Invincible but without a title? Benfica two games away from repeating a historic feat and reliving old pain

Invincible but without a title? Benfica two games away from repeating a historic feat and reliving old pain

Benfica will complete an invincible season if they avoid defeat against Braga on Monday night and against Estoril Praia on the Primeira Liga's final day.

Jose Mourinho's side are two games from completing an entire Primeira Liga side without losing, though even that achievement has not been enough for the title.

FC Porto have already been confirmed as champions in Portugal, boasting an 11-point lead with two games to go. It means Benfica could join an exclusive group of European teams to finish a league season without losing and still not win the title.

It's happened only seven times across the entire history of European football, and just twice this century.

Incredibly, it would not be the first time this agonising achievement has happened to Benfica.

The Portuguese side previously completed the1977/78 season without losing, but missed out on the title to Porto. Both teams ended the season on 51 points, with Porto, who had lost once but drew two fewer games, taking the title on goal difference.

Benfica had previously completed the 1972/73 season unbeaten to win the title. There have been four Invincible campaigns Primeira Liga history, with only one seeing the unbeaten side not crowned champions.

A year later, Perugia missed out on a first-everSerie A title despite not losing a single game. The Italians drew 19 of their 30 games, winning 11, to finish as runners-up to AC Milan.

This century, Serbian side Red Star Belgrade finished the 2007/08 season five points behind arch-rivals Partizan Belgrade, despite ending the season unbeaten. Last season, Moldova's FC Sheriff suffered no losses but missed out to FC Milsami Orhei.