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
2002–03 S.L. Benfica season Setúbal on 5 October, dropping two points in a 1–1 draw, due to a "childish error, or better yet, a lack of sharpness of the back-four", in the words of Ricardo Tavares from "Record". On 20 October, Benfica met Porto in Estádio das Antas for the "Clássico". It was an intense match, with 3 ejections and 73 fouls. Porto won 2–1 because to António Tadeira, they "reacted better to playing outnumbered, while Benfica lost their focus when Paulo Costa sent off Éder and then Miguel". Six days later, for the final game of the month, Benfica played Académica at home.