the knockout rounds of the competition. Benfica has assumed the status of one of the best trainers in the world for some years now, so the usual good performances in this competition are not surprising. Training is central to the Club's development model, as it is a continuous investment in which, year after year, improvements are sought.
In the pavilion Sports , the contexts of each modality dictate Benfica's aspirations, with the common denominator being the elevation of the name of Benfica as high as possible.
We are now qualified for the UEFA Futsal Champions League finals after winning all three matches in the elite round. We assume ourselves as candidates for triumph, seeking to repeat the feat of 2010.
In Volleyball, we are present in the group stage of the Champions League. This is only the third time that a Portuguese club participates in this stage of the competition (Benfica's second), which, in itself, demonstrates the achievement of our team. Getting the best possible ranking is the goal.
In Team Handball, we are present in the group stage of the EHF European League and lead group B, after six games, with four wins, one draw and one defeat. Note for the last result obtained, an extraordinary draw achieved in Nantes, against a powerful French club, in a game in which we were short of six players, four of them unexpectedly because they gave positive to COVID.
In Basketball, we have already started participating in the second group stage of the FIBA Europe Cup, which means that the first objective – reaching this stage – has been fulfilled (we finished the first group stage in first place).
There is also the case of Roller hockey, in which a conflict between World Skate and the EHCA made it impossible to participate in the European League, proves that we have won twice. In this modality, we have the women's team in action in group A of the European League, along with US Coutras (France), CP Voltegrà (Spain), CS Noisy Le Grand (France) and Telecable HC Gijón (Spain).
However, on the national scene, yesterday we had the Roller Hockey game against Sporting, which we won 4-3 with merit, despite the unfortunate refereeing decisions, to our detriment, in the decisive moments.
P.S.: Congratulations to BTV for its 13th anniversary! We also note the interview with CEO Domingos Soares de Oliveira, whose essentials can be seen throughout the day on BTV's news.
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