It was raining. It had been for most of the day in Lisbon that Friday. The evening I had been eagerly awaiting for had finally come. It was time for the big “Clássico” between Benfica and FC Porto. I arrived at the stadium only to learn I had missed the opening flight of eagle Vitória, Benfica’s living symbol.

I got to be honest with you. I am a Benfica supporter and associate and have been such, like many others, since I was born. This unexplainable passion that makes me burst into tears when the club’s anthem echoes in the voices of thousands of supporters like me was passed on by my Dad, who was once more there with me to attend another home game. Being such a loyal supporter doesn’t make me totally blind or partial to my preferred colours, though.

Let me tell you how this game was from another angle. This is the story of how it feels inside the “Clássico”.

The emotions, the plays, the aaaws and the ooows, the sensations, the players, the moments of joy and frustration that blend themselves during the 90 minutes of one of the most exciting football matches in the World. Benfica and FC Porto, two of Portugal’s giants, two of the top European teams, were facing each other in a contest that was sure to leave no one unamused.

Benfica’s stadium wide choreography presented Porto with what we call the “Inferno da Luz” (Luz’s hell). More than 58,000 souls were chanting, clapping and screaming to show support for their team. 3,000 more Portistas just wouldn’t shut up singing louder so that their team knew they wouldn’t give up on them.

I looked at the pitch. Despite the weather conditions, it was perfect. Just as I love it, green, plain and smooth as a pool table. Both teams were lined up for the start of the match, with two surprises on each side. FC Porto was starting Chidozie Awaziem, a young Nigerian central defender from FC Porto B due to a lot of injured players on their back line. Benfica had Salvio sitting on the bench. What a good surprise! The Argentinian soccer star was back after almost 9 months healing from a very serious knee injury.

Maxi Pereira was also back but for a very different reason. He had shockingly moved to Porto after 8 years wearing the red jersey. I’ve got to hand it to you. I love this player and I was so sorry to see him go. But that's life. Júlio César and Iker Casillas, both men already considered the best goalkeepers in the World were defending their teams’ nets.

Renato Sanches – who had a legion of special guests (big sharks) watching his every move – was Benfica’s most prominent midfielder, along with Gaitán, of course, and Jonas in the shooting position. André André – awesome midfielder who I admire a lot – Brahimi, Layún and Danilo were FC Porto’s strongest points. The game started.

Benfica was coming from an amazing roll of victories and dozens of goals scored. FC Porto was on the other end of the confidence spectrum. They had lost their previous match against Arouca. Confidence issues and injuries aside, a “Clássico” is always a “Clássico”. There are no guaranteed victors or favourites here.

Nevertheless, those states of mind, so to speak, were perfectly reflected during the first minutes of the game. Benfica pressed on and was quickly getting closer to Iker’s goal. More dangerous plays were constantly happening. Once, twice, three times and... Renato Sanches, only 18 years old and debuting in the “Clássico”, kills a flying ball on his chest, advances rapidly towards the box and with a gentle touch with his foot assists the Greek striker. GOAAAALLL!!! Mitroglou had scored the first for Benfica and the crowd had just gone completely mad! Thousands in the stadium started jumping up and down on their seats and asking for the “Tri” (third championship title in a row).

I knew the game was far from being over. I’m always cautious with every opponent my team faces. No matter who. A match to me is only over when the referee says so. That goal though, in the early stages of the game, and the form Benfica was showing in the previous encounters made me and the rest of the crowd – FC Porto supporters included – think that Benfica would come out as a winner.

You know football. There are no absolute certainties. That’s part of the reason of why they call it the beautiful game.

FC Porto gathered strengths were it seemed there were none left and advanced on the field, showing they weren’t there just to be a part of the party. Layún assists Herrera and the Mexican midfielder with a fine shot scores for the Dragons. GOAAAALLL!!! -– FC Porto’s players and supporters started celebrating.

We, unlike them, had nothing to be happy about. We had had so many chances and we blew them. It was time to clear our heads and keep on believing it was possible to get back in the game and win it. Surprisingly and unlike the previous games, Benfica’s attackers were missing the target and when they didn’t Casillas was there to say ‘not today’.

Half time suddenly came and it was time to take a minutes' rest, listen to what the coaches had to say and try to do things better next time. When the second half started, Porto’s players showed that they had been the ones who better paid attention to their coach’s talk. Their confidence was growing, they were strong and they wouldn’t let Benfica’s plays come out as they usually do.

Porto was risking everything at this point. The Eagles took advantage of Porto’s forward movements to bet on counter attacks. But Gaitán, Mitroglou, Pizzi and Jonas continued to miss goals after goals and San Iker Casillas continued to stop them all. When the crowd was starting to get impatient, Aboubakar enters the box, overtakes Jardel and Júlio César and scores... Never mind the rain. That goal felt like a bucket of ice water down on us.

And it was totally deserved. You know the drill... If you don’t score you’re bound to take it. Too many misses, too much confusion and lack of inspiration. Too much of everything going wrong.

Our golden opportunity to win against a damaged FC Porto was lost. Yeah, it’s true. Casillas had one of those nights. Yes, I agree. FC Porto were clever to understand the game, risked more, controlled more efficiently and took their opportunities. But it is always hard to accept that most of the blame is ours. We had our chances, we failed to take them. Much like I had missed eagle Vitória’s flight, the Eagles had forgotten how to fly on that rainy Lisbon evening.

Congratulations to the winners. FC Porto is in the race for the title along with Benfica and Sporting. This only goes to show that the Primeira Liga is, undoubtedly, one of the best and most exciting football leagues in the World.

by Mike Martyns