Two European Cup winners, Celtic FC and SL Benfica, are gearing up for a thrilling encounter at Celtic Park.
Founded in 1887, Celtic FC is a Glaswegian football club renowned for its domestic dominance alongside Rangers FC. Both clubs boast more than 50 Scottish Premiership titles. Yet, Celtic's success extends beyond Scotland, having reached the pinnacle of European football in 1967. Managed by Jock Stein, Celtic came from behind to beat Inter Milan 2-1 in a historic European Cup final.
In recent years, Celtic regularly participate in the UEFA Champions League, but progression deep into the tournament has proven exceedingly difficult. A notable recent milestone was their appearance in the round of 16 during the 2012/13 season, having beaten the mighty FC Barcelona 2-1 in the group stage.
SL Benfica is a club that also boasts plenty of success in domestic and European football. They’ve clinched more Primeira Liga titles than any other club,and also made their mark on the grand European stage. Benfica's maiden European Cup victory occurred in 1961 when they defeated Barcelona in the final. They added a second European Cup in 1962, triumphing over Real Madrid.
Benfica have failed to add a third European trophy, despite competing in eight finals. The Portuguese club were allegedly cursed by former manager Bela Guttman, after he was snubbed a salary increase in 1962. The two-time European Cup winner is believed to have said: "Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champions again".
Celtic FC vs SL Benfica Head to Head
Celtic and Benfica have faced off on numerous occasions in UEFA’s elite club competition. Their first meeting came in the 1970 European Cup second-round and the tie was ultimately decided by a coin toss. The Scottish club beat Benfica 3-0 in the first-leg, but were beaten by the same scoreline in Lisbon. Penalty shoot-outs were yet to be introduced to the European Cup, so the winner was decided in Celtic’s favour by the referee’s coin toss.
They’ve since met in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2006/07, 2007/08, and 2012/13. Celtic remain unbeaten at home against Benfica, while the Portuguese club have won every encounter at the Estádio da Luz. Buy Celtic FC vs SL Benfica tickets on SeatPick to see them in action in their next meeting.
Celtic FC vs SL Benfica Connections
Portuguese winger Jota joined Celtic on loan from Benfica in the 2021/22 season, before completing a permanent transfer to Parkhead at the end of the season. He spent one more fruitful year at Celtic Park before signing for Saudi club Al-Ittihad.
Another Portuguese forward graced the turf in both Glasgow and Lisbon. Jorge Cadete signed for Celtic from Sporting CP in 1996 and went on to score 38 goals in 47 appearances. He later returned to Portugal to sign for Benfica, but failed to make an impact at the club.
In 2023, midfielder Paulo Bernardo joined Celtic on a season-long loan from Benfica.
