Benfica is one of the prestigious clubs in the Portuguese soccer scene as well as in the European scene as well. They have produced top-quality talents throughout the years. Benfica has a fantastic European pedigree with two Champions League titles in 1961 and 1962. The historic club, however, is under significant trouble involving serious allegations like match-fixing.
Benfica has been utterly brilliant this season both domestically and in Europe. They currently are sitting at the top of Liga Portugal on 40 points, six clear from the second position Braga. In the Champions League group stage this season Benfica stunned the soccer fans by topping Group H ahead of PSG and Juventus, thanks to their World Cup starlets Enzo Fernandez and Goncalo Ramos. But all of that positivity is under some massive threat.
Currently, Benfica is under investigation for match-fixing, according to Portuguese press reports. Daily Mail reported that the match-fixing allegations surfaced after a bunch of e-mails were hacked and leaked. Former AC Milan and Portuguese forward Rui Costa became the vice-president of the club in 2020. The reports say that Benfica has committed to match-fixing to get benefits in matches between 2016 and 2020.
🚨 Benfica are under investigation for MATCH-FIXING related to the period between 2016-2020.
Rui Costa, the club’s president is one of the individuals involved.
(Source: @MailSport) pic.twitter.com/MhjO353Y02
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 8, 2023
Benfica released a club statement last weekend. It said, “Taking into account the news made public today, Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol SAD confirms that it appeared in court on January 3, as well as, among others, the members of the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2020 and who are currently in office,” accepting and recognizing the truthfulness of the ongoing situation.
Why was former Benfica president Luis Felipe Viera arrested?
This is not the first time Benfica is under question marks by the fans and the media. Before Rui Costa took over as the club vice president, Luis Felipe Vieira was the man in charge. He was charged with several serious allegations back in July 2018.
The 72-year-old Portuguese was charged with tax fraudulent, and money laundering. Vieira was forced to resign following his arrest after serving the club for a long 18 years. Public prosecutors said, “He may have caused large losses to the state and several companies,” in a statement. Vieira was charged with a massive $107 million fraud. Rui Costa took over the president role permanently in 2020, two years after the Vieira arrest and resignation.
Apart from these, there was another allegation on Benfica for paying out referee Bruno Paixao from ‘Best for Business’, a third-party company under Benfica’s ownership. The club authority, however, completely denied paying him almost $2 million for taking decisions in their favor. The current investigation is going maintaining secrecy both by the club and the investigators. Only time will decide Benfica and Rui Costa’s fortune.