Luís Filipe Vieira, former president of Portuguese football club Benfica and a current candidate for its leadership, has sharply criticized the club’s present management, claiming its recent projects are based on his past initiatives and that the team is now on a dangerous trajectory. Vieira used a recent podcast appearance to reassert his legacy, dubbed “Vieirismo,” and to downplay his own controversial detention.
During an interview on the ‘Mata-Mata’ podcast, Vieira declared that everything currently visible at Benfica originates from his previous administration. He specifically cited renovations at Estádio da Luz as a “Vieirismo” project halted only by the COVID-19 pandemic. Vieira also stated that the current Benfica board’s “Benfica District” plan was a project his administration rejected in 2019.
He further claimed that Rádio Benfica, which he rejected twice, now operates with employees but without a proper license. Vieira expressed his belief that most Benfica professionals and fans are proud of the “Vieirismo” era, telling the hosts, “I tell the truths [that] they don’t like me [for].”
Vieira warned that Benfica is “heading towards a horizon it won’t reach” and will “sink,” pointing to recent financial accounts as a sign of impending problems. He urged for immediate “rectification” of the club’s course.
Addressing his past detention, Vieira recounted being held for two to three days without communication. He described being transported home in a van by officers with a “machine gun,” an experience he likened to the “Red Brigades” due to the sirens. Critically, Vieira asserted that the most significant part of the legal process pertained to his business life, not to Benfica.
He also referenced recent “green mantle” comments he made regarding Portuguese football, acknowledging the “stir” they caused. Vieira stated he made those remarks because he believed Benfica was “seriously harmed,” dismissing the significance of related legal processes as “peanuts.”
Vieira also highlighted past achievements, including resolving a 10 million euro tax notification that Benfica received during the presidency of Vale e Azevedo. He noted he was sidelined at a press conference celebrating the resolution, despite his central role. He also shared details about successfully negotiating a “tricky” contract renewal for player Grimaldo, extending his stay by two years.