O Clássico

O Clássico ("The Classic") is the name given in football to matches between Portuguese clubs S.L. Benfica and FC Porto. Originally, the term O Clássico only referred to games played in the league, but now tends to include matches that take place in other domestic competitions such as the Taça de Portugal, Taça da Liga and Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. Despite being the two most decorated Portuguese clubs in European football, with seven European titles between them, they have never faced each other in a European competition. Benfica and Porto are two of the three clubs known as the "Big Three" in Portugal, the other being Sporting CP.

The rivalry comes about as Lisbon and Porto are the two largest cities in Portugal, and the two clubs are two of the wealthiest and most decorated football teams in Portugal. The animosity between these two sides also extends from the country's political, cultural and sporting history.

Rivalry[]

A fuzboll table depicting the rivalry between Benfica and Porto

O Clássico at Estádio da Luz on 7 October 2018

The first match between the Águias and the Dragões was an exhibition game that was played on the 28 April 1912, when Benfica defeated Porto 8–2.^[3] Eight years later, Porto would win their first Clássico, 3–2. Porto would have to wait another nine years to accumulate their second victory over Benfica. Prior to the establishment of the Primeira Liga in 1934, both Benfica and Porto were competing within their football league district. Both sides were also competing in the Campeonato de Portugal which later became in 1938 the Taça de Portugal.

Until 1934, Benfica would win the Campeonato de Lisboa nine times as well as triumphing in the Taça de Honra de Lisboa twice, while Porto would win the Campeonato do Porto nineteen times as well as claiming the Taça de Honra do Porto twice. Benfica would meet Porto for the very first time in an official match in the domestic cup competition which during the early periods of Portuguese football was the Campeonato de Portugal. Benfica defeated Porto in the final of the 1931 Campeonato de Portugal, 3–0 at the Campo do Arnado in Coimbra. Two goals from Vítor Silva and one from Augusto Dinis sealed the win to claim Benfica's second Campeonato de Portugal.^[4]

The inception of the Primeira Liga saw Porto win the very first edition of the competition.^[5] Both sides met for the first time in the competition on 3 February 1935, on which Porto won 2–1.^[6] Benfica would win the return tie 3–0. Despite Benfica's win, the Águias would finish third in the league, three points behind Porto.^[7] The next five seasons would see Benfica win three titles to Porto's two. During the 1940s, both sides would take a back seat to Sporting CP, which would win five league titles in the decade.

The late 1950s and 1960s saw Benfica dominate not just Portuguese football but also European football. The arrival of Eusébio saw Benfica secure eight league titles in ten years.^[3] Benfica's league titles were joined by two consecutive European Cups which were won in 1961, 3–2 against Barcelona, and in 1962, 5–3 against Real Madrid. The 1970s saw the continuation of Benfica's dominance up until the 1977–78 season, during which Porto won the league title for the first time in 19 years. The 1980s and early 1990s saw both Benfica and Porto battle for the league title. Porto's resurgence and the introduction of Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa as chairman saw Porto reach new heights, winning the European Cup for the first time after defeating Bayern Munich 2–1 in the 1987 European Cup Final.^[3] Three years later, Benfica reached their eighth European final, the 1990 European Cup Final, losing 1–0 to Milan.

In the 1990s, Porto began to dominate Portuguese football, winning a record five consecutive league titles.^[3] The intensity between these two sides in the '90s was culminated by the fact that former Portuguese international teammates João Pinto, who played for Benfica, and Paulinho Santos, who played for Porto, publicly declared their dislike for each other. The new millennium saw a continuation of Porto's dominance.^[3] Porto would reach the heights of their 1987 European Cup final win after José Mourinho guided Os Dragões to the UEFA Cup in 2003 and the UEFA Champions League in 2004. Benfica won the league title in 2005 for the first time in over ten years to halter Porto's momentum. During the second half of the 2000s, both sides battled for top spot, with the rivalry intensified after Benfica's Cristian Rodríguez joined Porto in the summer of 2008 to become the third Benfica player in recent history to have made the switch. In 2010, after four seasons, Benfica won their 32nd league title. Also in 2010, Benfica defeated Porto 3–0 in the 2009–10 Taça da Liga final to win the first of what would be four straight Taça da Liga titles, a competition that Porto has never won.

The next year, Porto recorded their biggest home win over As Águias, a 5–0 thrashing in a league fixture.^[8][9] Porto would secure a treble in the same season in which they claimed the league title, the Taça de Portugal as well as the UEFA Europa League.^[10] In 2013, Porto won their latest silverware: the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. On 18 May 2014, Benfica made history after achieving the domestic treble of winning the Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga. Later on, Benfica secured four more league titles – four in a row and 37 overall, the latter a Portuguese record – and won another two league cups, achieving a record seventh overall. Porto and Benfica would go back-and-forth as league champions from the 2017–18 season through to the 2019–20 season, with Porto being the most recent title holders.

Honours comparison[]

These are the major football honours of Benfica and Porto. Benfica's Latin Cup is not included.

League matches[]

The matches listed below are only Primeira Liga matches, club name in bold indicates win. The score is given at full-time, and in the goals columns, the goalscorer and time when goal was scored is noted.^[11]

Head-to-head results[]

Cup matches[]

The matches listed below are only Taça de Portugal matches, club name in bold indicates win. The score is given at full-time, and in the goals columns, the goalscorer and time when goal was scored is noted.^[12]

Head-to-head results[]

League Cup matches[]

The matches listed below are only Taça da Liga matches, club name in bold indicates win. The score is given at full-time, and in the goals columns, the goalscorer and time when goal was scored is noted.^[13]

Head-to-head results[]

Super Cup matches[]

The matches listed below are only Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira matches, club name in bold indicates win. The score is given at full-time, and in the goals columns, the goalscorer and time when goal was scored is noted.^[14]

Head-to-head results[]

Campeonato de Portugal matches[]

The matches listed below are only Campeonato de Portugal matches. The Campeonato de Portugal was created in 1922 and was the primary tournament in Portugal, where all teams competed from around the country. In 1938, the Campeonato de Portugal became what is now known as the Taça de Portugal. The club name in bold indicates win. The score is given at full-time and half-time (in brackets), and in the goals columns, the goalscorer and time when goal was scored is noted.^[15]

Head-to-head results[]

Reserve team matches[]

Both Benfica's reserves, Benfica B, and Porto's reserves, Porto B, were established in the late 1990s. Both sides folded following the end of the 2005–06 season. The two teams were re-established in 2012 to compete in the 2012–13 Segunda Liga, where they met for the very first time.

As of match played on 10 January 2022

Head-to-head results[]

Premier League International Cup[]

As of match played on 3 February 2016^[16]

Note: Match was played on neutral ground.

All-time head-to-head results[]

As of 30 December 2021^[17]

This section does not include results between reserve teams and exhibition games.

Records and statistics[]

Chart showing the finishing league positions of Benfica (red) and Porto (blue) between the 1934–35 and 2009–10 seasons

• Biggest Benfica home win: Benfica 12–2 Porto (7 February 1943)^[18]
• Biggest Benfica away win: Porto 2–8 Benfica (28 May 1952, in the inauguration of Porto's Estádio das Antas)
• Most consecutive Benfica wins: 4 (12 September 1971 – 5 November 1972)^[19]
• Longest undefeated Benfica run: 7 (24 January 1982 – 8 December 1983)^[19]
• Most consecutive Benfica losses: 4 (10 February 2002 – 21 September 2003, 24 August 2019 – 23 December 2020)^[19]
• Most consecutive matches without Benfica winning: 9 (31 January 1988 – 17 April 1991)^[19]
• Biggest Porto home win: Porto 8–0 Benfica (28 May 1933)^[20]
• Biggest Porto away win: Benfica 0–5 Porto (18 September 1996)^[21]
• Most consecutive Porto wins: 4 (10 February 2002 – 21 September 2003, 24 August 2019 – 23 December 2020)^[22]
• Longest undefeated Porto run: 9 (31 January 1988 – 17 April 1991)^[22][23]
• Most consecutive Porto losses: 4 (12 September 1971 – 5 November 1972)^[22]
• Most consecutive matches without Porto winning: 7 (24 January 1982 – 8 December 1983)^[22]
• Most common result: 1–1 (14 times)^[19]

Most appearances[]

Competitive matches only, includes appearances as used substitute.

Rank	Player	Nationality	Club(s)	Years	Apps	Ref
1	Nené	Portugal	Benfica	1970–1985	30	[24]
2	Mário Coluna	Portugal	Benfica	1954–1970	28	[24]
	Francisco Ferreira	Portugal	Porto, Benfica	1936–1952		[24]
4	Virgílio Mendes	Portugal	Porto	1947–1963	27	[24]
5	Vítor Baía	Portugal	Porto	1988–1996 1999–2006	24	[24]
	Frederico Barrigana	Portugal	Porto	1953–1955		[24]
	Humberto Coelho	Portugal	Benfica	1968–1975 1977–1984		[24]
	Eusébio	Portugal	Benfica	1962–1975		[24]
	João Pinto	Portugal	Porto	1981–1997		[24]
	António Veloso	Portugal	Benfica	1980–1995		[24]

Top goalscorers[]

Rank	Player	Nationality	Club(s)	Years	Goals	Ref
1	José Águas	Portugal	Benfica	1950–1961	17	[2]
2	Eusébio	Portugal	Benfica	1962–1974	16	[2]
3	Joaquim Teixeira	Portugal	Benfica	1938–1946	12	[2]
4	Julinho	Portugal	Benfica	1942–1953	11	[2]
5	António Monteiro da Costa	Portugal	Porto	1949–1961	10	[2]

Players who played for both clubs[]

Sergei Yuran and Maxi Pereira are the only players who have scored a goal for both sides in O Clássico.^[25] Nicolás Otamendi is the only player to be sent off for both clubs.^[23]

Managers who managed both clubs[]

See also[]

• Derby de Lisboa
• FC Porto–Sporting CP rivalry
• List of association football club rivalries in Europe

References[]

External links[]

• Benfica official website (in Portuguese)
• FC Porto official website (in Portuguese)