The 2011–12 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 108th season in existence and the club's 78th consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football. It involved Benfica competing in the Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal, Taça da Liga and the UEFA Champions League. Benfica qualified for the Champions League by finishing second in the previous Primeira Liga.
In Jesus' third season at the helm of the club, he tried to implement a more balanced system, with Axel Witsel replacing Pablo Aimar as a more central midfielder, with Aimar pushed as to second striker role, to give more defensive support than Javier Saviola. Nicolás Gaitán was moved to the right, with Bruno César and Nolito alternating on the left. Rodrigo eventually gained his space in the starting eleven, replacing Aimar.
This season, Benfica placed first in their UEFA Champions League group, later reaching the competition's quarter-finals, and won their fourth Taça da Liga by defeating Gil Vicente.
Competitions
Pre-season
Primeira Liga
League table
Results by round
Matches
Taça de Portugal
Taça da Liga
Group stage
Knockout phase
UEFA Champions League
Third qualifying round
Play-off round
Group stage
+Group CTeam Benfica633084+412 Basel63211110+111 Manchester United6231118+39 Oțelul Galați6006311−80
Knockout phase
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Overall record Competition First match Last match RecordGWDLGFGAGDWin %Source Primeira Liga 12 August 2011 12 May 2012 Taça de Portugal 14 October 2011 2 December 2011 Taça da Liga 3 January 2012 14 April 2012 UEFA Champions League 27 July 2011 4 April 2012 Total
Player statistics
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Goalkeepers
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Strikers
Transfers
In
Summer
No. Pos. Name Moving From Type of Transfer Contract Ends Transfer fee Source Notes 1 GK Artur Braga Transfer 2016 €200,000 N/A 28 MF Axel Witsel Standard Liège Transfer 2017 €6,500,000 N/A 24 DF Ezequiel Garay Real Madrid Transfer 2016 €5,500,000 N/A 8 MF Bruno César Corinthians Transfer 2016 €5,300,000 N/A 21 MF Nemanja Matić Chelsea Transfer 2016 €7,614,350 N/A Transfer of David Luiz 35 MF Enzo Pérez Estudiantes La Plata Transfer 2016 €5,500,000 N/A 3 DF Emerson Lille Transfer 2015 €2,000,000 N/A 38 DF Joan Capdevila Villarreal Transfer 2013 €1,000,000 N/A 39 GK Mika União de Leiria Transfer 2016 €500,000 N/A # DF Lorenzo Melgarejo Independiente FBC Transfer 2015 €750,000 N/A 9 MF Nolito Barcelona B Transfer 2016 Free N/A 34 DF André Almeida Belenenses Transfer 2016 €1,100,000 N/A 22 FW Rodrigo Mora Defensor Transfer 2015 €780,000 N/A 47 GK Eduardo Genoa Loan 2012 Free N/A # MF Nuno Coelho Académica de Coimbra Transfer 2014 €100,000 N/A # DF Daniel Wass Brøndby Transfer 2015 Free N/A 36 DF Luís Martins Benfica U19 Promoted 2016 Free N/A 37 MF Rúben Pinto Benfica U19 Promoted 2015 Free N/A 26 MF David Simão Paços Ferreira Loan return 2015 Free N/A # DF Marco Zoro Universitatea Craiova Loan return 2012 Free N/A # DF José Shaffer Banfield Loan return 2013 Free N/A # FW Jonathan Urretavizcaya Peñarol Loan return 2013 Free N/A # FW Freddy Adu Çaykur Rizespor Loan return 2012 Free N/A # FW Javier Balboa Albacete Loan Return 2012 Free N/A # FW Marcel Vasco da Gama Loan return 2011 Free N/A # FW Ishmael Yartey Beira-Mar Loan return 2013 Free N/A # GK Jan Oblak Olhanense Loan return 2015 Free N/A 3 DF Fábio Faria Real Valladolid Loan return 2014 Free N/A # DF Abel Pereira Gondomar Loan return 2013 Free # FW Evandro Brandão Gondomar Loan return 2013 Free N/A # FW Hélio Vaz Casa Pia Loan return 2012 Free # DF Hassan Yebda Napoli Loan Return 2013 Free N/A # FW Rodrigo Bolton Wanderers Loan return 2016 Free N/A # FW Nélson Oliveira Paços Ferreira Loan return 2018 Free N/A # FW José Coelho Fátima Loan return 2012 Free N/A # FW Ivan Santos Espinho Loan return 2012 Free N/A # FW André Carvalhas Fátima Loan return 2012 Free N/A # MF Miguel Rosa Belenenses Loan return 2015 Free N/A # MF Lassana Camará Servette Loan Return 2013 Free N/A # FW André Soares Servette Loan return 2013 Free N/A # MF Leandro Pimenta Fátima Loan return 2013 Free N/A # DF Mário Rui Fátima Loan return 2013 Free N/A # DF Miguel Vítor Leicester City Loan return 2012 Free N/A # DF Jorge Ribeiro Vitória de Guimarães Loan return 2012 Free N/A
Winter
No. Pos. Name Moving From Type of Transfer Contract Ends Transfer fee Notes Source 12 MF Yannick Djaló - Transfer 2015 €250,000 34 DF André Almeida União de Leiria Loan return 2015 Free N/A
Spend : €27,050,000
Out
Summer
No. Pos. Name Moving to Type of transfer Transfer fee Source 18 DF Fábio Coentrão Real Madrid Transfer €30,000,000 N/A 12 GK Roberto Real Zaragoza Transfer €8,600,000 CMVM 1 GK José Moreira Swansea City Transfer €850,000 N/A 21 FW Nuno Gomes Braga Transfer Free N/A 22 DF Luís Filipe Olhanense Transfer Free N/A # DF Marco Zoro - Contract Terminated Free N/A # FW Freddy Adu Philadelphia Union Transfer Free N/A# FW Marcel Suwon Bluewings Transfer Free N/A# FW Weldon CFR Cluj Transfer Free N/A # DF Abel Pereira Doxa Transfer Free N/A # FW Evandro Brandão Videoton Transfer Free N/A # DF Hassan Yebda Granada Transfer Free N/A # DF Jorge Ribeiro Granada Transfer Free N/A # FW Ivan Santos Oliveirense Transfer Free N/A # FW André Carvalhas Trofense Transfer Free N/A # MF Lassana Camará Real Valladolid Transfer Free N/A # FW André Soares Marítimo B Transfer Free N/A # DF Mário Rui Parma Transfer Free N/A# FW Javier Balboa Beira-Mar Transfer Free N/A 24 DF Lionel Carole Sedan Loan Free N/A # DF Daniel Wass Evian Loan Free N/A # MF José Luis Fernández Estudiantes La Plata Loan Free N/A # DF Lorenzo Melgarejo Paços de Ferreira Loan Free N/A # DF Fábio Faria Paços de Ferreira Loan Free N/A # MF Nuno Coelho Beira-Mar Loan Free N/A 34 DF André Almeida União de Leiria Loan Free N/A # DF José Shaffer União de Leiria Loan Free N/A # MF Elvis Leiria Loan Free N/A # GK Jan Oblak Leiria Loan Free N/A # FW Jonathan Urretaviscaya Vitória de Guimarães Loan Free N/A # FW Hélio Vaz Atlético CP Loan Free N/A # FW José Coelho Atlético CP Loan Free N/A # MF Leandro Pimenta Atlético CP Loan Free N/A # MF Miguel Rosa Belenenses Loan Free N/A # FW Franco Jara Granada Loan €400,000 N/A # MF Carlos Martins Granada Loan €500,000 N/A # GK Júlio César Granada Loan Free N/A # DF Sidnei Beşiktaş Loan €200,000 N/A # MF Airton Flamengo Loan €300,000 N/A # FW Alan Kardec Santos Loan Free N/A # FW Ishmael Yartey Servette Loan Free N/A # DF Roderick Servette Loan Free N/A # MF Eduardo Salvio Atlético Madrid Loan Return Free N/A
Winter
No. Pos. Name Moving to Type of transfer Transfer fee Source 25 DF César Peixoto Gil Vicente Transfer Free N/A # FW José Coelho Sheriff Tiraspol Transfer Free N/A 5 MF Ruben Amorim Braga Loan Free N/A 35 MF Enzo Pérez Estudiantes La Plata Loan €300,000 N/A 22 FW Rodrigo Mora Peñarol Loan Free N/A 26 MF David Simão Académica de Coimbra Loan Free N/A # DF Fábio Faria Rio Ave Loan Free N/A
Transfer income: €41,150,000
Overall transfer activity
Spending Summer: €27,050,000 Winter: €0,000,000 Total: €27,050,000
Income Summer: €40,850,000 Winter: €300,000 Total: €41,150,000
Expenditure Summer: €13,800,000 Winter: €300,000 Total: €14,100,000
References