1973–74 S.L. Benfica season consecutive wins and reached second place by early February, while also cutting their gap to Sporting to just one point. In March, a loss in Estádio das Antas with Porto and a draw with Beira-Mar, put Sporting with a four-point lead again. Nonetheless, Benfica beat Sporting at their own home and three weeks later, they got back to a single point difference after their rival dropped points. That gap remained unchanged until the last match-day, when Sporting won the title. In the Portuguese Cup, Benfica reached the Taça de Portugal Final after beating Porto away, but lost the competition on
1982–83 S.L. Benfica season the title race. Benfica remained erratic, having two more draws in March, followed by a win. In Europe, Benfica faced Roma, one of strongest Italian teams of his era; beating them 2–1 on the Stadio Olimpico. At home, Benfica drew one-equal and eliminate them on aggregate. Filipovic had scored all of Benfica's goals in the tie. Domestically, in late March, Benfica visited the Estádio das Antas in the Clássico with Porto. A 0–0 draw better suited Benfica, who kept the four point lead over his rival. A few days later, Benfica beat Sporting by 3–0 in the quarter-final of the