FC Porto Nuno Valente and Derlei, Porto won the 2002–03 Primeira Liga with relative comfort, finishing 11 points ahead of second-placed Benfica. The club also won the UEFA Cup, defeating Celtic in a dramatic extra-time final, to win its second major European title. Mourinho then secured an unprecedented treble for Porto by winning the Taça de Portugal final against his previous club. The 2003–04 season began with another 1–0 win over União de Leiria, which gave the club its 13th Supertaça. Weeks later, Porto failed to repeat this result in the 2003 UEFA Super Cup, losing 1–0 to Milan. The departure of
2005–06 S.L. Benfica season for Benfica in the 20th minute, but Tiago Targino equalized a few minutes later. Simão put Benfica back in front with a deflected shot that beat Márcio Paiva, ensuring a third consecutive win that reduced the distance to the league leader to four points. After another interruption for international football, Benfica returned to competition with a Clássico against Porto. Despite Porto being the favourite to win, Benfica won 2–0 with two goals from Nuno Gomes. It was Benfica's first away win at Porto since 1990–91, when César Brito also scored a double. On the following Thursday, Benfica visited El Madrigal