# S.L. Benfica B

Active departments of S.L. Benfica :
| Football | Football B | Football U19 |
| Football (women's) | Futsal | Roller hockey |
| Basketball | Handball | Volleyball |
| Athletics | Swimming | Rugby union |
| Table tennis | Billiards | Canoeing |
Closed departments :
| Archery | Beach soccer | Cycling |
Sport Lisboa e Benfica "B" (Portuguese pronunciation:), commonly known as Benfica B, is a Portuguese professional football team based in Seixal. Founded in 1999, dissolved in 2006, and restarted in 2012, it is the reserve team of Portuguese club S.L. Benfica. They play in the Liga Portugal 2, holding home matches at Benfica Campus' main pitch.
During the 2012–13 season, Benfica B played home matches at the Estádio da Luz until February, when they moved to Estádio da Tapadinha to prevent excessive wear of the stadium's grass. In 2013–14, they permanently moved to their own training ground, capable of receiving professional league matches.
As a reserve team, Benfica B cannot play in the same division as the club's main team, thus being ineligible for promotion to the Primeira Liga. Moreover, they cannot enter domestic cup competitions such as the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga.
Since 2018–19, Benfica have an under-23 team playing in Liga Revelação, a competition for players who left the under-19s but who are not ready to join or regularly play for the first-team.

## History

As Benfica sought a way to provide playing time for their youth and reserve players, they created a B team in 1999. The team officially started competing in the 1999–2000 season, with their first match played away against Portimonense S.C. (2–2) in late August. After three seasons in the Portuguese Second Division, they suffered relegation to the Terceira Divisão, where they would spend three years, before achieving promotion to the Portuguese Second Division in 2005. In May of the following year, the board of directors extinguished the side, which returned to activity shortly after as part of the Liga Intercalar. As part of this competition, the team's best league finish was a second place, behind Estoril B, in the South Zone of the 2010–11 season.
Before the end of the 2011–12 football season in Portugal, seven Primeira Liga clubs announced their interest in creating a reserve team to fill the six vacancies available in the Segunda Liga (now Liga Portugal 2) for the 2012–13 campaign. Of those seven clubs, six were selected to take part in the competition: Benfica, Braga, Marítimo, Porto, Sporting CP and Vitória de Guimarães.
LPFP, who organize the professional football tiers in Portugal, announced that the clubs would have to pay €50,000 to register themselves at the league in order to compete in the upcoming season. In addition, LPFP also required them to follow new rules regarding player selection, in which each B team must have a squad with a minimum of ten players formed at the club's academy and with an age between 15 and 21 years, and a maximum of three players above 23 years old. LPFP also decided that reserve teams are unable to compete in cup competitions and to gain promotion to the Primeira Liga due to the possibility of playing against their club's first team.
In late May 2012, it was officially announced that the B teams of six Primeira Liga clubs would compete in the 2012–13 Segunda Liga, a decision that increased the number of teams from 16 to 22 and the number of matches from 30 to 42.
In 2014, Benfica B were invited to play in the first Premier League International Cup. On 29 May 2015, they played a friendly against F.C. United of Manchester in Broadhurst Park's official opening match. On 26 May 2019, they played a practice match against Liverpool in Marbella, Spain, five days before the latter's Champions League final.

## Players
### Current squad

    As of 3 February 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player} |
| 50 | GK | POR | Diogo Ferreira |
| 54 | FW | POR | Francisco Neto |
| 55 | DF | POR | João Fonseca |
| 60 | MF | POR | Nuno Félix |
| 62 | DF | FRA | Lenny Lacroix |
| 66 | DF | USA | Joshua Wynder |
| 67 | FW | POR | Rodrigo Rêgo |
| 68 | MF | POR | João Veloso |
| 70 | DF | POR | Filipe Cruz |
| 71 | DF | POR | Leandro Santos |
| 72 | MF | AUS | Paul Okon-Engstler |
| 73 | MF | FRA | Beni Souza |
| 75 | GK | POR | André Gomes |
| 76 | DF | BRA | Gustavo Marques |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 78 | DF | POR | Kiko Domingues |
| 79 | MF | POR | Hugo Félix |
| 82 | DF | POR | Diogo Spencer |
| 83 | MF | POR | Rafael Luís |
| 84 | MF | POR | João Rego |
| 86 | MF | POR | Diogo Prioste |
| 89 | FW | POR | Gustavo Varela |
| 90 | FW | POR | Ivan Lima |
| 91 | DF | POR | Tiago Parente |
| 92 | GK | POR | Pedro Souza |
| 95 | MF | LUX | Tomás Moreira |
| 97 | FW | POR | José Melro |
| 98 | GK | POR | Ricardo Ribeiro |
| 99 | FW | BRA | Luan Farias |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | POR | Rafael Rodrigues (at AVS until 30 June 2025) |
| — | FW | POR | Henrique Araújo (at Arouca until 30 June 2025) |
| — | FW | POR | Henrique Pereira (at Casa Pia until 30 June 2025) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | POR | Pedro Santos (at Moreirense until 30 June 2025) |
| — | FW | POR | Gerson Sousa (at Estrela da Amadora until 30 June 2025) |

## Coaching staff

| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Nélson Veríssimo |
| Assistant coaches | Marco Pimenta Jorge Cordeiro |
| Goalkeeper coach | Paulo Marques |
| Analyst coach | Pedro Pitacas |
| Analyst assistant coach | Rúben Damazio |
| Personal trainers (Benfica LAB) | Tiago Vaz Duarte Carvalho |
Last updated: 6 July 2023 Source:

## Records and statistics
### Season-to-season record

| Season | Div | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Top scorer | Goals |
| 1999–2000 | III | 13th | 38 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 53 | 49 | 48 | Cláudio Oeiras | 11 |
| 2000–2001 | III | 9th | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 58 | 57 | 57 | Jorge Cordeiro | 16 |
| 2001–2002 | III | 18th | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 35 | 42 | 44 | Jorge Ribeiro | 5 |
| 2002–2003 | IV | 3rd | 34 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 47 | 25 | 56 | | |
| 2003–2004 | IV | 5th | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 63 | 48 | 53 | | |
| 2004–2005 | IV | 1st | 34 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 71 | 29 | 72 | | |
| 2005–2006 | III | 11th | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 40 | 40 | 41 | Vasco Firmino | 5 |
| 2012–2013 | II | 7th | 42 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 71 | 54 | 62 | Miguel Rosa | 17 |
| 2013–2014 | II | 5th | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 77 | 56 | 70 | Funes Mori | 13 |
| 2014–2015 | II | 6th | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 81 | 60 | 77 | Rui Fonte | 17 |
| 2015–2016 | II | 19th | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 59 | 64 | 55 | Sancidino Silva | 6 |
| 2016–2017 | II | 4th | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 56 | 58 | 63 | Heriberto Tavares | 11 |
| 2017–2018 | II | 13th | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 54 | 60 | 49 | Heriberto Tavares | 14 |
| 2018–2019 | II | 4th | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 47 | 42 | 52 | Chris Willock | 11 |
| 2019–2020 | II | 14th | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 | 35 | 28 | Daniel dos Anjos | 8 |
| 2020–2021 | II | 8th | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 43 | 44 | Gonçalo Ramos Henrique Araújo | 11 |
| 2021–2022 | II | 5th | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 61 | 44 | 57 | Henrique Araújo | 14 |
| 2022–2023 | II | 15th | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 52 | 58 | 38 | Henrique Pereira | 9 |
| Champions | Relegated |

### Managerial statistics

As of match played 27 May 2023. Only competitive matches are counted, including those in the Premier League International Cup.
| Name | From | To | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % | Honours |
| Alan Murray | 1999 | November 1999 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 044.44 | |
| José Morais | November 1999 | 2001 | 67 | 24 | 17 | 26 | 98 | 94 | 035.82 | |
| António Veloso | 9 June 2001 | 2002 | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 35 | 42 | 028.95 | |
| Carlos Gomes | 2002 | July 2004 | 68 | 28 | 24 | 16 | 107 | 72 | 041.18 | |
| João Santos | 2004 | 2006 | 64 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 111 | 69 | 050.00 | 2004–05 Terceira Divisão |
| Luís Norton de Matos | 4 May 2012 | 30 May 2013 | 42 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 71 | 54 | 035.71 | |
| Hélder Cristóvão | 3 July 2013 | 12 May 2018 | 224 | 93 | 49 | 82 | 340 | 309 | 041.52 | |
| Bruno Lage | 1 July 2018 | 3 January 2019 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 053.33 | |
| Nélson Veríssimo (caretaker) | 3 January 2019 | 15 January 2019 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 000.00 | |
| Renato Paiva | 15 January 2019 | 25 December 2020 | 58 | 21 | 12 | 25 | 84 | 85 | 036.21 | |
| Nélson Veríssimo | 25 December 2020 | 28 December 2021 | 36 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 64 | 38 | 050.00 | |
| Paulo Mateus (caretaker) | 28 December 2021 | 28 December 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 000.00 | |
| António Oliveira | 5 January 2022 | 13 May 2022 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 37 | 57 | 038.89 | |
| Luís Castro | 2 June 2022 | 8 June 2023 | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 52 | 58 | 029.41 | |
| Nélson Veríssimo | 6 July 2023 | Present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | |

## Honours

* Terceira Divisão
    Winners: 2004–05

## Under-23s current squad

    As of 7 September 2023
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | SWE | Alexander Sandahl |
| — | GK | POR | João Félix |
| — | GK | POL | Marcel Mendes |
| — | GK | SRB | Luka Velickovic |
| — | DF | POR | João Conceição |
| — | DF | POR | Leandro Santos |
| — | DF | BRA | Tiago Coser |
| — | DF | POR | José Müller |
| — | DF | POR | João Fonseca |
| — | DF | MLI | Modibo Keita |
| — | DF | POR | Tiago Parente |
| — | DF | POR | Vladimir Mendes |
| — | MF | POR | João Veloso |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | LUX | Tomás Moreira |
| — | MF | AUS | Paul Okon-Engstler |
| — | MF | CAN | Carlos Meotti |
| — | MF | POR | Tiago Freitas |
| — | FW | POR | Gonçalo Moreira |
| — | FW | POR | José Melro |
| — | FW | NED | Kyanno Silva |
| — | FW | POR | Ivan Lima |
| — | FW | POR | Ricardo Nóbrega |
| — | FW | POR | Rodrigo Rêgo |
| — | FW | EST | Karel Mustmaa |
| — | FW | POR | Martim Fortes |
| — | FW | USA | Marcos Zambrano |
| — | FW | FRA | Sofiane Dris |

### Coaching staff

| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Paulo Lopes |
| Assistant coaches | Pedro Valido Paulo Mateus |
| Goalkeeper coach | Gonçalo Reduto |
| Analyst coach | Rodolfo Fernandes |
| Analyst assistant coach | José Marques |
| Personal trainers (Benfica LAB) | Luke Garcia |
Last updated: 6 July 2023 Source: