Benfica suffers 2-1 defeat to St. Gallen in Europa League qualifier
On 23 July 2026, Benfica traveled to the Kybunpark in St. Gallen for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League second‑qualifying round. The Swiss side won 2‑1, with Aliou Balde opening the scoring in the 37th minute, Rafa Silva equalising for Benfica before halftime, and Tom Gaal heading the winner in the 80th minute.
Benfica coach Marco Silva condemned the performance as “unacceptable”, highlighting a lack of composure, excessive ball loss and insufficient intensity. He warned that the team must improve quickly ahead of the return leg in Lisbon. Former player Nuno Campilho and other commentators described the display as “below zero” and a “scandalous defeat”. St. Gallen captain Lukas Görtler praised his side’s effort and suggested even a draw against Real Madrid could have been possible.
The loss puts Benfica under pressure to overturn the deficit in the second leg and raises questions about the new coach’s tactics and squad readiness for the upcoming season.