# 2020–21 S.L. Benfica season

The 2020–21 Sport Lisboa e Benfica season was the club's 117th season in existence and its 87th consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. This season, Benfica invested €105 million amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a record investment in Portuguese football. Domestically, Benfica lost the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira match, were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Taça da Liga, finished third in the Primeira Liga – their worst league position since 2008–09 – and lost a Taça de Portugal final for a second time in a row. Internationally, Benfica were eliminated in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round and in the round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League, respectively. The season started on 18 September 2020 and concluded on 23 May 2021. Considered a failed, disastrous season, it was the first time Benfica ended trophyless since 2012–13.

## Players
### First-team squad

    As of 13 February 2021
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | BEL | Mile Svilar |
| 2 | DF | BRA | Gilberto |
| 3 | DF | ESP | Álex Grimaldo |
| 4 | DF | BRA | Lucas Veríssimo |
| 5 | DF | BEL | Jan Vertonghen |
| 7 | MF | BRA | Everton |
| 8 | MF | BRA | Gabriel |
| 9 | FW | URU | Darwin Núñez |
| 10 | FW | GER | Luca Waldschmidt |
| 11 | MF | ARG | Franco Cervi |
| 14 | FW | SUI | Haris Seferovic |
| 17 | MF | POR | Diogo Gonçalves |
| 19 | MF | POR | Chiquinho |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | MF | POR | Pizzi |
| 22 | MF | GRE | Andreas Samaris |
| 27 | MF | POR | Rafa Silva |
| 28 | MF | GER | Julian Weigl |
| 30 | DF | ARG | Nicolás Otamendi |
| 33 | DF | BRA | Jardel (captain) |
| 34 | DF | POR | André Almeida (vice-captain) |
| 38 | MF | BRA | Pedrinho |
| 49 | MF | MAR | Adel Taarabt |
| 71 | DF | POR | Nuno Tavares |
| 77 | GK | BRA | Helton Leite |
| 88 | FW | POR | Gonçalo Ramos |
| 99 | GK | GRE | Odysseas Vlachodimos |

## Transfers
### In

| No. | Pos | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date | Source |
| 38 | MF | Pedrinho | Corinthians | €17,098,000 | 3 August 2020 | [7] [8][9] |
| 2 | DF | Gilberto | Fluminense | €3,000,000 | 8 August 2020 | |
| 77 | GK | Helton Leite | Boavista | Undisclosed | 8 August 2020 | |
| 5 | DF | Jan Vertonghen | Tottenham Hotspur | Free | 14 August 2020 | |
| 7 | FW | Everton | Grêmio | €22,005,000 | 14 August 2020 | |
| 10 | MF | Luca Waldschmidt | Freiburg | €16,017,000 | 14 August 2020 | |
| 9 | FW | Darwin Núñez | Almería | €25,020,000 | 4 September 2020 | |
| 30 | DF | Nicolás Otamendi | Manchester City | €15,158,000 | 29 September 2020 | |
| 4 | DF | Lucas Veríssimo | Santos | €6,500,000 | 10 February 2021 | |
| Disclosed total |||||||
| €104,798,000 |||||||

### Out

| No. | Pos | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date |
| — | GK | Bruno Varela | Vitória de Guimarães | Free | 19 August 2020 |
| — | FW | Yony González | LA Galaxy | Loan | 19 August 2020 |
| — | DF | Tyronne Ebuehi | Twente | Loan | 21 August 2020 |
| — | GK | Ivan Zlobin | Famalicão | Undisclosed | 22 August 2020 |
| — | MF | Andrija Živković | PAOK | Released | 26 August 2020 |
| — | FW | Jhonder Cádiz | Nashville SC | Loan (€500,000) | 9 September 2020 |
| — | DF | Pedro Pereira | Crotone | Loan | 21 September 2020 |
| — | MF | David Tavares | Moreirense | Loan | 22 September 2020 |
| — | MF | Ljubomir Fejsa | Al-Ahli | Released | 24 September 2020 |
| — | MF | Florentino | Monaco | Loan | 25 September 2020 |
| 6 | DF | Rúben Dias | Manchester City | €68,000,000 | 30 September 2020 |
| — | DF | Cristian Lema | Damac FC | €2,000,000 | 2 October 2020 |
| 95 | FW | Carlos Vinícius | Tottenham Hotspur | Loan (€3,000,000) | 2 October 2020 |
| 84 | DF | Tomás Tavares | Alavés | Loan | 3 October 2020 |
| 97 | DF | Ferro | Valencia | Loan | 31 January 2021 |
| Disclosed total |||||||
| €73,500,000 |||||||

## Pre-season friendlies

Win  Draw  Loss
Non-televised friendlies, at Benfica Campus:
* Benfica 4–0 Benfica B/U23 (15 August)
* Benfica 4–1 Estoril (22 August)
* Benfica 4–0 Belenenses SAD (25 August)
* Benfica 5–1 Farense (26 August)
* Benfica 3–0 Benfica B (6 September)

## Competitions
### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Primeira Liga | 18 September 2020 | 19 May 2021 | Matchday 1 | 3rd | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 69 | 27 | +42 | 067.65 |
| Taça de Portugal | 21 November 2020 | 23 May 2021 | Third round | Runners-up | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 3 | +15 | 085.71 |
| Taça da Liga | 16 December 2020 | 20 January 2021 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 000.00 |
| Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira | 23 December 2020 | 23 December 2020 | Final | Runners-up | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 000.00 |
| Champions League | 15 September 2020 | 15 September 2020 | Third qualifying round | Third qualifying round | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 000.00 |
| Europa League | 22 October 2020 | 25 February 2021 | Group stage | Round of 32 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 13 | +8 | 037.50 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 53 | 32 | 12 | 9 | 111 | 50 | +61 | 060.38 |
Last updated: 23 May 2021 Source: Soccerway

### Primeira Liga
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sporting CP (C) | 34 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 65 | 20 | +45 | 85 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Porto | 34 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 74 | 29 | +45 | 80 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Benfica | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 69 | 27 | +42 | 76 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Braga | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 64 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 5 | Paços de Ferreira | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 53 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League third qualifying round |
* 1 2 Braga qualified for the Europa League group stage by winning the 2020–21 Taça de Portugal. Since they would have qualified for the Europa Conference League third qualifying round by finishing fourth, the berth was awarded to the fifth-placed team (Paços de Ferreira), and the Europa Conference League second qualifying round berth reserved to the fifth-placed team was awarded to the sixth-placed team (Santa Clara).

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: Liga Portugal

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | W | D | W | D | D | L | D | W | D | D | W | W | W | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | D | W | W | W |
| Position | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |

#### Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 28 August 2020.

### UEFA Champions League
#### Qualifying phase

The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 31 August 2020, 12:00 CEST.

### UEFA Europa League
#### Group stage

The group stage draw was held on 2 October 2020.
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | RAN | BEN | STL | LCH |
| 1 | Rangers | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 14 | Advance to knockout phase | — | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 |
| 2 | Benfica | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 9 | +9 | 12 | Advance to knockout phase | 3–3 | — | 3–0 | 4–0 |
| 3 | Standard Liège | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 14 | −7 | 4 | | 0–2 | 2–2 | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | Lech Poznań | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 14 | −8 | 3 | | 0–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | — |

#### Knockout phase
##### Round of 32

The draw for the round of 32 was held on 14 December 2020.

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

    As of 23 May 2021
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Primeira Liga | Primeira Liga | Taça de Portugal | Taça de Portugal | Taça da Liga | Taça da Liga | Supertaça | Supertaça | Champions League | Champions League | Europa League | Europa League |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | BEL | Mile Svilar | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 77 | GK | BRA | Helton Leite | 26 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 99 | GK | GRE | Odysseas Vlachodimos | 26 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | BRA | Gilberto | 36 | 0 | 17+8 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ESP | Álex Grimaldo | 43 | 2 | 27+4 | 2 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | BRA | Lucas Veríssimo | 17 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | BEL | Jan Vertonghen | 42 | 1 | 26+2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 30 | DF | ARG | Nicolás Otamendi | 38 | 1 | 27 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | BRA | Jardel | 18 | 0 | 5+3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | POR | André Almeida | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | DF | POR | Nuno Tavares | 25 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 |
| 82 | DF | POR | João Ferreira | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 91 | DF | BRA | Morato | 4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | MF | BRA | Everton | 48 | 8 | 24+8 | 7 | 2+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6+2 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | BRA | Gabriel | 32 | 1 | 10+10 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | ARG | Franco Cervi | 21 | 1 | 5+9 | 0 | 3+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | POR | Diogo Gonçalves | 31 | 2 | 12+9 | 1 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4+1 | 1 |
| 21 | MF | POR | Pizzi | 49 | 16 | 19+13 | 6 | 5+1 | 1 | 1+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6+2 | 7 |
| 22 | MF | GRE | Andreas Samaris | 9 | 1 | 1+5 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | GER | Julian Weigl | 43 | 1 | 23+5 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4+3 | 1 |
| 38 | MF | BRA | Pedrinho | 31 | 1 | 4+15 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 49 | MF | MAR | Adel Taarabt | 42 | 0 | 19+7 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | URU | Darwin Núñez | 44 | 14 | 19+10 | 6 | 2+2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 5+2 | 5 |
| 10 | FW | GER | Luca Waldschmidt | 41 | 10 | 18+9 | 7 | 1+3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5+3 | 1 |
| 14 | FW | SUI | Haris Seferovic | 48 | 26 | 24+7 | 22 | 3+3 | 4 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3+4 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | POR | Chiquinho | 27 | 4 | 2+16 | 2 | 3+2 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | POR | Rafa Silva | 46 | 9 | 27+2 | 5 | 3+2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 | 4+4 | 2 |
| 78 | FW | POR | Tiago Araújo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 80 | FW | BRA | Daniel | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 88 | FW | POR | Gonçalo Ramos | 12 | 4 | 0+4 | 2 | 4+1 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| Players who made an appearance and/or had a squad number but left the team ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | DF | POR | Rúben Dias | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | FRA | Jean-Clair Todibo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | POR | Dyego Sousa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | ARG | Facundo Ferreyra | 3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 73 | FW | POR | Jota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 84 | DF | POR | Tomás Tavares | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 95 | FW | BRA | Carlos Vinícius | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 97 | DF | POR | Ferro | 7 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |