Benfica playing for millions on final day: Estoril clash worth a fortune | OneFootball

Benfica go into the final matchday of the league still fighting for second place, but no longer depending only on themselves. After being overtaken by Sporting, the Eagles are required to beat Estoril and hope for a slip-up from the Lions to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

The sporting importance of qualification is enormous, but the financial impact also weighs heavily on the accounts of the SAD led by Rui Costa. This season, Benfica earned around €53.1 million thanks to their participation in Europe’s main competition, even though they only reached the play-off for a place in the round of 16.

The figures contrast sharply with the amounts distributed in the Europa League. Porto and Braga, despite their positive campaigns in the competition, fell well short of the revenue Benfica earned in the Champions League, a scenario that helps explain the strategic importance of second place for Benfica.

Just for entering the Champions League league phase, the Lisbon club brought in €41.9 million between the participation prize and market pool value. A sum considered essential to maintaining the financial and competitive stability of the red-clad structure.

Recently, SAD vice-president Nuno Catarino acknowledged the weight that a possible European failure would have on the club’s finances: "Our plan is to take part in the Champions League; that remains the plan, and that is what we always work for. If that were to happen [failure to qualify], we would have to make adjustments, as has always been done in the past. Benfica do not have that recent history. They have not needed to make adjustments, but if necessary, they will."

If they finish in third place, Benfica could still benefit from a particular situation linked to the Portuguese Cup. If Sporting confirm second place and beat Torreense in the Jamor final, the Eagles will avoid the second Europa League qualifying round and enter directly into the league phase of the competition.

The red-and-white club return to action next Saturday, May 16, against Estoril. The match, counting for the 34th and final round of Liga Portugal Betclic, against Ian Cathro’s side, will be played at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota at 8:30 pm.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.