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
2003–04 S.L. Benfica season first of a cycle of three decisive matches. Three days later, Benfica played the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup against Nacional. After conceding on 22nd minute, the team spent over an hour trying to score. Tiago then scored in the 85th minute, with Sokota scoring Benfica's second a minute later. This put the team into the semi-final. On 15 February, Benfica received Porto for the second Clássico of the season. Porto scored first through Costinha, but Benfica levelled the match through Simão on the 50th minute, with the game ending in a 1–1 draw. Camacho expressed that the correct result