Braga-Benfica: the fiercest of rivalries explained
How the “Warriors of the Minho” were born
The titanic battle for the Liga Sagres title last season and tonight’s Europa League semi-final duel between Braga and Benfica are the most visible faces of what has become one of the most intense rivalries in Portuguese football. But the fierce competitiveness and mutual antagonism felt whenever the two clubs clash can be traced back to one remarkable match over five years ago. Braga fan Karl Donnelly explains.
People wonder when the Braga players became warriors and when the legion began to march forward and upwards... For me it was on 19 November 2005.
Both the media and Benfica can assume blame for the escalation in rivalry between Braga and Benfica that is clear for all to see today. Ever since it was reported in 2005 that Benfica considered Braga’s stadium their second home, hostilities have risen to boiling point on several occasions.
One November night…
When the two teams met in week eleven of the 2005/06 season there was a media frenzy around the game. Any result that gave the home team three points would be accepted. After Anderson scored for Benfica, Jesualdo Ferreira didn’t wait long to switch Abel for Davide and give us more attacking options. Castanheira came on for Jaime at half time to try and get a grip in midfield. The second half began and Braga slowly began to control the game. Davide was strangely substituted again in the 63rd minute and it was a game changing moment when Maxi Bevacqua entered. In a matter of minutes Benfica had three yellow cards, Geovanni went off for Nuno Assis and seconds later Cesinha equalised for Braga.
Buna (who sat beside me at the time) and myself did our obligatory Cesinha bows celebrating his goal that would never be forgotten. I recently met Cesinha in December 2010 while he was on a break from Romania (Rapid Bucharest) and recounted the goal. As with every player, he was delighted that someone remembered his goal. He only managed a handful of goals for Braga in three seasons (7 league goals, 1 UEFA cup goal and 1 goal in a friendly) but this was certainly the most important one during his stay at Braga.
Seven minutes of the purest drama
Braga did everything for the next twenty minutes except score. With three minutes to go the most unlikely hero popped up. Maxi Bevacqua! The crowd went absolutely nuts. When the fourth official put his board up with six minutes of compensation time there was disgust amongst the fans. Where did the time come from? There had only been three substitutions during the second half and hardly any stoppages in play.
Referee Joao Ferreira was about to become notorious with the Braga supporters and his reputation has only worsened in Braga ever since. An innocuous ball into the box was chested down cleanly by Nem and incredibly he pointed to the spot. It was amazingly adjudged to have hit his arm! There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that a travesty had occurred. For a moment I thought there was going to be a pitch invasion, such was the anger of the crowd. Nuno Gomes’ reaction after converting the penalty was disgusting and completely anti-sporting behaviour.
But when Maxi Bevacqua popped up again a couple of minutes later to score the winner after 94 minutes, from what looked like a tame header that went in off the post, the majority of the crowd were in heaven. The stadium erupted. Offside or not, the goal stood. The home supporters had gone from jubilation to complete and utter outrage to celebrating once again. It was the worst, the best and possibly the most exciting seven minutes of football I have seen in Braga.
Justice done
I doubt one single person that was in the stadium that day will ever forget what happened. Maxi Bevacqua only scored two goals in his one season at Braga. He will never be forgotten as they both came in that historic win. The headline of A Bola the next day was “JUSTO”. Although the casa de Benfica (Benfica’s fan club) in Braga had been declining to the point of not being used, an interesting article lay within the pages of A Bola. “Death of the House of Benfica in Braga!” Since then Benfica supporters have never outnumbered Braga supporters in Braga and this is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.
The “Guerreiros do Minho” were born. The passion was instilled and exacerbated by a Benfica media circus that badly backfired and it has continued to snowball and grow just as the support of Benfica within the Minho area has waned considerably. Long may it continue.
Keep track of Karl’s thoughts on all things Braga at his excellent Planet Braga blog
Thank you to all the great Benfica fans who took the defeat on the chin and sent messages. For those of you that can't accept it, don't worry, as your team will be back fighting for honours again. For us fans of a team that lived off moral victories for years its fantastic to finally get there. Salvadorhas built slowly but surely and to get to the final is a major feat.
you have no respect
13
Friday, 06 May 2011 22:58
Carlos (SLB/SCB)
bu-clubista some retarded word you just made up shows where things where going. EVERYONE and i mean everyone supports more than two clubs, fyi a national team is also a club, so you just called yourself a hypocrite...
how they allowed you to post this ridiculous accusation of when braga's rivalry was born is hilarious especially like the guy above me commented, you didn't write anything about the penalty, i wonder why?
karl
12
Friday, 06 May 2011 21:45
Forcaslb29
Braga has two great years and Guimares still averages better attendance than Braga...pathetic
Answers to your comments
11
Friday, 06 May 2011 03:12
Karl/Ireland
Just got home..3.45am after a great party... for the first two hours after the game I barely spoke.I still dont believe it.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.. just like a Benfica fan said to me the other day... "We ripped you hearts out last season when we won the league and we'll do it again"
Thank you for the comments..
It gives me great pleasure to say that Jorge Jesus isnowat home tryingtowin the Europa League on his playstation.
For any comments coming from bi-clubistas(supporters of two teams in the same league) I just wont bother replying
Thanks Byran and Davide for your comments.
Jay it's difficult every day when you are saturated by the press. Benfica are a huge club and are entitled to everything they have achieved but then you see players like F. Coentrao insulting Braga and you change your opinion instantly.
Yei in China.. unfortunately this game is nowwhere to be seen, The offside goal you can find but thepenalty you cant...
Yes Danny I did mention the offside goal..
People may call me an anti-benficista and it's true because of conditioning of the media. Living here 8 years as a foreigner I've seen it all. That is not to say when we play against Porto or Sporting that I dont cheer and sing and shout as loud. Of course I do.
In two weeks I will be in the city where I grew up supporting my club...
Warriors of the Minho
10
Thursday, 05 May 2011 18:46
SLBDanny/USA
Wow I love how this dude complains about the "travesty" BS PK call by the referee, but hardly has anything to say about Bevacqua's OFFSIDE goal in the 94Min. Don't understand how you can cry foul at the ref when he does a mistake against your team, but then again you say nothing when he makes a mistake against Benfica. Anyways that game is history and BTW I don't think the “Warriors of the Minho” were born on that day. IMO the “Warriors of the Minho” were born on January 1, 2005 when they went into the Dragao on MatchDay 19 and beat Porto 3-1 to top the SuperLiga table.
i wonder why lol
9
Thursday, 05 May 2011 17:19
Carlos (SLB/SCB)
it seems everyone likes to join the battle against Benfica now...envy, jealousy who knows? I respect every team in Portugal except porto, not because of the team itself but because of other things.
The fans, yes we have extremists too, but come on: no fans beat porto when it comes to projectiles. As for coach, Jorje jesus is a cretin...he doesn't know anything when it comes to futbol and never did, he just has a great team in his hands...with the exception of his calls: peixoto and roberto.
as for AVB, he is a decent coach. I don't understand how he is getting so much praise when Jesualdo is the one who made Porto what it is today. Almost the same players, just a few new ones, and the same tactics...
As for the players, yeah i like a few: Bellushi, Moutinho, and the phenomenal FALCAO! too bad benfica didnt keep their mouths shut or else we wouldve got him :/
I wonder what his(Moutinho) friends think of him though, since he is probably the most hated player in portugal for obvious reasons...
As for the best games, Braga is just like facing p.fereira or guimaraes nothing more. Benfica's best matches are with Sporting and after comes Porto. Always has been, always will be!
Re Carlos
8
Thursday, 05 May 2011 15:53
Bryan/SCB
Actually we did see Benfica fans bashing Alan.
The only people saying this is a bad article are the hardcore Benfica fans because they can't except that the mainstream media treasures Benfica and everyone but Benfica fans hates Benfica. It's sad but yeah. The anti-Benfica fan page is growing and growing exponentially.
article
7
Thursday, 05 May 2011 15:38
Davide/toronto
Im a huge sportinguista but even I can say this is a great article
Excellent memory
6
Thursday, 05 May 2011 15:30
Jay Gomes / Mass.
You gotta love Braga and everything they've accomplished. I certainly do and I'm a Porto supporter. However, both sets of supporters I think live to despise(in a sporting manner of course) Benfica and their sense of entitlement! Good luck today Braga!
really?
5
Thursday, 05 May 2011 14:08
Carlos (SLB/SCB)
i mean i love Braga but this story? it just seems another anti-benfiquista bashing us once again...
you don't see us commenting about Alan's tactics this year now do you?
highlight
4
Thursday, 05 May 2011 14:00
Yei/China
Any one know a place to see the highlight of this match(2006)
garbage
3
Thursday, 05 May 2011 13:29
Forcaslb29
...this article
I forgot to say
2
Thursday, 05 May 2011 11:44
Bryan/SCB
Excellent articles Karl, they are very insightful. I've been to your blog 3 times already.
I do my shopping in Braga.
1
Thursday, 05 May 2011 11:39
Bryan/SCB
The city loves their team. However, Braga are getting fans all over the Minho province. They are rapidly expanding.
The titanic battle for the Liga Sagres title last season and tonight’s Europa League semi-final duel between Braga and Benfica are the most visible faces of what has become one of the most intense rivalries in Portuguese football. But the fierce competitiveness and mutual antagonism felt whenever the two clubs clash can be traced back to one remarkable match over five years ago. Braga fan Karl Donnelly explains. 
how they allowed you to post this ridiculous accusation of when braga's rivalry was born is hilarious especially like the guy above me commented, you didn't write anything about the penalty, i wonder why?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.. just like a Benfica fan said to me the other day... "We ripped you hearts out last season when we won the league and we'll do it again"
Thank you for the comments..
It gives me great pleasure to say that Jorge Jesus isnowat home tryingtowin the Europa League on his playstation.
For any comments coming from bi-clubistas(supporters of two teams in the same league) I just wont bother replying
Thanks Byran and Davide for your comments.
Jay it's difficult every day when you are saturated by the press. Benfica are a huge club and are entitled to everything they have achieved but then you see players like F. Coentrao insulting Braga and you change your opinion instantly.
Yei in China.. unfortunately this game is nowwhere to be seen, The offside goal you can find but thepenalty you cant...
Yes Danny I did mention the offside goal..
People may call me an anti-benficista and it's true because of conditioning of the media. Living here 8 years as a foreigner I've seen it all. That is not to say when we play against Porto or Sporting that I dont cheer and sing and shout as loud. Of course I do.
In two weeks I will be in the city where I grew up supporting my club...
The fans, yes we have extremists too, but come on: no fans beat porto when it comes to projectiles. As for coach, Jorje jesus is a cretin...he doesn't know anything when it comes to futbol and never did, he just has a great team in his hands...with the exception of his calls: peixoto and roberto.
as for AVB, he is a decent coach. I don't understand how he is getting so much praise when Jesualdo is the one who made Porto what it is today. Almost the same players, just a few new ones, and the same tactics...
As for the players, yeah i like a few: Bellushi, Moutinho, and the phenomenal FALCAO! too bad benfica didnt keep their mouths shut or else we wouldve got him :/
I wonder what his(Moutinho) friends think of him though, since he is probably the most hated player in portugal for obvious reasons...
As for the best games, Braga is just like facing p.fereira or guimaraes nothing more. Benfica's best matches are with Sporting and after comes Porto. Always has been, always will be!
The only people saying this is a bad article are the hardcore Benfica fans because they can't except that the mainstream media treasures Benfica and everyone but Benfica fans hates Benfica. It's sad but yeah. The anti-Benfica fan page is growing and growing exponentially.
you don't see us commenting about Alan's tactics this year now do you?