Luís Filipe Vieira, the former president of Portuguese football giant Benfica, is campaigning for a return to power by asserting he is the only candidate experienced enough to rescue the club from what he describes as its accelerating decline.
Speaking to supporters in Anadia on Saturday, Vieira launched sharp criticism against his rivals in the upcoming presidential race, emphasizing his belief that “the bet can only be on one man.” He made these remarks in comments to CMTV.
Vieira, who previously led the club, claimed Benfica is “not well at all” and “trending downwards more and more.” He warned that if the club does not perform well in the Champions League, its situation would worsen.
He directly challenged the current president, Rui Costa, stating that Costa “has already shown he has no leadership.” Vieira predicted that under current management, positive results for Benfica would be difficult to achieve in the next two years.
Another candidate, Noronha Lopes, was also targeted. Vieira suggested Lopes “has practically no knowledge of Benfica,” citing Lopes’s comments about the club’s “houses” as evidence of this unfamiliarity.
Vieira, who resigned from the presidency in 2021 amid legal issues, maintained that his past work garnered significant “empathy” from supporters. “For Benfica to win again, Vieira has to be there,” he told the crowd.
The former president also addressed allegations of improper access to Benfica’s member database. He denied having any such data, stating, “Only Benfica can have it, no one else.” He questioned how such data could be accessed, suggesting “something is wrong” if it occurred.
Vieira stressed the importance of member participation in the upcoming elections scheduled for the 25th of the month. He described the contest as a three-way race between himself, Rui Costa, and Noronha Lopes, adding that he dismisses the relevance of opinion polls. He concluded his address by warning members that they would “remember my words” within a year or two if they voted for another candidate.