S.L. Benfica B facts for kids
| Full name | Sport Lisboa e Benfica "B" | |||
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| Nickname(s) | As Águias (The Eagles) Os Encarnados (The Reds) |
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| Founded | 1999 | |||
| Ground | Benfica Campus | |||
| Capacity | 2,644 | |||
| President | Rui Costa | |||
| Head coach | Nélson Veríssimo | |||
| League | Liga Portugal 2 | |||
| 2023–24 | Liga Portugal 2, 8th of 18 | |||
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Benfica B is a professional football team from Seixal, Portugal. It is the reserve team for the famous Portuguese club S.L. Benfica. Think of it like a stepping stone for young players.
The team was first created in 1999. It was later stopped in 2006 but then started up again in 2012. Benfica B plays its home matches at the main pitch of Benfica Campus. They compete in the Liga Portugal 2, which is the second-highest football league in Portugal.
As a reserve team, Benfica B has special rules. They cannot play in the same league as the main Benfica team. This means they cannot get promoted to the Primeira Liga. Also, they are not allowed to enter national cup competitions like the Taça de Portugal.
Since 2018, Benfica also has an under-23 team. This team plays in the Liga Revelação. It helps players who have finished playing for the under-19s but are not quite ready for the main team.
Contents
History of Benfica B
How the Team Started
Benfica created its B team in 1999. The main goal was to give young players and those who were not playing much for the main team a chance to get more game time. Their first official match was in August 1999. They played against Portimonense S.C. and the game ended in a 2–2 draw.
The team played in the Portuguese Second Division for three seasons. Then, they were moved down to the Terceira Divisão. After three years there, they earned promotion back to the Portuguese Second Division in 2005. However, in May 2006, the club decided to close the B team.
The Return of Benfica B
The B team started playing again shortly after as part of the Liga Intercalar. This was a special league for reserve teams. Their best finish in this league was second place in the 2010–11 season.
Before the 2011–12 football season ended, several top clubs in Portugal wanted to create reserve teams. Six clubs, including Benfica, were chosen to join the Segunda Liga (now called Liga Portugal 2) for the 2012–13 season.
New Rules for Reserve Teams
The league organizers, LPFP, set up new rules for these B teams. Each team had to pay €50,000 to join the league. They also had to have at least ten players from their club's youth academy. These players needed to be between 15 and 21 years old. Teams could only have a maximum of three players older than 23.
LPFP also made it clear that reserve teams could not play in cup competitions. They also could not be promoted to the top league, the Primeira Liga. This rule prevents the B team from ever playing against the main club.
In May 2012, it was officially announced that six B teams would join the Segunda Liga. This decision increased the number of teams in the league from 16 to 22. It also meant more matches, going from 30 to 42 games per season.
International Matches and Friendlies
In 2014, Benfica B was invited to play in the 2014–15 Premier League International Cup. This was an exciting chance to play against other top youth teams from around the world.
The team also played some special friendly matches. On May 29, 2015, they played against F.C. United of Manchester for the opening of their new stadium, Broadhurst Park. On May 26, 2019, they had a practice match against Liverpool in Spain. This was just before Liverpool's Champions League final.
Benfica B Players
Current Squad
Here are the players currently on the Benfica B team:
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Other Players Under Contract
These players are also part of Benfica B but might not be in the main squad right now.
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Players Out on Loan
Some players from Benfica B are currently playing for other teams to gain more experience.
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Coaching Staff
The people who help train and guide the Benfica B team are:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Nélson Veríssimo |
| Assistant coaches | Marco Pimenta Jorge Cordeiro |
| Goalkeeper coach | Paulo Marques |
| Analyst coach | Pedro Pitacas |
| Analyst assistant coach | Rúben Damazio |
| Personal trainers (Benfica LAB) | Tiago Vaz Duarte Carvalho |
Last updated: 6 July 2023
Source:
Team Achievements
Benfica B has won one important title:
- Terceira Divisão
- Winners (1): 2004–05
Under-23s Team
Benfica also has an Under-23s team. This team helps younger players develop their skills before they might join the B team or even the main team.
Under-23s Current Squad
Here are the players in the Under-23s team:
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Under-23s Coaching Staff
The coaches for the Under-23s team are:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Paulo Lopes |
| Assistant coaches | Pedro Valido Paulo Mateus |
| Goalkeeper coach | Gonçalo Reduto |
| Analyst coach | Rodolfo Fernandes |
| Analyst assistant coach | José Marques |
| Personal trainers (Benfica LAB) | Luke Garcia |
Last updated: 6 July 2023
Source:
Under-23s Honours
The Under-23s team has also won a title:
- Taça Revelação
- Winners (1): 2024–25
Images for kids
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Starting line-up of Benfica B for a friendly match against F.C. United of Manchester in May 2015
See also
In Spanish: Sport Lisboa e Benfica "B" para niños
