FC Porto league winners Benfica, reached the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League semi-finals and ended the season with a victory over Sporting CP in the Taça de Portugal final. In Robson's first full season, Porto claimed the 1994–95 Primeira Divisão title with a win at Sporting CP's ground and played Benfica four times to secure both the 1993 and 1994 stagings of the Supertaça. The beginning of the season had been clouded by the death of 26-year-old midfielder Rui Filipe, who had scored the club's first league goal. Robson's increasing health problems barred him from leading Porto in the first months of the
1973–74 S.L. Benfica season on 11 February. Taking advantage of Porto's draw and Sporting's loss, Benfica won their match and cut Sporting's lead to just one point. In early March, Benfica surpassed Porto after their rival dropped points in Guimarães. On 10 March, Benfica visited Estádio das Antas to play Porto, losing 2–1. With this defeat, Benfica was now with 35 points, three less than Sporting. Following a home win against Guimarães, on next match on the road, Benfica drew with Beira-Mar by 1–1. The draw allowed Sporting to open a four-point gap with five matches to go, practically ending any hope of Benfica