, ▁with ▁three ▁draw s ▁and ▁two ▁losses ▁that ▁caused ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁drop ▁to ▁third ▁place ▁by ▁New ▁Year . ▁Ben fica ▁continued ▁to ▁s lip ▁in ▁January , ▁losing ▁the ▁Lis bon ▁der by ▁and ▁twice ▁dro pping ▁to ▁fifth ▁place . ▁A ▁home ▁win ▁against ▁Sport ing ▁CP ▁for ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Cup ▁had ▁an ▁apparent ▁positive ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁players ; ▁their ▁best ▁period ▁all ▁season ▁came ▁as ▁they ▁reg ained ▁first ▁place ▁and ▁opened ▁a ▁six - point ▁lead ▁over ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁second ▁place . ▁ ▁The ▁league ▁was ▁unus ually ▁compet itive ; ▁a ▁mistake ▁in ▁early ▁April ▁caused ▁Ben fica ▁to ▁lose ▁much ▁of ▁their ▁lead . ▁Qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Cup ▁final ▁did ▁not ▁help ▁them ▁to ▁gather ▁momentum . ▁In ▁early ▁May , ▁Ben fica ▁suffered ▁a ▁major ▁blow , ▁losing ▁away ▁to ▁Pen af iel ▁and ▁dro pping ▁to ▁second . ▁A ▁cru cial ▁win ▁against ▁Sport ing ▁brought ▁back ▁their ▁title ▁hope , ▁and ▁a ▁week ▁later ▁Ben fica ▁won ▁their ▁first ▁league ▁title ▁in ▁ten ▁seasons . ▁The ▁season ▁ended ▁with ▁a ▁loss ▁against ▁Vit ória ▁de ▁Set ú bal ▁in ▁the ▁Ta ça ▁de ▁Portugal ▁Final , ▁prevent ing ▁Ben fica ▁from ▁winning ▁their ▁first ▁double ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁Season ▁summary ▁ ▁Pre - season ▁After ▁ending ▁an ▁eight - season ▁dr ought ▁and ▁ens uring ▁qual ification ▁to ▁the ▁UEFA ▁Champions ▁League ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁year , ▁José ▁Antonio ▁Cam ach o ▁was