Rui Vitória: a trophy won every 25 matches

Rui Vitória completed 150 matches as the head coach of Benfica and he did it as he loves: winning. Adding the 1-2 in the recent trip to Estoril, there have been 105 triumphs and 331 goals scored in the one hundred and fifty matches as the coach of the Eagles, when there are still matches left to close his third season at Luz.

Walking through the numbers of this journey, we realize that Rui Vitória boasts a success rate of 70 percent, flourished by the conquest of six trophies (two Championships, one Portuguese Cup, two Super Cups and one League Cup), which on average, brings out that the coach wins a competition every 25 matches. He also registered 21 draws and 24 losses.

Regarding goals, Benfica, under Rui Vitória, has scored 331 (an average of 2,2 per encounter) in one hundred and fifty matches and conceded only127 (0,84 per game).

THE 150 MATCHES OF RUI VITÓRIA AT BENFICA

Match 25: the missile of Renato Sanches

The first official encounter of Benfica in 2016 was the 25th of Rui Vitória as coach of the Eagles. On January 2nd, the Reds traveled to Guimarães, the coach’s former home ground, and beat Vitória Sport Clube by 0-1. The solitary goal of the match was, in fact, a stunner and resulted from a powerful shot from Renato Sanches inside the box of the Guimarães (74’).

Match 51: The Third League Title in a row

On May 15th, 2016 went down in history as the day of the conquest of the 35^th national title of the Club. The success was sealed in the last round of the Championship, in an Estádio da Luz filled to its capacity. Against Nacional, Rui Vitória saw his team open the scoring at 23’, through Gaitán, who would complete his brace (65’). Jonas (39’) and  Pizzi (84’) also scored in the 4-1 triumph. The Third consecutive league Title was a reality.

Match 52: the 7^th League Cup

The 2015/16 season finished with another Benfica triumph by the hand of Rui Vitória. On May 20th, 2016, at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Benfica trounced Marítimo by 2-6, with goals from Jonas (2), Mitroglou, Gaitán, Jardel and Raúl 90’+3’ (pk). The Eagles won the League Cup (created in 2007/08) by the 7th time.

Match 53: the Super Cup

The 2016/17 season, Rui Vitória’s second season at Benfica, started as the first had ended: another triumph to add to the Club’s history and to the coach’s resume. On August 7th, 2016, the Eagles won by 3-0 (goals from Cervi, Jonas and Pizzi) over Braga at the Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, celebrating the success in the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup.

Match 100: on the road to the “Tetra”

The first one hundred official matches of Rui Vitória with Benfica were reached on April 14, 2017, in Gameweek 29 of the Championship. In the home match against Marítimo, the Eagles built a triumph (3-0) with goals from Jonas (2) and Luís Martins (o.g.). The Fourth consecutive league title was closer and closer.

Match 104: the Fourth League Title in a row

On May 13th, in the penultimate week of the competition, Cervi, Raúl, Pizzi and Jonas (2) scored the goals of a solid Benfica triumph over V. Guimarães (5-0), guarantying the conquest of the “Tetracampeonato” in an Estádio da Luz that dressed up to celebrate the 36^th national title.

Match 106: Portuguese Cup and the Double

Two weeks after celebrating the “Tetra”, Benfica, coached by Rui Vitória, added the Portuguese Cup to the Championship and said goodbye to 2016/17 with the most desired double of the Portuguese football. On May 28th, Benfica beat V. Guimarães (2-1) at the Estádio Nacional, in Jamor, with goals scored by Raúl and Salvio. It was also the last match from Ederson with the Reds – he transferred to Manchester City a few day later. Still on the pitch, the goalkeeper embraced Rui Vitória, who had given him wings in the goal of Four-time champions. In two seasons, the coach won everything in Portugal.

Match 107: one more Super Cup

The first official encounter of /18, the current season, resulted in another conquest for Benfica: a 3-1 triumph in the final of the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup against V. Guimarães, at Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, with the forwards Jonas, Seferovic and Raúl taking care of putting the ball in the back of Guimarães’ net.

Match 150: in the fight for the “Penta”

The first of the last four finals of the Benfica in the 2017/18 edition of the Liga NOS was played at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, in the Amoreira, on Saturday. Benfica had several chances to score and to build comfortable result, in the fight for the Fifth league title in row, but only sealed the win at 90’+2’, through a header from Salvio (1-2).

Text: João Sanches

Pics: Archive / SL Benfica