1995–96 S.L. Benfica season

The 1995–96 season was Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 92nd season in existence and the club's 62nd consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football, covering the period from 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1996. It involved Benfica competing in the Primeira Divisão and the Taça de Portugal. Benfica qualified for the UEFA Cup by coming third in previous League.

Benfica
1995–96 season
PresidentManuel Damásio
Head coachArtur Jorge
(until 9 September 1995)
Mário Wilson
StadiumEstádio da Luz
Primeira Divisão2nd
Taça de PortugalWinners
UEFA CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: João Pinto (18)
All: João Pinto (23)
Highest home attendance50,000 v Porto
(23 March 1996)
Lowest home attendance4,000 v Chaves
(9 March 1996)
Biggest winBenfica 4–0 União de Leiria
(29 December 1995)
Benfica 5–1 Marítimo
(12 May 1996)
Biggest defeatPorto 3–0 Benfica
(5 November 1995)
Bayern Munich 4–1 Benfica
(21 November 1995)

After failing to renew the title in the past season, the club brought in several players during the transfer market, with Ricardo Gomes, Valdo, Calado and Marcelo assuming regular starter roles. However, the club lost all of his more historic players as the case of Neno, Vítor Paneira, Isaías and César Brito. With the animosity around Artur Jorge increasing, poor results in September caused his departure. Despite an irregular season in the league, various winning streaks helped the team reach their second-place finish by 23 March, after a home win against Porto. In the Portuguese Cup, a strong performance from Marcelo throughout the competition, who finish as the tournament top scorer, guided the team to the final, where João Pinto delivered the trophy after scoring a double.[1]

Season summary

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The second season of Artur Jorge started with much more distrust over his abilities. From the large number of signings in the year before, only a handful prove noteworthy, and Tavares and Nelo even showed a complete inability to play for a big club.[2] Despite that, more exits followed, with a 28-year-old Vítor Paneira, and the club league topscorer in the year before; Isaías, causing the most anger.[3][4] Benfica signed mostly in Portugal, as with the league top goalscorer, Hassan, but also searched in Europe, bringing Valdo and Ricardo Gomes, back from France.

The league start was not ideal, as the team dropped four points in three match-days, leading to Artur Jorge being sacked after the build up of fan pressure.[1] The club then selected Mário Wilson as his replacement. Benfica slowly started collecting wins over the following weeks, but after the defeat against FC Porto in the Clássico of 5 November, the distance to the league leader increased to eight points.[5] In Europe, the ended their campaign, after being knock out by Bayern Munich, with Klinsmann scoring six goals, in what the press dubbed 'Cataklinsmann'.[6][1]

In November, with Porto putting on a strong campaign, the club set eyes on closing the distance on the second place, occupied by Sporting.[5] At the end of January, Benfica reach the second place for the first time, after João Pinto led the club past Vitória Guimarães.[1] In the following month, a strong performance by Marcelo, allowed the club to progress through the Portuguese Cup semi-finals after beating Vitória de Guimarães.[7] However, February did not go as well in the league race, with the club spending two weeks on the fourth place.[8]

In March, Benfica received and beat Porto, with João Pinto scoring the winning goal, as he have done in Guimarães.[1] With this win, the club re-assumed the second place, which would be its final league position, finishing the season six points ahead of Sporting, but an eleven behind Porto, which had the title wrapped up nearly a month before.[9] In April, with only the Portuguese Cup to compete for. Marcelo continued his goalscoring record on the national cup, scoring a double in overtime for the semi-final against Leiria.[7] On the 18 May, in the 1996 Taça de Portugal final, João Pinto scored two against Sporting in a 3–1 win, with the club winning its twenty-third Taça de Portugal. The celebrations were nonetheless cancelled due to the death of a Sporting supporter, after being accidentally hit by a lost flare.[1]

Competitions

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  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Overall record

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Competition First match Last match Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win % Source
Primeira Divisão 26 August 1995 12 May 1996 34 22 7 5 57 27 +30 064.71 [10]
Taça de Portugal 1 December 1995 18 May 1996 6 5 1 0 12 2 +10 083.33 [10]
UEFA Cup 12 September 1995 5 December 1995 6 3 1 2 10 11 −1 050.00 [10]
Total 46 30 9 7 79 40 +39 065.22

Primeira Divisão

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Porto (C) 34 26 6 2 84 20 +64 84 Qualification to Champions League group stage
2 Benfica 34 22 7 5 56 25 +31 73 Qualification to Cup Winners' Cup first round[a]
3 Sporting CP 34 19 10 5 69 27 +42 67 Qualification to UEFA Cup first round
4 Boavista 34 19 8 7 59 28 +31 65
5 Vitória de Guimarães 34 19 5 10 55 39 +16 62
Source: Primeira Divisão
Rules for classification: 1st points, 2nd head-to-head, 3rd goals average
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ Benfica qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as Portuguese Cup winners

Results by round

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAH
ResultDWDWWLWWWLDWWWWWDLWWWLDWWDWWWDLWWW
Position10764353334443333344224432322222222
Source: ForaDeJogo
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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20 August 1995 1 Benfica Postponed Salgueiros Lisbon
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
26 August 1995 2 Tirsense 0–1 Benfica Santo Tirso
20:00 Report Panduru   49' Stadium: Abel Alves de Figueiredo
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Veiga Trigo
6 September 1995 1 Benfica 0–0 Salgueiros Lisbon
19:45 Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: José Rufino
9 September 1995 3 Benfica 1–1 Vitória Guimarães Lisbon
19:45 Hassan   59' Report Ricardo Lopes   90' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: José Pratas
17 September 1995 4 Estrela da Amadora 0–1 Benfica Lisbon
19:00 Report João Pinto   28' Stadium: Estádio da Reboleira
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Pinto Correia
22 September 1995 5 Benfica 1–0 Belenenses Lisbon
19:00 Marcelo   84' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Vítor Pereira
4 October 1995 6 Sporting 2–0 Benfica Lisbon
21:00 Pedro Barbosa   49'
Emmanuel Amuneke   83'
Report Stadium: Estádio de Alvalade
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Veiga Trigo
14 October 1995 7 Benfica 3–0 Gil Vicente Lisbon
18:00 Panduru   21'
Hélder   45'
Hassan   64' (pen.)
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Isidoro Rodrigues
22 October 1995 8 Desp. Chaves 1–2 Benfica Chaves
19:15 Rui Loja   68' Report Valdo   75'
Hassan   78'
Stadium: Estádio Municipal de Chaves
Attendance: 17,000
Referee: Paulo Paraty
27 October 1995 9 Benfica 4–1 Leça Lisbon
19:45 Paulão   41'
Iliev   44'
Alfaia   64' (o.g.)
Hassan   80'
Report Paredão   63' (o.g.) Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Daniel Alberto Soares
5 November 1995 10 Porto 3–0 Benfica Porto
20:30 Domingos   42', 85' (pen.)
Péter Lipcsei   88'
Report Stadium: Estádio das Antas
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Bento Marques
18 November 1995 11 Benfica 1–1 Boavista Lisbon
20:00 Hassan   90' Report Artur   19' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: José Pratas
26 November 1995 12 Braga 1–2 Benfica Braga
19:45 Bo Andersson   25' Report João Pinto   30' (pen.)
Hassan   35'
Stadium: Estádio 1º de Maio
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Lucilio Baptista
9 December 1995 13 Benfica 2–0 Campomaiorense Lisbon
19:45 Edgar Pacheco   68'
Marcelo   85'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Cunha Antunes
16 December 1995 14 Farense 1–3 Benfica Faro
19:45 Hajry Redouane   13' Report Ricardo Gomes   34'
Paulo Bento   56'
João Pinto   82'
Stadium: Estádio de São Luís
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Bento Marques
22 December 1995 15 Felgueiras 1–2 Benfica Felgueiras
19:45 Lewis   32' Report Edgar Pacheco   48'
Ricardo Gomes   72'
Stadium: Estádio Dr. Machado de Matos
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Carlos Calheiros
29 December 1995 16 Benfica 4–0 União de Leiria Lisbon
19:45 Marinho   13'
João Pinto   62'
Ricardo Gomes   76'
Panduru   81'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Paulo Costa
6 January 1996 17 Maritimo 2–2 Benfica Funchal
19:00 Alex Bunbury   21'
Carlos Jorge   78'
Report Marcelo   16'
João Pinto   68'
Stadium: Estádio dos Barreiros
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Lucílio Baptista
12 January 1996 18 Salgueiros 4–2 Benfica Porto
20:45 Nandinho   36'
Abílio   49' (pen.)
Nilton   79'
Basílio Almeida   87'
Report Valdo   55' (pen.)
Marcelo   89'
Stadium: Estádio Prof. Dr. José Vieira de Carvalho
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: José Pratas
20 January 1996 19 Benfica 2–1 Tirsense Lisbon
19:30 João Pinto   61'
Dimas Teixeira   77'
Report Rui Manuel   56' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: António Costa
27 January 1996 20 Vitória Guimarães 2–4 Benfica Guimarães
19:00 Zlatko Zahovič   10'
Ricardo Lopes   17'
Report João Pinto   48', 86'
Marcelo   50'
Hélder   58'
Stadium: Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: António Rola
4 February 1996 21 Benfica 1–0 Estrela da Amadora Lisbon
18:15 Paulão   46' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Vitor Reis
11 February 1996 22 Belenenses 1–0 Benfica Lisbon
21:00 Giovanella   62' Report Stadium: Estádio do Restelo
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Bento Marques
17 February 1996 23 Benfica 0–0 Sporting Lisbon
20:00 Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Paulo Paraty
2 March 1996 24 Gil Vicente 1–2 Benfica Braga
20:15 Jaime Cerqueira   13' Report João Pinto   6'
Marcelo   45'
Stadium: Estádio 1º de Maio
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Isidoro Rodrigues
9 March 1996 25 Benfica 2–0 Desp. Chaves Lisbon
20:00 João Pinto   32'
Marcelo   36'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: João Mesquita
17 March 1996 26 Leça 0–0 Benfica Leça da Palmeira
19:00 Report Stadium: Estádio do Leça FC
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Lucílio Baptista
23 March 1996 27 Benfica 2–1 Porto Lisbon
20:00 Valdo   14' (pen.)
João Pinto   52'
Report Emerson   51' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: António Rola
30 March 1996 28 Boavista 1–3 Benfica Porto
20:00 Artur   85' Report Ricardo Gomes   1'
João Pinto   67', 75'
Stadium: Estádio do Bessa
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Bento Marques
5 April 1996 29 Benfica 3–0 Braga Lisbon
19:00 Daniel Kenedy   9'
João Pinto   43' (pen.), pen.'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Antonio Costa
14 April 1996 30 Campomaiorense 0–0 Benfica Campo Maior
20:30 Report Stadium: Estádio Capitão Cesar Correia
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Martins dos Santos
21 April 1996 31 Benfica 0–1 Farense Lisbon
20:00 Report Jorge Soares   90' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: José Pratas
28 April 1996 32 Benfica 1–0 Felgueiras Lisbon
20:30 Paulão   60' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Monteiro da Silva
5 May 1996 33 União de Leiria 0–2 Benfica Leiria
20:30 Report Paulo Bento   44'
Valdo   89'
Stadium: Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Daniel Soares
12 May 1996 34 Benfica 5–1 Maritimo Lisbon
17:00 João Pinto   7', 69', 74'
Dimas Teixeira   19'
Paredão   90'
Report Alex Bunbury   80' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: José Rufino

Taça de Portugal

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1 December 1995 Fourth Rd Tirsense 0–2 Benfica Santo Tirso
18:00 Report João Pinto   7', 72' Stadium: Abel Alves de Figueiredo
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Juvenal Silvestre
31 January 1996 Sixth Rd Farense 1–1 (a.e.t.) Benfica Faro
19:45 Christian   73' Report Marcelo   71' Stadium: Estádio de São Luís
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Veiga Trigo
14 February 1996 6R Replay Benfica 3–0 Farense Lisbon
20:30 Mauro Airez   60', 68'
Marcelo   81'
Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Referee: José Leirós
25 February 1996 Quarter-finals Benfica 1–0 (a.e.t.) Vitória Guimarães Lisbon
20:30 Marcelo   98' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Referee: Martins dos Santos
10 April 1996 Semi-finals Benfica 2–0 (a.e.t.) União de Leiria Lisbon
20:30 Marcelo   113', 119' Report Crespo   61'   81'
Hugo   66'   84'
Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Referee: Lucílio Baptista
18 May 1996 Final Benfica 3–1 Sporting Lisbon
20:30 Mauro Airez   9'
João Pinto   39', 67'
Report Carlos Xavier   83' (pen.) Stadium: Estádio Nacional
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Vítor Pereira

UEFA Cup

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First round

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12 September 1995 First leg Lierse SK   1–3   Benfica Lier
Huysmans   39' (pen.) Report Valdo   28' (pen.)
Marcelo   54'
Paulo Bento   64'
Stadium: Herman Vanderpoortenstadion
Referee: Anders Frisk
26 September 1995 Second leg Benfica   2–1
(5–2 agg.)
  Lierse SK Lisbon
19:00 João Pinto   24'
Kenedy   60'
Report van Kerckhoven   33' Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Referee: Philippe Leduc

Second round

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17 October 1995 First leg Benfica   1–0   Roda JC Lisbon
19:00 Panduru   78' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Periklis Vassilakis
31 October 1995 Second leg Roda JC   2–2
(2–3 agg.)
  Benfica Kerkrade
19:00 Hesp   60'
Trost   72'
Report Nader   85', 90' Stadium: Parkstad Limburg Stadion
Referee: Serge Muhmenthaler

Third round

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21 November 1995 First leg Bayern Munich   4–1   Benfica Munich
19:00 Klinsmann   26', 31', 44', 46' Report Dimas   30' Stadium: Olympiastadion
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
5 December 1995 Second leg   Benfica 1–3
(2–7 agg.)
Bayern Munich   Lisbon
19:00 Valdo   14' Report Klinsmann   32', 68'
Herzog   83'
Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Peter Mikkelsen

Friendlies

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27 July 1995[11] UBank Challenge Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 Benfica Pretoria
Fani Madida   75' Stadium: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
30 July 1995 UBank Challenge Benfica 0–0
(4–3 p)
Leeds United Johannesburg
Stadium: Ellis Park Stadium
4 August 1995[12] Parmalat Cup Boca Juniors 1–1
(4–3 p)
Benfica East Rutherford, New Jersey
Luis Medero   75'   17' Valdo Stadium: Giants Stadium
6 August 1995[12] Parmalat Cup USA 2–1 Benfica East Rutherford, New Jersey
Klopaso   13' (pen.)
Lassiter   66'
  63' Illiev Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 32,859
18 August 1995[14] Teresa Herrera Real Madrid 2–0 Benfica A Coruña
Amavisca   70'
Raúl   71'
Stadium: Estadio Riazor
Referee: Arturo Daudén Ibáñez
19 August 1995[15] Teresa Herrera Flamengo 2–1 Benfica A Coruña
Romário   3', 13'   12' João Pinto Stadium: Estadio Riazor
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: José López de la Fuente

Player statistics

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The squad for the season consisted of the players listed in the tables below, as well as staff member Artur Jorge (manager), Zoran Filipovic (assistant manager) and Mário Wilson (manager).[10][16]

Note 1: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note 2: Players with squad numbers marked ‡ joined the club during the 1995–96 season via transfer, with more details in the following section.

No. Pos Nat Player Total Primeira Divisão Taça de Portugal UEFA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK   BEL Michel Preud'homme 45 -37 33 -24 6 -2 6 -11
2 DF   BRA Paulo Pereira 11 0 7 0 0 0 4 0
3 DF   BRA Ricardo Gomes 37 4 29 4 5 0 3 0
4 DF   POR Hélder Cristóvão 43 2 31 2 6 0 6 0
5 DF   BRA Paredão 12 1 8 1 2 0 2 0
6 MF   POR Paulo Bento 40 3 29 2 6 0 5 1
7 MF   POR José Calado 22 0 14 0 4 0 4 0
8 MF   POR João Vieira Pinto 42 23 31 18 6 4 5 1
9 FW   MAR Hassan Nader 14 8 10 6 1 0 3 2
10 MF   BRA Valdo Filho 39 6 30 4 6 0 3 2
11 MF   ROU Basarab Panduru 19 4 15 3 1 0 3 1
13 DF   POR Dimas Teixeira 41 3 30 2 6 0 5 1
14 DF   POR Marinho 24 1 18 1 3 0 3 0
15 FW   BRA Aílton Delfino 5 0 4 0 0 0 1 0
16 DF   BRA King 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
17 DF   POR Pedro Henriques 19 0 16 0 2 0 1 0
18 MF   POR Edgar Pacheco 31 2 21 2 4 0 6 0
19 MF   POR Bruno Caires 23 0 16 0 4 0 3 0
20 MF   BUL Ilian Iliev 24 1 19 1 5 0 0 0
21 FW   BRA Luiz Gustavo 14 0 14 0 0 0 0 0
25 FW   BRA Marcelo 39 13 27 7 6 5 6 1
22 MF   POR Daniel Kenedy 30 2 22 1 3 0 5 1
23 MF   ANG Paulão 20 3 18 3 2 0 0 0
24 GK   POR Fernando Brassard 2 -4 2 -4 0 0 0 0
26 DF   POR Nélson Veríssimo 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
27 MF   POR Maniche 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
30 FW   ARG Mauro Airez 28 3 24 0 4 3 0 0

Transfers

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[17]

Entry date Position Player From club
July 1995 AM Valdo Filho Paris SG
July 1995 CB Ricardo Gomes Paris SG
July 1995 CM José Calado Estrela da Amadora
July 1995 ST Marcelo Tirsense
July 1995 RB Marinho Sporting
July 1995 ST Hassan Farense
July 1995 CM Ilian Iliev Levski Sofia
July 1995 AM Basarab Panduru Steaua București
July 1995 FW Mauro Airez Belenenses
July 1995 RW Paulão Vitória Setúbal
July 1995 GK Fernando Brassard Gil Vicente
July 1995 CB Paredão Tirsense
July 1995 FW Luiz Gustavo Belenenses
July 1995 ST Aílton Delfino São Paulo

In by loan

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Entry date Position Player From club Return date
July 1995 CB King Farense 30 June 1996
Exit date Position Player To club
July 1995 GK Neno Vitória Guimarães
July 1995 LB António Veloso Retired
July 1995 CB William Bastia
July 1995 FB Abel Xavier Bari
July 1995 CB Paulo Madeira Belenenses
July 1995 CB Paulão Vasco da Gama
July 1995 CB Carlos Mozer Kashima Antlers
July 1995 CM José Tavares Boavista
July 1995 RW Amaral Felgueiras
July 1995 RW Vítor Paneira Vitória Guimarães
July 1995 CM Nelo Boavista
July 1995 AM Mario Stanić Club Brugge
July 1995 CM Rui Esteves Belenenses
July 1995 ST Edílson Palmeiras
July 1995 ST Claudio Caniggia Boca Juniors
July 1995 FW Isaías Coventry City
July 1995 ST César Brito Belenenses
December 95 ST Aílton Delfino São Paulo

Out by loan

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Exit date Position Player To club Return date
July 1995 ST Akwá Alverca 30 June 1997
December 95 AM Basarab Panduru Neuchâtel Xamax 30 June 1996

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Tovar 2012, p. 540.
  2. ^ Tovar 2012, p. 532.
  3. ^ "Paneira e a seleção: "Se eu tivesse ficado no Benfica..."" [Paneira and the national team: "If I stayed at Benfica..."]. Mais Futebol (in Portuguese). 14 May 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Isaías ataca Artur Jorge: "Chegou para destruir o Benfica"" [Isaías attacks Artur Jorge: "He arrived to destroy Benfica".]. Sapo Desporto (in Portuguese). Planeta Benfica. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. ^ a b Tovar 2012, p. 542.
  6. ^ "Cataklismann". Diário de Noticias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  7. ^ a b Tovar 2012, p. 545.
  8. ^ Tovar 2012, p. 543.
  9. ^ Tovar 2012, p. 544.
  10. ^ a b c d Tovar 2012, p. 547.
  11. ^ "South Africa: United Bank Challenge Soccer". itnsource.com. 27 July 1995. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  12. ^ a b Martín Tabeira (4 October 2006). "Parmalat Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  13. ^ "Momentos de uma carreira". Público (in Portuguese). 11 May 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  14. ^ "El Madrid, finalista en apuros" [Finalist Madrid in trouble]. El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 19 August 1995. p. 18.
  15. ^ "Romario fue demasiado para el Benfica" [Romario was too much for Benfica]. El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 20 August 1995. p. 26.
  16. ^ "Squad 1995/96". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  17. ^ "Transfers". Thefinalball.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017.

Bibliography

  • Tovar, Rui Miguel (2012). Almanaque do Benfica [Benfica Almanac]. Portugal: Lua de Papel. ISBN 978-989-23-2087-8.