BENFICA CURSE: Bella Gutmann Story

Every football fan knows about Benfica FC. This prestigious Portuguese club were one of the most successful clubs in European competition.  They secured back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962. Benfica defeated Barcelona 3-2 in Berne in 1961 before coming from behind to beat the five-time winner Real Madrid 5-3 the following year. The team was exciting and they boasted the talents of Eusebio and playmaker Mario Coluna. And most importantly, they had Bela Guttmann an enigmatic but wonderful tactician

Bela Guttmann, a Jewish Hungarian born in 1899 suffered as a child and adult. He survived the Holocaust and famine. At a time, he asked to be paid in vegetables when
coaching Ciokanul in Romania. A charismatic and eccentric coach, he coached 25 teams in 13 different countries before he died in 1981, aged 82. He won several titles. But he was a prickly and brash character who easily falls out with the club hierarchy. He rarely stays in a club for long. He is comparable to Mourinho. Once he said ‘’ I have been sacked, even though I am neither a criminal nor a homosexual’’

After guiding Benfica to back-to-back titles, he asked for a salary increase but was denied by club president Antonio Cabral Fezas Vital. He said ‘’ Not in 100 years from now will Benfica win a European Cup’’. After this, he left the club and Benfica did not care either. Now more than 50 years after the curse, Benfica has never won a European Cup.
They played in the finals in 1963, 1965, 1968, 1983, 1988, 1990, 2013 and 2014 and lost all! Before the 1990 final, Eusebio went to the grave of Guttmann to pray and cancel the curse. But nothing happened. Last year Europa League final loss to Sevilla FC marks their eight straight final losses.  Who will reverse the curse? Let’s wait and watch