The victory over Dynamo Kiev and qualification for the round of 16 of the Champions League earned Benfica a total sum of €54.3 million, a EuroMillions, only surpassed this decade by the €56.8 million of 2018/2019, season in that UEFA debuted the new revenue distribution format, with reds benefiting from their presence in the top 10 of the UEFA rankings. That season Benfica dropped to the Europa League and went to the quarter-finals of the competition.
The millionaire sum makes the eagle’s financial life easier. In practice, the season is paid. Benfica’s budget, without transfers (players’ wages and structure, travel, hotels and other logistical expenses) is around €70 million. In the market, between entries and exits, SAD earned around €26 million. In other words, UEFA’s revenue and the profit in the market gave the eagle to pay all the expenses at the time.
The financial slack, however, does not mean that Benfica will go to the transfer market in January. The accounts are controlled and Benfica cannot go crazy, in an inflated enrollment window. Benfica wants to hire a central defender to remedy Lucas Veríssimo’s injury, but will wait for the market to open, waiting for a good business opportunity. A loan is a scenario that is gaining in strength.
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