In a crucial Primeira Liga clash on May 12, Benfica were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Braga. Despite maintaining their unbeaten record this season, the result saw them slip to third place in the standings, putting their Champions League qualification hopes in serious doubt.
The match was marked by several contentious refereeing decisions. Benfica took the lead early on, but Braga responded with two goals to turn the game around. Deep into stoppage time, in the 95th minute, Pavlidis converted a penalty to secure a dramatic equalizer for the hosts.
That spot-kick preserved Benfica’s unbeaten streak in the league this campaign. With 33 matches played, Benfica have accumulated 77 points from 22 wins and 11 draws. However, Sporting Lisbon’s dominant 4-1 away victory over Rio Ave on the same matchday pushed them above Benfica. Sporting now sit second with 79 points, while league leaders Porto have already secured the title.
Under current UEFA regulations, the Portuguese top flight offers just 1.5 Champions League spots. The champion automatically qualifies for the group stage, while the runner-up enters the qualifying rounds. Finishing third would mean a place in the Europa League qualifiers.
Benfica’s path to Champions League football is now fraught with difficulty. On the final matchday, they must hope Sporting Lisbon fail to beat Gil Vicente at home, while simultaneously needing to defeat Estoril themselves—only then could they potentially leapfrog into second place.
Meanwhile, speculation continues to swirl around 63-year-old manager José Mourinho, who has been heavily linked with a return to his former club Real Madrid. It appears increasingly likely that Mourinho will depart Benfica at the end of the season. Whether he can lead the team to a Champions League berth and say goodbye on a high note will only be decided after the final round of league fixtures, just six days away.