# S.L. Benfica (volleyball)

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 (Portuguese pronunciation: ), commonly known as Benfica, is a professional volleyball team based in Lisbon, Portugal, that plays in the Portuguese First Division, where they are the current champions.
Founded in 1939, Benfica have won 12 Portuguese league titles, a record 21 Portuguese Cup and a record 12 Portuguese Super Cup. As of April 2022, Benfica is ranked 23rd in the men's European clubs ranking.

## History
### Beginning

Founded on 31 May 1939, Benfica is one of the oldest Portuguese volleyball teams. Not having the success and notability of other club sections such as basketball and roller hockey, Benfica's volleyball team won their first title 27 years after being founded.

### Road to the first title

From 1965–66 to 1979–80, Benfica played ten Portuguese Cup finals, winning seven. In 1980–81, led by coach Fernando Luís, Benfica finally achieved their first league title, with players such as Luís Quelhas, Manuel Silva, Jorge Infante, José Barros, João Abelho, Pedro Barros, Ilídio Ramos, and already with a young José Jardim appearing in some matches.

### Second title and disbandment

In a vibrating match against local rivals Sporting CP, trailing 2–0 at Nave de Alvalade, Benfica, now led by captain José Jardim, alongside teammates Nuno Brites, Luís Quelhas, Nilson Júnior, Eduardo Gallina, Miguel Silva, Márcio Karas, Davidkov, and Radoslav Peytchev, managed to recover the disadvantage and win the match 3–2, claiming their second title.
In the 1993–94 season, then club president Jorge de Brito decided to disband the volleyball team. The following president, João Vale e Azevedo, restarted it in 1996–97 but in the Third Division. Former player José Jardim led Benfica back to the first tier in 2000 with the help of players such as André Cabacinha, Nuno Brites, António Silva, and captain José Fernandez.

### Third title

In 2004–05, with coach José Jardim and players such as Brazilians Adriano Lamb, Renato Júnior, André França, Roberto Purificação, André Lukianetz, as well as Portuguese players André Lopes, Carlos Teixeira, António Silva, Rui Guedes, António Seco, José Simões, Bruno Feteira, and Pedro Fiúza, Benfica won the third title for the section, plus their 11th Portuguese Cup.

### Between championships

The next season, important players, such as Adriano Lamb, Renato Junior and André França, left, and Benfica only managed to win the Portuguese Cup and reach the quarter-finals of CEV Top Teams Cup.
In the 2006–07 season, Benfica won their third Portuguese Cup in a row and 12th overall.
Three years later, in 2010–11, Benfica signed Hugo Gaspar and Flávio Cruz, who were later joined by Roberto Reis in 2011–12, all players from the Portugal national team. In spite of these investments, the team failed to win the league, coming runners-up to Fonte Bastardo in the first season, and then to Sporting de Espinho in the second one. Nevertheless, Benfica managed to win the Portuguese Cup and Super Cup in 2010–11, and another Portuguese Cup in 2011–12.

### Back-to-back titles

In 2012–13, Portuguese international Flávio Cruz left for Espinho and was replaced by Brazilian Willian Reffati. A new setter, Brazilian Rafael "Vinhedo", was also contracted to replace Ronaldo "Royal" and Robert Koch. Benfica started the season by winning their third Super Cup, defeating Espinho 3–0.
On 4 May 2013, Benfica defeated league title holders Espinho 3–2 and conquered their fourth championship, after a seven-year wait and three consecutive second places. After SC Espinho protested at the Portuguese Volleyball Federation on a basis of a technical error, the final match was annulled and scheduled to be replayed on 12 May. Still, Benfica won the replay match 3–1. In the following season, on 4 May 2014, Benfica successfully defended their league title by defeating Fonte Bastardo 3–1; consequently, they secured their first back-to-back titles ever.
On 9 May 2015, Benfica won a third consecutive league title for the first time in their history, winning away 3–0 away to Fonte Bastardo in the fifth and final match (3–2). Moreover, Benfica also won the Portuguese Cup and Super Cup, thus winning all domestic competitions. On 3 October 2015, Benfica won a fifth consecutive Super Cup and became the club with most trophies in that competition (6).

## International competition results

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opposition | Score |
| 1981–82 | CEV Champions Cup | Qualification round | Olympiacos S.C. | 0–3 (H) 0–3 (A) |
| 1990–91 | CEV Cup Winners' Cup | Withdrew | — | — |
| 1991–92 | CEV Champions Cup | First qualification round | Lausanne UC | 1–3 (A) 3–0 (H) |
| 1991–92 | CEV Champions Cup | Second qualification round | OK Partizan | 1–3 (A) 3–2 (H) |
| 1992–93 | CEV Cup Winners' Cup | Withdrew | — | — |
| 1993–94 | CEV Cup Winners' Cup | First qualification round | Grupo Duero Soria | 2–3 (H) 0–3 (A) |
| 2005–06 | CEV Top Teams Cup | Group C | OK Vojvodina | 2–3 (H) 1–3 (A) |
| 2005–06 | CEV Top Teams Cup | Group C | Vegyész RC-Kazincbarcika | 3–1 (H) 3–2 (A) |
| 2005–06 | CEV Top Teams Cup | Group C | C.V.M. Tomis Constanța | 0–3 (A) 3–0 (H) |
| 2005–06 | CEV Top Teams Cup | Quarter-final | CV Palma | 0–3 (A) 1–3 (H) |
| 2014–15 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 32 | OK Partizan | 3–1 (A) 3–1 (H) |
| 2014–15 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 16 | Fonte Bastardo | 3–2 (H) 3–0 (A) |
| 2014–15 | CEV Challenge Cup | Quarter-final | Ethnikos Alexandroupolis | 3–0 (H) 3–2 (A) |
| 2014–15 | CEV Challenge Cup | Semi-final | CMC Ravenna | 3–0 (H) 2–3 (A) |
| 2014–15 | CEV Challenge Cup | Final | Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad | 1–3 (A) 3–2 (H) |
| 2015–16 | CEV Challenge Cup | Second qualification round | Biogas Volley Näfels | 3–0 (A) 3–1 (H) |
| 2015–16 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 32 | Topvolley Antwerpen | 3–1 (H) 2–3 (A) |
| 2015–16 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 16 | Istanbul BBSK | 1–3 (A) 3–0 (H) |
| 2015–16 | CEV Challenge Cup | Quarter-final | Ethnikos Alexandroupolis | 3–1 (H) 3–2 (A) |
| 2015–16 | CEV Challenge Cup | Semi-final | Calzedonia Verona | 3–2 (A) 1–3 (H) |
| 2016–17 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 32 | Biogas Volley Näfels | 3–2 (H) 2–3 (A) |
| 2016–17 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 16 | Chaumont VB 52 | 0–3 (H) 3–2 (A) |
| 2017–18 | CEV Challenge Cup | Second qualification round | C.S. Remat Zalău | 3–1 (H) 3–2 (A) |
| 2017–18 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 32 | UVC Holding Graz | 3–0 (H) 3–0 (A) |
| 2017–18 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 16 | Steaua București | 3–2 (A) 3–1 (H) |
| 2017–18 | CEV Challenge Cup | Quarter-final | Bunge Ravenna | 1–3 (A) 2–3 (H) |
| 2018–19 | CEV Challenge Cup | Second qualification round | Pafiakos Pafos | 3–0 (H) 3–0 (A) |
| 2018–19 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 32 | Iraklis V.C. | 3–0 (H) 3–0 (A) |
| 2018–19 | CEV Challenge Cup | Round of 16 | VM Zalău | 3–0 (H) 3–1 (A) |
| 2018–19 | CEV Challenge Cup | Quarter-final | Belgorie Belgorod | 0–3 (A) 3–1 (H) |
| 2019–20 | CEV Champions League | First qualification round | Mladost Brcko | 3–0 (A) 3–0 (H) |
| 2019–20 | CEV Champions League | Second qualification round | OK Budva | 3–0 (H) 3–1 (A) |
| 2019–20 | CEV Champions League | Third qualification round | Mladost Zagreb | 20 Nov (H) 27 Nov (A) |

## Players
### Current squad

    As of 12 October 2019
| No. | Nationality | Player | Birthdate | Height | Position |
| 1 | Brazil | Raphael Oliveira | (1984-03-08) 8 March 1984 (age 41) | 195 | Outside hitter |
| 3 | Portugal | André Lopes | (1982-09-12) 12 September 1982 (age 42) | 195 | Outside hitter |
| 4 | Austria | Peter Wohlfahrtstätter | (1989-03-10) 10 March 1989 (age 36) | 204 | Middle blocker |
| 7 | Portugal | Ivo Casas | (1992-09-21) 21 September 1992 (age 32) | 180 | Libero |
| 8 | Portugal | Hugo Gaspar (captain) | (1982-09-02) 2 September 1982 (age 42) | 201 | Opposite hitter |
| 9 | Trinidad and Tobago | Marc-Anthony Honoré | (1984-06-12) 12 June 1984 (age 40) | 198 | Middle blocker |
| 10 | Portugal | Afonso Guerreiro | (1994-12-28) 28 December 1994 (age 30) | 200 | Outside hitter |
| 11 | Brazil | Théo Lopes | (1983-08-31) 31 August 1983 (age 41) | 199 | Opposite hitter |
| 14 | Portugal | Miguel Sinfrónio | (1999-03-18) 18 March 1999 (age 25) | 192 | Middle blocker |
| 16 | Brazil | Flávio "Zelão" Soares | (1982-08-16) 16 August 1982 (age 42) | 198 | Middle blocker |
| 17 | Portugal | Tiago Violas | (1989-03-27) 27 March 1989 (age 35) | 192 | Setter |
| 18 | Brazil | André Aleixo | (1990-12-21) 21 December 1990 (age 34) | 190 | Outside hitter |
| 20 | Portugal | Nuno Pinheiro | (1984-12-31) 31 December 1984 (age 40) | 193 | Setter |
| 22 | Portugal | João Simões | (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 25) | 180 | Libero |

### Out on loan

* José Jardim at Sporting Clube das Caldas
* João Alves at Vitória S.C.

## Honours

According to Benfica's official website

### Men's
#### Domestic

* Portuguese Championship
    Winners (12): 1980–81, 1990–91, 2004–05, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
* Portuguese Cup
    Winners (21) – record: 1965–66, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1989–90, 1991–92, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
* Portuguese Super Cup
    Winners (12) – record: 1990, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023

#### European

* CEV Challenge Cup
    Runners-up: 2014–15

### Women's

* Portuguese League
    Winners (9): 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75
* Portuguese Cup
    Winners (3): 1972–73, 1973–74, 2023–24
* Portuguese Super Cup
    Winners (1): 2024