Passion returns to the Cathedral

It is in the unique atmosphere provided by the Benfica fans in their Cathedral that Benfica resumes competition after the break for national team commitments. This Saturday, November 23, the Eagles, host Estrela da Amadora, at 8:45 pm, in the 4th round of the Portuguese Cup, a competition they aim to win for the 27th time.

Bruno Lage's side's last match before the club competitions stopped ended in a 4-1 win in the Liga Betclic against FC Porto. A clássico in which the splendor of Benfica's passion came to the fore with the enthusiasm of the overwhelming majority of the 63,342 spectators present at the Estádio da Luz, which once again recorded an occupancy rate close to the limit, specifically 98.55%.

The Cathedral will once again be the stage for another chapter of Benfica's unceasing support, this time against Estrela da Amadora, the opponents that the draw on October 23 dictated for the 4th round of the 2024/25 Portuguese Cup. Benfica are facing the team from Amadora in the competition for the fourth time, and the record is 100 percent in favor of the Reds.

The first match between the two clubs in the competition took place at the Estádio da Luz, in the 2003/04 season, with Benfica winning 3-1 in the 4th round. The following matches took place at the Estádio José Gomes in Amadora, with the Eagles winning 0-3 in the semi-finals in 2004/05 and 0-4 in the last 16 in 2020/21.

In the current 2024/25 season, Benfica have already faced Estrela da Amadora, also at the Estádio da Luz, on matchday 3 of the Liga Betclic, which saw the Eagles win by 1-0, with a goal from Kökcü.

Benfica, it should be remembered, come into the match with Estrela da Amadora having knocked out Pevidém from the Portuguese Championship (Serie A) in the 3rd round at the Estádio Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas in Moreira de Cónegos, which they did with a brace from Beste (0-2). This was one of the 8 wins in the 8 games the Reds have played domestically since Bruno Lage returned to Benfica's coaching reins.

The draw for the 4th round of the 2024/25 Portuguese Cup also determined the pairings for the 5th round. Thus, the winner of Benfica-Estrela da Amadora will visit the winner of Arouca-Farense in the round of 16 of the Portuguese Cup.