2004–05 in Portuguese Football

2004–05 In Portuguese Football

The 2004-05 season saw SL Benfica clinch the SuperLiga Galp Energia title after almost 11 years. The SuperLiga had one of the most competitive years with both Sporting C. de Braga and Boavista FC, fighting for the title, for a reasonable amount of time, and closing the gap on the "big three" (Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting CP). The "big three" managed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League while Braga, Vitória SC "de Guimarães" and Vitória FC "de Setúbal" went to the UEFA Cup. Benfica didn't manage to achieve the double, when they lost to Vitória de Setúbal in the Cup of Portugal final.

In the League of Honour, FC Paços de Ferreira won the title and alongside with newcomers A. Naval 1º de Maio and former competitors CF Estrela da Amadora secured their place in the 1st level of Portuguese football for 2005-06.

In the UEFA competitions, the Portuguese teams qualified in the 2003-04 season were Porto and Benfica in the Champions League; Sporting, Sporting de Braga, CS Marítimo and CD Nacional in the UEFA Cup; and União D. de Leiria in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Early in the season, Porto lost the UEFA Super Cup to AC Milan. Eventually they would reach the round of 16 of the Champions League where they were eliminated by Internazionale. In the middle of the season Porto also won their second Intercontinental Cup against Once Caldas. Meanwhile Sporting managed to reach the UEFA cup final (which was already chosen to be played at Sporting's Estádio José de Alvalade) where they lost to CSKA Moscow. The fact that Leiria reached the finals of the Intertoto Cup is also noteworthy.

Meanwhile, the Selecção Nacional (national team) managed to secure a comfortable position that would prove decisive in the qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2006.