They now languish at the bottom of the football pyramid. Many even fear they may never come back from the bottom of the pit. If there’s a poignant drama in Portuguese football culture, it certainly is the shadow cast over the present and future of what was, once, one of Portugal’s greatest sides. Vitória FC have not only been title contenders and multiple Cup winners. They left their mark on European nights as well.
For a short period, they became a much-feared team to visit even for mighty sides from the continent’s top leagues. Liverpool supporters know it all too well. They too were victims of the glorious days of the Bonfim stadium and the finest ever generation of the Sadinos in what was one of the greatest ever European matches played on Portuguese soil. A story of what a giantkiller should be all about.
Benfica host Porto in Lisbon tomorrow. Whenever you think of matches between rivals SL Benfica and FC Porto many classic encounters come to mind. Probably none was as iconic and reflects how that rivalry became so huge as the day the northern side travelled to the Portuguese capital in 1992 to claim an unexpected win that paved the way for a league title few believed was in their grasp.
Porto take on Lazio later tonight, evoking one of the greatest nights in the Dragons’ illustrious history in European football.
As Benfica prepare to take on Farense later today, Portuguese football historian Miguel Lourenço Pereria takes us on another trip down memory lane to recall one of the most memorable matches ever played by the Algarve club.
It is hard to imagine now how the Portuguese Cup was once a paradise for minnows. Come the late 1980s and across the following decade the competition hosted some of the most remarkable and incredible fairytales in the whole history of the Portuguese game.