S.L. Benfica 2015, Benfica reported to have 246,401 members; however, after a scheduled renumbering by the club in August 2015, the number decreased to 156,916. In April 2017, Benfica reported they had a total of 184,264 members by 31 December 2016. Benfica has rivalries with Sporting CP and FC Porto, with whom it forms the "Big Three": Portugal's most decorated clubs. None of them have been relegated from the Portuguese league since its establishment in 1934. As Lisbon-based clubs, Benfica and Sporting have shared a rivalry for over a century; it all started in 1907 when eight prominent Benfica players defected to
1979–80 S.L. Benfica season with Vitória de Setúbal on 20 January, losing a point in the race. Two weeks later, in the visit to Estádio das Antas to face Porto, Benfica lost 2–1 and opened a four-point deficit, which Wilson admitted: "is a disadvantage difficult to overcome". But February had also scheduled a Portuguese Cup match against Sporting for the round of 16, which Benfica won by 2–1. Back on the league, despite dropping points with Vitória de Guimarães in early March, Benfica kept the chase to the front two, but could not cut the distance to them, which remained at four points. On