Benfica Crushes FC Porto at home with historic 4-1 victory
Tensions boiled over post-match, with FC Porto President Villas-Boas delivering a harsh assessment in the locker room and canceling the team’s day off.
In what had been dubbed the “match of the season” by both FC Porto president André Villas-Boas and head coach Martín Anselmi, the highly anticipated Clássico of matchday 28 in the Primeira Liga turned into a nightmare for the home side.
FC Porto suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat at the hands of a clinical Benfica, powered by a historic hat-trick from Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis.
The loss not only dealt a major blow to FC Porto’s domestic campaign but also mathematically ended their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, marking a second consecutive absence from Europe’s top competition.
It was also Porto’s second 4-1 defeat to Benfica this season, after a similar result at the Estádio da Luz.
Pavlidis Makes History
The game started in dramatic fashion, with Pavlidis scoring just 40 seconds after kickoff—the fastest goal Benfica has ever scored in a league Clássico at the Dragão.
Although VAR confirmation was needed, the early strike stunned the packed stadium and set the tone for the evening.
Despite a brief surge in intensity and a chance from FC Porto's Mora, it was Benfica who looked more dangerous on the counter. Pavlidis struck again before halftime, giving the visitors a rare two-goal lead at the Dragão—a feat not seen in over 50 years in the league.
In the second half, Benfica maintained control and punished a fragile Porto defense.
Ángel Di María, who was on the pitch for 69 minutes, set up Pavlidis for his third goal of the night, sealing a dream performance for the Greek forward, who now has 14 league goals and 24 in all competitions.
Porto managed a late consolation through Samu, but their brief hope was extinguished when Otamendi added a fourth for the visitors.
Fallout and Locker Room Tension
The defeat confirmed a winless record for FC Porto in this season’s Clássicos, with losses to both Benfica and Sporting, and only a single draw against the latter.
For a club used to challenging for the title, this result symbolizes a season marked by instability and underperformance.
Tensions boiled over post-match, with President Villas-Boas delivering a harsh assessment in the locker room and canceling the team’s day off.
The players were immediately sent into a training camp in Vila Nova de Gaia—an apparent attempt to contain fan backlash and signal accountability.
According to club sources, some players initially resisted the decision, creating further friction within the squad.
Coach Anselmi apologized to supporters and admitted the only objective left is to secure third place. FC Porto currently sits on 56 points, level with fourth-place Braga, who visit Sporting tonight.
Benfica Take Top Spot
Meanwhile, Benfica manager Bruno Lage praised his team’s performance but urged caution.
With 68 points, the Lisbon club now leads the league by three points, putting pressure on Sporting ahead of their Monday night clash with Braga.
As the season nears its climax, the race for the title is heating up—while FC Porto are left to reflect on what has become one of their most disappointing campaigns in recent memory.
Here’s the current 2024/25 season standings for the top 5 clubs in the Primeira Liga:
Benfica, 68 points
Sporting, 66 points
Braga, 57 points
Porto, 56 points
Santa Clara, 46 points
Find out the rest of the table in English here.