SL Benfica win four consecutive Super Cup
News
The men’s senior team of SL Benfica claimed this past weekend the 2021 Super Cup trophy by defeating their city rivals Sporting CP 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 30-32, 15-12), in a match refereed by Pedro Pinto and Nuno Teixeira and played on Saturday at the Santo Tirso competition hall.
The event was open to the public, which responded well to the appeal with hundreds in attendance and with much enthusiasm and energy, and the fans could enjoy a close match featuring two undeniably strong teams, still needing to smooth some edges, as it is natural at this early stage of the season. However, Benfica as much as Sporting showed they possess good solutions coming from the bench to help in the most crucial moments of the match.
With this victory, the ‘Eagles’ have extended their amazing record, as they have won 10 of the last 11 editions of the Super Cup. On Wednesday, Benfica will start their campaign in the elite CEV Champions League Volley 2022 with an away match against rookies Bigbank TARTU of Estonia.
Marcel Matz“Both teams, who have strengthened themselves well for this season, played very well in the first set. We have a stronger group, with excellent players, and the substitutions we made ended up bringing more energy to our game. We are working well and Sporting is doing a good job too, so the matches between these two teams will always be close. It was a great game and the fans looked thrilled by the spectacle we gave. It will always be that way because both teams are set to win.”
SL Benfica coach
Hugo Gaspar“Both teams have strengthened their roster and that was obvious in this game: it was a great spectacle and I believe we set the tone for the rest of the season. It will be difficult, but what matters is that the first trophy is ours!”
Captain of SL Benfica
Alberto Costa, Mayor of Santo Tirso, and Vicente Araújo, President of the Portuguese Volleyball Federation, presented the winners with the trophy and the gold medals.
Paulo Victor Silva, from Sporting CP, with 23 points, was the best scorer of the match, followed by SL Benfica players Hugo Gaspar, with 22, and André Aleixo (aka Japa), with 21.
Gerson Amorim“We expected such a close game. There is still work to do, but there were some good moments in this Super Cup. In the fourth set, our opponent was always ahead by three, four points, but we managed to respond well. This group has more solutions and exchange possibilities and is in full growth, so we are going to improve even more.”
Sporting CP coach