Vitória S.C.


Vitória Sport Clube, commonly known as Vitória de Guimarães, is a Portuguese professional football club based in Guimarães that competes in the Primeira Liga, the top-flight of football in Portugal.
Vitória de Guimarães have finished third in the Primeira Liga on four occasions, most recently in 2007–08. They have won one Taça de Portugal and one Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, while also being runners-up of the former on six occasions.
The club have competed regularly in European competitions, where their best finish was the quarter-finals of the 1986–87 UEFA Cup.

History

Vitória was formed in 1922. Its name seems to be a tribute to Vitória de Setúbal, which at the time was a top contender for the Campeonato de Portugal, though these days Guimarães supporters downplay the connection. After seasons of toiling in the Braga FA leagues, the Vimaranenses were first promoted to the Primeira Liga in 1941, and two seasons later battled the Sadinos from Setúbal for the first time in the League. Surprise package Guimarães, against all odds, reached their first Taça de Portugal final in their debut season, but lost to Belenenses 2–0.
Vitória's furthest progress in a European tournament was in the 1986–87 UEFA Cup, in which they were defeated 5–2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals by West German club Borussia Mönchengladbach.
In the early 2000s, Vitória struggled in some years to retain its status in the top Portuguese division, then named the Superliga. Those years were marked by the decline of the leadership of Pimenta Machado, former club president, who was accused on charges of embezzlement. In February 2008 he was sentenced to four years and three months of prison on a suspended sentence, though a year later he was cleared of this charge and instead ordered to pay a €4,000 fine for falsifying a document.
Despite this, in 2004–05, the club secured a fifth-place finish in the league and qualified for European competition via the UEFA Cup. The next season, however, they were relegated to the Segunda Liga after finishing 17th in the Superliga, despite reaching the Taça de Portugal semi-final, having beaten Benfica in the quarter-finals. The club also failed to progress from their UEFA Cup group, as eventual winners Sevilla, Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers and Russian team Zenit Saint Petersburg progressed.
Vitória bounced back immediately to the top-flight as runners-up to Leixões S.C. under the management of Manuel Cajuda. A joint-best third-place finish in 2007–08, guaranteeing them a place in the third qualifying round of the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, their first such campaign. There they fell to Swiss side FC Basel 2–1 on aggregate, with a potential away goal winner by Roberto Calmon Félix being ruled out late on for offside. Vitória dropped into the 2008–09 UEFA Cup first round as a result of their elimination, and lost 4–2 on aggregate after extra time to England's Portsmouth.
Led by Rui Vitória in 2012–13, Vitória found themselves in financial problems, which caused them to lose many experienced players and bet on young players. However, they would go on to win their first Taça de Portugal title after previously losing five finals. Vitória beat rivals Braga en route to the final, where they recovered from 1–0 down against Benfica to win 2–1.
In 2017, Vitória made the cup final again, losing 2–1 to double winners S.L. Benfica. That September, the team left their mark in UEFA competitions, being the first team to start a game without a European player on the field.

Stadium

They play in the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, which has a capacity of 30,000.
After Os Três Grandes, Vitória is the club which attracts most supporters to the stadium, with average attendances of 20,000 per game. Vitória usually has a higher average than all the other clubs, even when the club played in the Second Division/League.

Support and rivalry

Vitória play the derby of Minho Province against neighbours Braga. This derby is considered one of Portugal's most intense fixtures, as both clubs battle each year to reach a European competition. The derby also intensified during the run-up to the Euro 2004 tournament hosted by Portugal, as both clubs had new stadia built as tournament venues.

Honours

The club's 72 seasons in the top level of Portuguese football make them the club with the joint-fourth longest time there, after Benfica, Porto, and Sporting CP ; and Belenenses with 76.
SeasonLeaguePos.Pl.WDLGSGAPCupLeague CupSupercupChampions LeagueEuropa LeagueCup Winner's CupNotes
1941–421D11226115437613Runner–upnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1942–431D8186210487614Round 5not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1943–441D818231325687Semi-finalnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1944–451D8184311325711Round 6not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1945–461D8228212395218Quarter-finalnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1946–471D8268810545424not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1947–481D72610412445624Round 5not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1948–491D62611411475026Round 6not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1949–501D11267712455921not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1950–511D13266614405718Quarter-finalnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1951–521D10269314284721Round 6not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1952–531D8267613285420Quarter-finalnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1953–541D82610511446425Quarter-finalnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot held
1954–551D14265714334917Round 5not heldnot heldnot heldnot heldnot heldRelegated
1955–562D2-------not heldnot heldnot held
1956–572D3-------not heldnot heldnot held
1957–582D2-------not heldnot heldnot heldPromoted
1958–591D52613310595529Round 6not heldnot heldnot held
1959–601D7268711474323Quarter-finalnot heldnot heldnot held
1960–611D42614210484430Round 6not heldnot held
1961–621D9269413444722Semi-finalnot heldnot held
1962–631D62612311474327Runner–upnot heldnot held
1963–641D4261628624234Round 6not heldnot held
1964–651D7261259443629Round 6not heldnot held
1965–661D4261457584733Round 5not heldnot held
1966–671D62611411354026Round 5not heldnot held
1967–681D62612311313427Quarter-finalnot heldnot held
1968–691D32613103461736Quarter-finalnot heldnot held
1969–701D52612410383628Quarter-finalnot heldnot heldRound 2
1970–711D122641111152719Round 5not heldnot heldRound 2
1971–721D63011811494730Round 5not heldnot held
1972–731D63011118383833Round 6not heldnot held
1973–741D63010119363431Round 5not heldnot held
1974–751D5301668643638Round 6not heldnot held
1975–761D63013107493236Runner–upnot heldnot held
1976–771D93010614393826Round 6not heldnot held
1977–781D63012711332831Round 5not heldnot held
1978–791D63012711443831Round 6not held
1979–801D63011109423832Round 5not held
1980–811D53011910383031Round 5not held
1981–821D43013125422238Round 5not held
1982–831D43011109352432Round 5not held
1983–841D63014313414131Semi-finalnot heldRound 1
1984–851D9309714333925Round 6not held
1985–861D4301686512940Round 6not held
1986–871D33014133452241Quarter-finalnot heldQuarter-final
1987–881D1438111116485033Runner–upnot heldRound 3
1988–891D938141014393338Round 5not heldWinnerRound 1
1989–901D43417116462845Semi-finalnot held
1990–911D938121016314034Round 6not heldRound 1
1991–921D53414137463541Round 5not held
1992–931D113414317415331Semi-finalnot heldRound 2
1993–941D734111112303133Round 5not held
1994–951D43416108544342Round 5not held
1995–961D53419510553962Quarter-finalnot heldRound 2
1996–971D53415811514653Round 5not heldRound 2
1997–981D3341789422559Round 5not heldRound 1
1998–991D73414812534150Round 5not heldRound 1
1999–001D73414614484348Quarter-finalnot heldnot held
2000–011D15349916414936Round 5not heldnot held
2001–021D93411914354142Round 5not heldnot held
2002–031D43414812474650Round 5not heldnot held
2003–041D143491015314037Round 5not heldnot held
2004–051D53415910382954Round 5not heldnot held
2005–061D173481016284134Semi-finalnot heldGroup Stagenot heldRelegated
2006–072D2301677442055Round 5not heldnot heldPromoted
2007–081D3301587353153Round 5Round 3not held
2008–091D83010812323638Quarter-finalSemi-finalThird Qualifying RoundRound 1not held
2009–101D63011811313441Round 5Round 3not held
2010–111D53012711363643Runner–upRound 3not held
2011–121D63014313404045Round 4Round 3Runner–upPlay-off Roundnot held
2012–131D93011712364740WinnerRound 3not held
2013–141D103010515303535Round 3Round 2Runner–upGroup Stagenot held
2014–151D53415109503555Round 4Group Stagenot held
2015-161D103491312455340Round 3Round 23Qnot held
2016-171D4301686473356FinalGroup Stagenot held

European matches

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Basketball

Vitória S.C. men's basketball team plays in the LPB.

Volleyball

Vitória Sport Clube has a volleyball team which plays in the Portuguese Volleyball League A1.