European trophies are among the most hotly contested rewards in international football, and claiming the Champions League or the Europa League title is something that all clubs in Europe strive to achieve.
UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) is the umbrella organisation that governs European football, working with 55 nations. UEFA promotes football in the best ways through governance and by creating competitions that celebrate the best teams in member countries.
The first European football competition was held in the 1955/56 season, and it was won by Real Madrid (who went on to win it five years in a row and have won 14 times in total). In terms of Portuguese clubs, Porto and Benfica have won the biggest prize in Europe twice each, Benfica in 1961 and 1962, and Porto in 1987 and 2004.
There are currently three tiers of UEFA competition running. The Champions League is the top flight, made up of the top clubs from each nation. The Europa League is the second tier, and then the Europa Conference League is the third tier.
There are four remaining Portuguese teams competing for European gold this season, and if you are thinking about where to place your bets for the competition at the online bookies after you’ve played some live blackjack, then one of these teams might be worth a punt to progress far.
In the UEFA Champions League, you have Benfica, Porto, and dark horse Braga, while in the UEFA Europa League is Sporting CP.
Before you place a wager, let’s look at the teams and see which might be worth watching.
SL Benfica
Sport Lisboa e Benfica, mostly referred to as Benfica, is the most successful team in the Primera Liga. The top flight of Portuguese football was established in 1934, and Benfica is one of only five teams to have won the league in all that time, coming home with the title 38 times.
Benfica are often referred to by fans as The Reds or The Eagles, and they are the most supported Portuguese club globally, with more than 14 million followers.
Along with their Liga wins, Benfica have earned 86 trophies, making them the most decorated club in Portugal.
While they won the Primeira Liga last year, they only reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League – so do they have it in them to get the gold?
FC Porto
Futebol Clube do Porto is the second-most decorated club in the country with 84 trophies – but they have been much more successful in international competitions. They have won seven trophies in Europe: the Champions League twice (most recently in the 2003/04 competition), the UEFA Cup once and the Europa League once, the Intercontinental Cup twice, and the UEFA Super Cup in 1987.
Nicknamed the Dragons, or the Blue & Whites, they crashed out at the Champions League Round of 16 last season, but an indication of their strength is that they were unlucky to fall at that stage against eventual finalists Inter Milan. Sérgio Conceição’s team arguably had the better of the tie but went out owing to small details.
SC Braga
Sporting Clube de Braga was founded in 1921, and they are easily recognised by their home kit, which closely resembles the Arsenal strip – one of their nicknames is the Arsenalistas. Braga have been growing steadily over the past two decades under the astute stewardship of their president António Salvador.
Their third-place finish in the league last season earned them a coveted spot in the Champions League ahead of more storied rivals Sporting CP, and while they haven’t been in the competition for more than a decade, they might be worth a punt as a dark horse to get through a tough group containing Real Madrid and Napoli.
Sporting CP
Sporting Clube de Portugal, known the Lions, have won 54 major trophies, participating 32 times in UEFA competitions over the years.
Sporting CP played in the Champions League last season but played in the Europa League following after Christmas because of their results in the group stages, where they knocked out Arsenal before a narrow quarter-final exit against Juventus.
While they enter this year’s Europa League tournament with some tough competition, they have the pedigree for success that many other clubs cannot compete with, and it could be said that they have a better chance of winning European silverware than the other Portuguese clubs.
There are always surprises in the European competitions with nail-biting action, penalties, and stunning football on display, so whoever wins the trophy, it is us as the fans that are the overall winners. If you manage to bet on the right team (at the right odds) then you’re even more of a winner!
