1980–81 S.L. Benfica season the club. Benfica's league campaign started with seven consecutive wins, before a first loss with Porto in the Clássico. A few days later, Benfica wins their first Supertaça de Portugal. In the Cup Winners' Cup, Benfica eliminated Altay, Dinamo Zagreb and Malmö in the first three rounds. In late November, Benfica draws with Sporting and three weeks later, with Vitória de Setúbal, lapping the first half in first place with a three-point lead. In the following weeks, Benfica won three more matches before losing another point in a draw with Penafiel, which cut his lead to two points. They reacted
1981–82 S.L. Benfica season 4–1 loss, now for Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira with Porto and lost the trophy. On 17 January, Benfica lost in Bessa with Boavista, finishing the first half of the league with 21 points, four behind leaders Sporting. A week later, Benfica beat Porto at home by 3–1, only to close the month with an away draw with Portimonense. The gap was now at five points. In February, another loss, 1–0 with Vitória de Guimarães, with Sporting increasing their lead to seven points. In the opening match-day of March, Benfica drops more points in an away draw with Estoril Praia, but