Vitória S.C.

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Vitória de Guimarães
Full name Vitória Sport Club
Nickname(s) White Angels,
Founded 1922
Ground Estádio D. Afonso Henriques,
Guimarães
(Capacity 30,165)
Chairman Flag of Portugal Emílio Macedo
Manager Flag of Portugal Manuel Cajuda
League BWINLIGA
2007-08 BWINLIGA, 3rd
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Away colours

Vitória Sport Clube is a Portuguese sports club based in the city of Guimarães, located 40 km northeast of Porto in Portugal. The club includes football, volleyball and basketball departments. The club is reported to have been established in 1922. In Portugal it is usually called Vitória de Guimarães (pron. IPA: [vi'tɔɾiɐ dɨ gimɐ'ɾɐ̃ĩʃ]) to distinguish itself from Vitória FC, a club from Setúbal, known as Vitória de Setúbal.

Contents

[edit] Recent history

Although Vitória de Guimarães have never won the Portuguese Football Championship or the Portuguese Football Cup, it is one of the most respected clubs in Portugal, playing in the top division for the last few decades, usually challenging for a UEFA Cup place. However, in 2005/2006 season, the team was relegated to Segunda Liga after its worst championship performance in decades.

In the early 2000s, Vitória struggled to keep itself in the top Portuguese division (Superliga). Those years were marked by the decline of the leadership of Pimenta Machado, former president of the club. Machado was accused on charges of embezzlement. Despite this, Vitória had an impressive season. Progress continued in 2004-05, when they secured an impressive league fifth-place finish and qualified for European competition (the UEFA Cup). Vitoria's recent renaissance fell apart in 2005-06, as they finished 17th in the Superliga despite reaching the cup semi-final, having beaten SL Benfica in the quarter-final where Flávio Meireles scored a goal with his hand. They also failed to progress from their UEFA cup group, as eventual winners Sevilla FC, Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers and Russian team Zenit progressed.

After the fall, everyone thought that Vitória would get back in the 1st Division quite easily, even though the team itself wasn't that great. Then, what happened was almost a bad nightmare for the fans. Vitória, in the middle of the season, was rounding the 10th place and lower, with very few chances of getting promoted. During the Winter stop, there was a change in the club's Direction and a new coach was hired (Manuel Cajuda). What followed next, was a dream. Vitória started winning game, after game, and in the end managed to get the 2nd place in the 29th game of the 2nd Division. Their promotion was guaranteed.

The promotion was crowned with a 3rd place in the 2007-2008 season, guaranteeing a place in qualifying state of the Champions' League. This was upgraded to an automatic group stage place following FC Porto's expulsion from the competition on charges of bribery.

[edit] New stadium

Estádio D. Afonso Henriques is a football (soccer) stadium in Guimarães, Portugal. It was expanded and refurbished for the Euro 2004 competition, and it seats 29,865 people.

In 2004, a new leadership era began with Vítor Magalhães (former President of Moreirense, another team from Guimarães municipality) and the team finished the championship in 5th place. In 2006 the team was relegated. Vitória Sport Clube plays at D. Afonso Henriques Stadium, one of the host stadiums of Euro 2004.

After the "Big Three", Benfica, F.C. Porto and Sporting, Vitória is the club which attracts most supporters to the stadium, with average attendances of 20000 per game. (Vitória usually has a higher average than all the other clubs, even when the club played in the 2 Division/League).

[edit] Minho rivalry

Aside from the loyalty of the supporters, which earned the White Angels the title "Best fans of the country" and became famous for the massive "invasions" to every city where Vitória plays, there is also a hooligan side, which often give the club a bad name.

The city of Guimarães is often referred to as the "birthplace of the Portuguese nationality" and was the birthplace of Afonso I of Portugal, the first Portuguese king. This only adds fuel to the ever growing derby of Minho province with neighbours SC Braga.

This derby is considered one of Portugal's most intense matches as both clubs battle each year to reach a European competition.

Both clubs have even tested each other in Europe where in the 90's Vitória were one of Portugal's best in Europe beating sides like Parma AC, Atlético Madrid, Real Sociedad and Sparta Prague have been eliminated from European competitions by Guimarães.

The derby also intensified during UEFA EURO 2004 hosted by Portugal where both clubs were involved in new stadium reconstruction; both clubs looked for UEFA qualification but, despite reaching the 2005-2006 Portuguese Cup semi-finals and having a decent UEFA Cup participation, Vitória finally got relegated.

It didn't take much for Vitória to get back on top, and after just one year in the Portuguese 2nd division they earned the promotion. So, nowadays SC Braga had been better than Vitoria, but it doesn't mean they are less rival.

In 2007-08, the "duels" were exciting as always, providing great games and lots of supporters from both sides, both in Braga and in Guimarães. With Vitoria back in the BwinLiga (the Portuguese 1st Division/League) the emotion of one of the biggest derbies also got back, which pleased countless football fans.

[edit] Fans

Vitória de Guimarães possibly have the most different fans in Portugal. The biggest supporters group claque are the White Angels, their motto is "Somos únicos" (We are unique). However, Vitória fans have a big inferiority complex towards Braga fans, mainly because Braga is a much bigger city than Guimarães and also more important within the portuguese context.

The Vitória fans are also known to be one of the few supporters group that has no preference for any of the "big three" , being one of the most important cities after Porto and Lisbon, Guimarães does not have houses of the big clubs. The attempts of opening any in the city led to the houses being completely trashed. This shows the pride of the supporters for their home and its independence, even though it sometimes goes to far and ends up in some violent acts.

A self confessed White Angel is Fernando Meira who played at the club and now plays in VfB Stuttgart (Germany). Meira, as the captain of VfB Stuttgart, raised the trophy of German champions in 2006-07, holding a scarf of Vitória Sport Clube that stated "Somos únicos".

[edit] Squad

As of July 2007

No. Position Player
1 Flag of Brazil GK Nilson
2 Flag of Serbia DF Siniša Radanović
3 Flag of Brazil DF Luciano Amaral
4 Flag of Portugal DF Henrique Sereno
5 Flag of Algeria MF Kamel Ghilas
6 Flag of Brazil DF Márcio Martins
7 Flag of Brazil MF Paulo Henrique
8 Flag of Portugal FW Carlitos
9 Flag of Serbia FW Miljan Mrdaković
10 Flag of Portugal FW Tiago Targino
11 Flag of Brazil FW Felipe Tigrão
16 Flag of Brazil DF Danilo
17 Flag of Portugal MF João Fajardo
No. Position Player
18 Flag of Portugal MF Moreno
19 Flag of Brazil FW Pedro Geromel
20 Flag of France MF Yves Desmarets
21 Flag of Brazil FW Alan
25 Flag of Brazil DF Andrezinho
26 Flag of Portugal MF Flávio Meireles
28 Flag of Portugal MF Tiago Ronaldo
29 Flag of Cameroon DF Jacques Momha
52 Flag of Portugal GK Serginho
77 Flag of Portugal MF Rabiola
80 Flag of Portugal MF João Alves
99 Flag of Brazil FW Roberto

[edit] Notable former players

[edit] Honours

[edit] League and Cup history

The club's 63 presences at the top level of Portuguese football make the 5th club with most presences, after FC Porto, Sporting CP, and SL Benfica (totalists, 73), and CF Os Belenenses) (65).

Season Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup Europe Notes
1941-1942 1D 11 22 6 1 15 43 76 13 final
1942-1943 1D 8 18 6 2 10 48 76 14 last 16
1943-1944 1D 8 18 2 3 13 25 68 7 semi-final
1944-1945 1D 8 18 4 3 11 32 57 11 last 16
1945-1946 1D 8 22 8 2 12 39 52 18 quarter-final
1946-1947 1D 8 26 8 8 10 54 54 24 not held
1947-1948 1D 7 26 10 4 12 44 56 24 last 32
1948-1949 1D 6 26 11 4 11 47 50 26 last 16
1949-1950 1D 11 26 7 7 12 45 59 21 not held
1950-1951 1D 13 26 6 6 14 40 57 18 quarter-final
1951-1952 1D 10 26 9 3 14 28 47 21
1952-1953 1D 8 26 7 6 13 28 54 20
1953-1954 1D 8 26 10 5 11 44 64 25
1954-1955 1D 14 26 5 7 14 33 49 17 relegated
1958-1959 1D 5 26 13 3 10 59 55 29
1959-1960 1D 7 26 8 7 11 47 43 23
1960-1961 1D 4 26 14 2 10 48 44 30
1961-1962 1D 9 26 9 4 13 44 47 22
1962-1963 1D 6 26 12 3 11 47 43 27 final
1963-1964 1D 4 26 16 2 8 62 42 34
1964-1965 1D 7 26 12 5 9 44 36 29
1965-1966 1D 4 26 14 5 7 58 47 33
1966-1967 1D 6 26 11 4 11 35 40 26
1967-1968 1D 6 26 12 3 11 31 34 27
1968-1969 1D 3 26 13 10 3 46 17 36
1969-1970 1D 5 26 12 4 10 38 36 28 FC 2nd round
1970-1971 1D 12 26 4 11 11 15 27 19 FC 2nd round
1971-1972 1D 6 30 11 8 11 49 47 30
1972-1973 1D 6 30 11 11 8 38 38 33
1973-1974 1D 6 30 10 11 9 36 34 31
1974-1975 1D 5 30 16 6 8 64 36 38
1975-1976 1D 6 30 13 10 7 49 32 36 final
1976-1977 1D 9 30 10 6 14 39 38 26
1977-1978 1D 6 30 12 7 11 33 28 31
1978-1979 1D 6 30 12 7 11 44 38 31
1979-1980 1D 6 30 11 10 9 42 38 32
1980-1981 1D 5 30 11 9 10 38 30 31
1981-1982 1D 4 30 13 12 5 42 22 38
1982-1983 1D 4 30 11 10 9 35 24 32
1983-1984 1D 6 30 14 3 13 41 41 31 UC 1st round
1984-1985 1D 9 30 9 7 14 33 39 25
1985-1986 1D 4 30 16 8 6 51 29 40
1986-1987 1D 3 30 14 13 3 45 22 41 UC quarter-final
1987-1988 1D 14 38 11 11 16 48 50 33 final UC last 16
1988-1989 1D 9 38 14 10 14 39 33 38 CWC 1st round
1989-1990 1D 4 34 17 11 6 46 28 45
1990-1991 1D 9 38 12 10 16 31 40 34 UC 1st round
1991-1992 1D 5 34 14 13 7 46 35 41
1992-1993 1D 11 34 14 3 17 41 53 31 UC 2nd round
1993-1994 1D 7 34 11 11 12 30 31 33
1994-1995 1D 4 34 16 10 8 54 43 42
1995-1996 1D 5 34 19 5 10 55 39 62 UC 2nd round
1996-1997 1D 5 34 15 8 11 51 46 53 UC 2nd round
1997-1998 1D 3 34 17 8 9 42 25 59 UC 1st round
1998-1999 1D 7 34 14 8 12 53 41 50 UC 1st round
1999-2000 1D 7 34 14 6 14 48 43 48
2000-2001 1D 15 34 9 9 16 41 49 36
2001-2002 1D 9 34 11 9 14 35 41 42
2002-2003 1D 4 34 14 8 12 47 46 50
2003-2004 1D 14 34 9 10 15 31 40 37
2003-2004 1D 15 34 14 4 16 28 33 46
2004-2005 1D 5 34 15 9 10 38 29 54 last 16
2005-2006 1D 17 34 8 10 16 28 41 34 semi-final UC group stage relegated
2006-2007 2H 2 30 16 7 7 44 20 55 3rd round promoted
2007-2008 1D 3 30 15 8 7 35 31 53 last 16

[edit] Colours

Home kit: white shirt and white shorts.

Away kit: black shirt and black shorts.

[edit] Basketball

Main article: Vitória de Guimarães (basketball)

Vitória S.C. men's basketball team has playing in the Proliga.

[edit] Volleyball

Main article: Vitória de Guimarães (volleyball)

[edit] External links

Flag of Portugal
BWINLIGA 2008-09
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1 In risk of relegation. Pending judicial action. If so, Paços de Ferreira remains in the Liga.
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