The 2004–05 season was Sporting Clube de Portugal's 97th competitive season, 71st consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football, and 98th year in existence as a football club.
Sporting CP's season began on 29 August 2004 with the first game of the Primeira Liga campaign, with a 3–2 home victory over Gil Vicente. Despite being top of the league at the half way mark of the season, and claiming home victories over rivals Benfica and Porto, the Leões finished in third place, four points behind league champions Benfica.
Aside from the Primeira Liga, Sporting CP also competed in the Taça de Portugal, where they entered the fourth round courtesy of their league position. After claiming straightforward victories over Naval 1º de Maio and Pampilhosa, Sporting CP were eliminated by Lisbon rivals Benfica in the sixth round. In a highly entertaining 3–3 game, the tie went to penalties which saw the Encarnados defeat the Leões 7–6 on penalties.
Given their third-place finish in the 2003–04 season, the Leões secured a place in the first round of the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. After progressing through the group stages, Sporting CP defeated Dutch side Feyenoord, and English sides Middlesbrough and Newcastle United to set up a semi-final tie against AZ. Despite taking a 2–1 lead into the second leg, the Cheese Farmers equaled the first leg result which led to extra time. After Kew Jaliens's 109th-minute strike which gave AZ the aggregate lead, Miguel Garcia scored a stoppage time goal to see Sporting CP progress to the final on the away goals rule. In the final taking place at the Estádio José Alvalade, Sporting CP met Russian side CSKA Moscow. Despite taking a first half lead, Sporting CP lost their advantage and conceded three second half goals to lose the final 3–1.
First team squad Stats as of the end of the 2004–05 season. Games played and goals scored only refers to appearances and goals in domestic league campaigns.
Name Nationality Position(s) Since Date of Birth (Age) Signed from Goalkeepers 1 Nélson GK 1997 Torreense 56 0 12 Tiago GK 1995 Estrela da Amadora 78 0 13 Mário Felgueiras GK 2005 Youth System 0 0 76 Ricardo GK 2003 Boavista 67 0 Defenders 4 Ânderson Polga CB 2003 Grêmio 55 0 6 Hugo CB 2000 Sampdoria 59 3 14 Joseph Enakarhire CB 2004 Standard Liège 19 0 15 Miguel Garcia RB 2003 Youth System 40 0 18 Mário Sérgio RB 2003 Paços de Ferreira 12 0 21 Paíto LB 2003 Youth System 22 0 22 Beto CB 1994 Youth System 235 20 23 Rui Jorge LB 1998 Porto 191 5 Midfielders 5 Carlos Martins AM / CM 2000 Youth System 43 7 8 Pedro Barbosa (C) AM / CM 1995 Vitória de Guimarães 259 39 11 Rodrigo Tello LB / LM 2001 Universidad de Chile 65 4 24 Miguel Veloso LB / CM 2005 Youth System 0 0 26 Fábio Rochemback AM / CM / DM 2003 Barcelona 44 9 27 Custódio DM 2002 Youth System 52 4 28 João Moutinho AM / CM 2005 Youth System 15 0 37 Rogério RWB / RM 2004 Corinthians 29 2 45 Hugo Viana CM / LM 2004 Newcastle United 59 7 77 Tinga DM 2004 Grêmio 20 0 Forwards 9 Marius Niculae CF 2001 Dinamo București 59 14 10 Ricardo Sá Pinto AM / CF / RW 2000 Real Sociedad 146 32 17 Roudolphe Douala LW / CF / RW 2004 Boavista 22 4 20 Danny AM / LW 2002 Marítimo 10 0 25 Paulo Sérgio LW / RW 2003 Youth System 0 0 31 Liédson CF 2003 Corinthians 61 40 36 Carlos Saleiro CF 2005 Youth System 0 0 87 Mauricio Pinilla CF 2004 Inter Milan 16 5 99 João Mota CF 2005 Jeonnam Dragons 5 0
Club Coaching staff {|class="wikitable" |- !Position !Staff |- |Manager|| José Peseiro |- |rowspan="3"|Assistant Manager|| Eduardinho |- | Luís Martins |- | Pedro Caixinha |- |Goalkeeper Coach|| Fernando Justino |- |Training Coach|| Flávio Baia dos Santos |- |Scout|| João Ruas |- |Doctor|| Gomes Pereira |- |Kit man|| Paulinho |-Other information
Pre-season and Post-season friendlies
Legend
Matches
Competitions
Primeira Liga
Standings
Matches Sporting-Gil Vicente 3-2 1-0 Marcos António 2-0 Liédson 2-1 Marcos António 3-1 Liédson 3-2 Fábio Vitória Setúbal-Sporting 2-0 1-0 Jorginho 2-0 Albert Meyong Sporting-Marítimo 0-1 0-1 Gustavo Manduca Rio Ave-Sporting 0-0 Sporting-União Leiria 2-2 1-0 Rogério 1-1 João Paulo 1-2 Fábio Felício 2-2 Beto Estoril-Sporting 1-4 0-1 Liédson 0-2 Liédson 1-2 João Paulo 1-3 Hugo Viana 1-4 Hugo Viana Sporting-Belenenses 2-0 1-0 Liédson 2-0 Roudolphe Douala Penafiel-Sporting 0-3 0-1 Liédson 0-2 Custódio 0-3 Liédson Porto-Sporting 3-0 1-0 Benni McCarthy 2-0 Diego 3-0 Carlos Alberto Sporting-Boavista 6-1 1-0 Roudolphe Douala 2-0 Hugo Viana 3-0 Hugo Viana 4-0 Custódio 4-1 Felipe Flores 5-1 Liédson 6-1 Mauricio Pinilla Beira-Mar-Sporting 2-2 1-0 Sunny Ekeh Kingsley 1-1 Roudolphe Douala 1-2 Bruno Ribeiro 2-2 Heitor
References