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Constructed in preparation for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament, Benfica’s stadium held its inaugural match against Uruguayan side Club Nacional de Football on the 25th October 2003. The opening fixture which Benfica won 2-1 saw the stadium set a record attendance of 65,400 with the club proceeding to use the ground for the remainder of their season. The Estádio da Luz proceeded to host a memorable season with Benfica earning home victories against traditional rivals FC Porto and Sporting. With the precedent of exciting football set, Estádio da Luz was ready to host International Football with Benfica’s new home set to host five matches in total including three group matches. The quarter final proved to be one of the more memorable games of the tournament with Portugal taking on England in a match which saw the home side win on penalties after extra time. The final proved to be slightly anti-climatic with Greece defeating hosts Portugal 1 nil, but the stadium was deemed a success by UEFA. Designed by architect Damon Lavelle to let as much light in as possible, Estádio da Luz, The Stadium of Light (A name shared with Sunderland’s ground), certainly lives up to its name with the polycarbonate roof allowing natural sunbeams onto the pitch with the roof appearing to levitate above the stands due to special tie-beams which eliminates the need for intrusive supports which allows even more light into the ground. With the warm Portuguese climate, Benfica’s stadium is very popular with fans with some even beginning to call it “A Catedral”, The Cathedral. The name proved to be appropriate when it became a Mecca for European Football when The Stadium of Light hosted the 2013/2014 Champions League final between Galácticos and Atletico Madrid in a fiercely contested Madrid derby.

DRIVING The address for satnav is as follows: Avenida General Norton de Matos, 1500-313 Lisboa, Portugal Car parks There is a small amount of official parking available at the stadium however we’re unsure as to the exact arrangements on matchdays. TRAIN Rossio Railway Station or Estação Central as it was previously known as is the main train station of Lisbon. Located on Rossio Square it is well connected to the rest of the country and it is 6.4 km south-east of Benfica’s stadium. METRO The closest metro station to the stadium is technically Alto dos Moinhos however Colegio Militar/Luz (The official metro stop) is a a much safer and easier walk to the stadium. Both stops are situated on the Azul Line and are around 7-8 stops from the city centre depending on where you get on from. BUS You can catch several bus services which can take you past the services including: 703, 750, 764, 765, 767, and 799 AIRPORTS AND FLYING Lisbon is served by Aeroporto da Portela which is the largest airport in Portugal. Often known as Lisbon Portela Airport, it is located approximately 6km north-east of Estadio da Luz.