1983–84 S.L. Benfica season left the club in second, a point shy of the leader Porto, their next opponent. In the Clássico, Benfica beat his rival Porto and assumed first place. Later in the month, Benfica defeated Olympiacos in the second round of the European Cup, qualifying for the quarter-final. In November and December, Benfica won all their league matches, but lost the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira to Porto. Benfica kept on winning in the Primeira Divisão in January, lapping the first part of league with a three-point lead. However they suffered a set-back in the Taça de Portugal, losing 2–1 in Estádio de
1980–81 S.L. Benfica season in a row, including a home win against Porto on 14 March in the Clássico, which gave them a four-point lead with seven matches to go. At the same time, in the Cup Winners' Cup, Benfica beat Fortuna Düsseldorf at home, after a 2–2 away draw, qualifying for the semi-final. March closed with another draw, now with Académico de Viseu, removing a point from their lead over Porto. On 8 April, Benfica met Carl Zeiss Jena for the first leg of the semi-finals, losing 2–0. Four days later, they drew with Vitória de Guimarães, and saw his lead drop to