The ‘Benfica District’ idea has caused quite a stir. Noronha Lopes, a candidate for the Benfica presidency, did not hold back. He called the whole plan “cobbled together last minute.” He said it was “presented in a rush” and purely for “election reasons.” Lopes also wondered why this big idea was not shared at the club’s recent General Assembly. He even pointed fingers at statements from Lisbon City Council’s vice-president about the project.
“Any project to improve club buildings is good,” Lopes explained to SIC Notícias. “They deserve to be properly talked about with club members. When this idea came out, I didn’t rush to judge it. I wanted to learn more. How would they pay for it? Who would design it? What trade-offs would be needed for funding? Is a commercial zone next to Colombo even possible? I asked all these questions. It’s important to be helpful before giving an opinion.”
He continued, “A lot has happened in the last 24 hours. Lisbon City Council’s vice-president said it’s not a real project. He called it a ‘vague notion of a concept.’ That means it’s a ‘handful of nothing.’ These are serious words. The Benfica president claimed this idea had been studied for 18 months. Yet, Jaime Antunes, who was vice-president for heritage and left six months ago, said he knew nothing about it. This makes it seem like something done in a hurry.”
“Something during the presentation really puzzled me,” Lopes stated. “First, there was a plan to expand the stadium to 70,000 seats. Suddenly, it jumped to 80,000. Why 70,000? Why 80,000? Was it because other candidates suggested different capacities? This clearly shows it’s an election trick. It wasn’t well-planned. It wasn’t well-thought-out. It wasn’t properly shared with the members. And it seems Lisbon City Council hasn’t even promised anything.”
Respect for the club’s members should be shown at the General Assembly. Benfica had one where the budget was discussed. The president should have shared this project there first. He could have added details later. This again shows a clear lack of respect for the members. They are the club’s true owners. Ideas, especially those involving huge club investments, must be shared with them. The current plan doesn’t even explain how it will be paid for.
Incompetence in Management?
Lopes believes Benfica has failed in four main areas. These are sports, finances, how the club runs, and connecting with its members. The current president, he noted, is the same one. Four years ago, he presented a “Benfica City” project. Guess where that is? It’s still on paper. It never moved forward. It is time to stop trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes.
This same leadership has shown they cannot finish projects. Now they want us to believe they will complete this huge, costly project very quickly. They simply do not have the trust for this. You need to be able to turn ideas into reality.
“We want a winning Benfica,” Lopes emphasized. “The club lives on sports success. Its first goal must be to win again. That is our identity and culture. This takes clear vision and careful planning. We cannot change directors just two weeks before the season starts. Players are not arriving. Directors come and go. This shows a huge lack of preparation. It shows they are completely clueless. They want to do in two weeks what they have ignored for years. This problem is seen in football and in the club’s buildings. It’s time to change how things are done.”
The explanation for this project should have already been given. Benfica belongs to its members; they are the owners. They should be the first to know. Even if there’s no full project yet, at least the idea or concept must be shared with them.
What Questions Does He Ask?
Noronha Lopes has many questions. He wants to know about the project’s long-term health. What company will build it? What promises can Benfica offer? How can such a massive building job be done on time? “It seems extremely difficult to me,” he said. “It was made quickly, presented in a rush, for purely election reasons.”
“We’ve been through this for 20 years,” he added. “It’s the same people doing it. Rui Costa presents a stadium for 70,000. Vieira presents one for 120,000. Then Rui Costa comes back and says it’s 80,000. Rui Costa introduces players; Vieira introduces coaches. What they all have in common is that they are using the money of all Benfica fans. This way of doing things must change. Benfica cannot be built by those who just happen to be in charge right now.”