The 1937–38 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 34th season in existence and the club's 4rd consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football, covering the period from 1 September 1937 to 30 June 1938. Benfica competed in the Campeonato da Liga, the Campeonato de Portugal and in the Campeonato de Lisboa.

Benfica entered the season aiming to defend its league title while also competing for the Campeonato de Portugal and the Campeonato de Lisboa. After finishing runners-up in the regional competition, the club went on to win its third consecutive Campeonato da Liga title, the first team in Portugal to achieve such a feat. In the Campeonato de Portugal, Benfica reached the final after eliminating Porto and Académica, but lost to Sporting in the fifth Derby de Lisboa of the season, narrowly missing out on the double.

Season summary Benfica entered the season seeking to defend the league title it had secured the previous year, as well as to win the Campeonato de Portugal and the Campeonato de Lisboa. After guiding the team to consecutive league titles, Hungarian coach Lippo Hertzka remained in charge for a second season. During the off-season, Cândido Tavares left for Casa Pia, and Alberto de Jesus departed to join Belenenses. The club brought in Pedro Ferreira from Sporting.

Before the start of the Campeonato de Lisboa, Benfica played six friendlies, recording four wins and two losses. Five of these matches were against rivals Belenenses, Sporting, and Porto, including a 4–1 victory over Sporting and a 6–0 win against Belenenses.

On 17 October, Benfica visited União de Lisboa in the opening round of the Campeonato de Lisboa, winning 8–0. The team won its next two matches, scoring six goals across both, before travelling to face Belenenses, where it won 3–2 and remained level on points with Sporting at the top of the table. On 14 November, Benfica visited Sporting in the Derby de Lisboa, losing 1–0 and dropping to second place. Benfica closed the month with a 5–4 win over União de Lisboa, overcoming a four-goal deficit by the 49th minute.

Benfica began December with a 13–1 victory over Casa Pia, in which Guilherme Espírito Santo scored nine goals. Before hosting Sporting, the team defeated Belenenses 5–2. On 19 December, Benfica faced Sporting in a match that would decide the title, with the Derby ending in a 2–2 draw, giving Sporting the championship.

Before the beginning of the Campeonato da Liga, the team hosted MTK Budapest FC in a rare international match, losing 4–0. Benfica began its title defence with a 4–0 away win over Académico F.C.. In the following round, the team hosted Sporting in the season’s first league Derby de Lisboa, winning 3–2 with Rogério scoring twice and Espírito Santo adding the decisive goal.

February opened with a goalless draw against Barreirense, dropping the team to third place, three points behind leaders Porto. Benfica then recorded a 4–1 away win over Carcavelinhos, followed by a 3–1 victory against Porto in the first O Clássico of the season, climbing to first place. However, a loss to Belenenses in the following matchday saw Benfica fall back to second place. The team won its next two matches before meeting Sporting for the fourth time that season and drawing 2–2, a result that left Benfica two points behind Porto.

With two further wins over Barreirense and Carcavelinhos, combined with a Porto defeat, Benfica drew level on points with its rival. On 10 April, a 2–2 away draw with Porto in a decisive O Clássico gave Benfica the head-to-head advantage going into the final two matches of the season. Victories over Belenenses and Académica secured Benfica’s third consecutive league title, making it the first club in Portugal to achieve the feat.

After the conclusion of the league, Benfica entered the Campeonato de Portugal, defeating União de Lisboa 4–1 on aggregate in the round of 16, setting up a O Clássico quarter-final against Porto. In the first leg, Benfica lost 4–2 away after conceding twice in the second half. The second leg ended in a 7–0 victory, with five first-half goals and a hat-trick from Espírito Santo, sending the team into the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, Benfica lost the first leg 2–1, but a 4–1 win over Académica in the return leg secured a place in the final. In the fifth Derby de Lisboa of the season, Benfica faced Sporting and lost 3–1, missing the chance to achieve a double.

Competitions

Overall record Competition First match Last match RecordGWDLGFGAGDWin %Source Campeonato da Liga 16 January 1938 8 May 1938 Campeonato de Portugal 15 May 1938 26 June 1938 Campeonato de Lisboa 17 October 1937 19 December 1937 Total

Primeira Divisão

League table

Results by round

Matches

Taça de Portugal

Round of 16

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final

Campeonato de Lisboa

Non-Official matches

Player statistics The squad for the season consisted of the players listed in the tables below, as well as staff member Lippo Hertzka (manager).

Transfers In Position Player From Fee Ref MF Pedro Ferreira Sporting CPUndisclosed

Out Position Player To Fee Ref GK Cândido Tavares Casa Pia A.C.Undisclosed MF Jacinto Esperança Lusitânia Reguengos de MonsarazUndisclosed FW Alberto de Jesus CF Os BelenensesUndisclosed

References