March with double gameweek at Estádio da Luz

March starts with to home matches. In a double gameweek Estádio da Luz, Benfica now focused on the home match against Marítimo (Saturday, at 6:15 pm) to later focus attention on CD Aves (date to be announced).

“Every week is decisive”, has said Rui Vitória several times. And it is with this mindset that the group enters March, a month of three more “battles”, two of them fought at home.

On the year he arrived at Luz (2015/16), the coach practically started the National Championship with a double round in front of the supporters. A test in front of thousands of Benfiquistas, to which Benfica responded with two wins. First, it was Moreirense, in Gameweek 2: The red squad was trailing until the last 15 minutes, moment in which they turned the result around. Moreirense still scored the equalizer (2-2), but the eagles got the win with goals of Raúl, Samaris and Jonas (3-2).

That match was followed by a round in the following round (6-0). In the home match against Belenenses, Benfica was marching towards the Third consecutive league title. On that day, the reds moved up to the top spot of Liga NOS.

One year later, In February 2017, Benfica and the Benfiquistas were back home for another double test. In round 21 of the Championship, on February 10th, they hosted Nacional and won by 3-0, a result they would repeat in the following week, this time against Arouca.

This year, in March, the Benfica supporters are back home – the biggest stadium in Portugal – to help the team in two more battles (Marítimo CS e CD Aves). Used to being leaders of attendances in the National Championship, the reds continue to be “swallowed” by the Red Tide that has invaded stadium all over the country. An amazing support throughout more than 90 minutes, on and off the pitch.

Throughout 11 rounds of the Liga NOS, 89 642 spectators have passed through Estádio da Luz in 2017/2018 (which has, at this moment, an average occupancy of 83,54%), making Benfica - consecutively, round after round, season after season! – the leader of attendances. The tickets for the two next battles are on sale at the usual places!

Text: Filipa Fernandes Garcia

Pics: Archive / SL Benfica