FC Porto the 1955–56 Primeira Divisão on head-to-head advantage over runners-up Benfica. Later that season, Porto beat Torreense to win its first Taça de Portugal and achieve its first double. As the Portuguese league winner, Porto made its debut in European competitions by qualifying for the 1956–57 European Cup. The club's first participation was short-lived, ending in the preliminary round with two defeats against Spanish champions Athletic Bilbao. A year later, Porto lifted its second Taça de Portugal by beating Benfica 1–0 in the final. The two clubs met again in the following season's final, but this time Benfica took the trophy
1974–75 S.L. Benfica season home, and Porto lost again, which increased Benfica's advantage to three-points, 31 to 28. However, a draw with Académica de Coimbra on 2 February, cut that lead to two points. In mid February, Benfica visited Estádio das Antas for the Clássico, defeating Porto by 3–0. Benfica had now a three-point lead over Sporting, who overtook Porto for second place. The team continued on their winning run, and on match-day 25, they added two more points in their difference over Sporting, which had lost in Bessa. However, Benfica would experienced a troubled third week of March. First they were knocked-out of