C.D. Santa Clara

Last updated
Santa Clara
C.D. Santa Clara logo.svg
Full nameClube Desportivo Santa Clara
Nickname(s)Os Açorianos (The Azoreans)
Founded1921;104 years ago (1921)
Ground Estádio de São Miguel,
Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Capacity12,500
PresidentBruno Vicintin
Head coach Vasco Matos
League Liga Portugal
2023–24 Liga Portugal 2, 1st of 18 (Promoted)
Website cdsantaclara.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Clube Desportivo Santa Clara is a Portuguese professional football club from Ponta Delgada, Azores. As the most successful football team from the Azores Islands, they are the only team from the archipelago to compete in a UEFA competition, having qualified for the UEFA Intertoto Cup and the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Contents

Santa Clara is the only club from the Azores to have competed in the top division of the Portuguese Liga, being thus the westernmost top-flight club in Europe. They compete in the Primeira Liga, the Portuguese first division football league. Santa Clara's kit manufacturer is Umbro and their main sponsor is Lebull. The main local rivals are CD Operário from Lagoa on the same island of São Miguel. Other major rivals are C.S. Marítimo and C.D. Nacional, from the island of Madeira.

History

Santa Clara reached the Primeira Liga for the first time by coming third in the 1998–99 Liga de Honra, but were instantly relegated back in last place. The team bounced back by winning the 2000–01 Segunda Liga under Manuel Fernandes and later Carlos Manuel. Fernandes, who left for Sporting CP in January 2001, returned in October. [1]

Despite coming 14th in their first top-flight season, Santa Clara were chosen by UEFA to play in the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup when Vitória S.C. withdrew, needing the summer to renovate their Estádio D. Afonso Henriques for UEFA Euro 2004. [2] They beat Armenia's Shirak FC 5–3 on aggregate in the first round before falling 9–2 to Czechs FK Teplice in the second. [3] Santa Clara were relegated in 2003, [4] and then spent the next 15 years in the second tier, with the lowest point being 2014–15 when the club came 19th, saving themselves from relegation with three games remaining. [5]

In 2018, Carlos Pinto's Santa Clara team ended their exile by finishing second to C.D. Nacional, and he subsequently left. [6] His successor João Henriques led Santa Clara to two consecutive 10th-placed finishes, their best results for position and points (43) in their history. He left in July 2020, having secured a third consecutive top-flight season for the first time in club history. [7] Under his successor Daniel Ramos in 2020–21, the club finished a best-ever sixth to qualify for the inaugural UEFA Conference League. [8]

Santa Clara defeated KF Shkupi (North Macedonia) and NK Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) before falling to FK Partizan (Serbia) in the Conference League playoffs. [9] Ramos left unexpectedly in October 2021 with the team in 15th. [10] Mário Silva concluded the season with the team in 7th, earning a two-year contract extension, as well as taking the team to the semi-finals of the Taça da Liga (at FC Porto's expense) for the first time. [11] Silva was sacked in January 2023 with the team 15th after as many games; [12] the form did not improve under successors Jorge Simão and Danildo Accioly and Santa Clara finished last, ending five years in the top flight. [13]

Stadium

Santa Clara play in the 12,500-seat Estádio de São Miguel in Ponta Delgada, the largest city in the Azores. [14]

Honours

Players

Current squad

As of 2 October 2024 [15]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Gabriel Batista
2 DF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Diogo Calila
3 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Matheus Pereira
4 DF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Pedro Pacheco
6 MF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Adriano
7 MF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Matheusinho
8 MF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Pedro Ferreira
10 FW Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Ricardinho
11 FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Gabriel Silva
12 GK Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Neneca (on loan from Cascavel )
13 DF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Luís Rocha
17 FW Flag of Portugal.svg  POR João Costa
21 DF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Frederico Venâncio
No.Pos.NationPlayer
23 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Sidney Lima
27 DF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Guilherme Ramos (on loan from Hamburg )
28 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Habraão (on loan from Fortaleza )
31 GK Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Denivys
32 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA MT
35 MF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR Serginho
41 MF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Dani Borges
42 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Lucas Soares
70 FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Vinícius Lopes
77 MF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Gustavo Klismahn
FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Wendel Silva (on loan from Porto B )
FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Daniel Silva

Other players under contract

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
No.Pos.NationPlayer

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Reinaldo (at Alverca)
FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Rildo (at Portuguesa)
DF Flag of Portugal.svg  POR João Ferreira(at Oliveira do Hospital until 30 June 2025)
MF Flag of Cape Verde.svg  CPV Yannick Semedo (at Vizela until 30 June 2025)
33 FW Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Jader (on loan to Universidad Católica until 31 December 2024)

International players

Pauleta played for Santa Clara in 1991 at youth level before moving on to bigger clubs where he would become one of the best Portuguese strikers of all time. Pauleta.JPG
Pauleta played for Santa Clara in 1991 at youth level before moving on to bigger clubs where he would become one of the best Portuguese strikers of all time.

Coaching staff

PositionName
Manager Flag of Portugal.svg Vasco Matos
Assistant manager Flag of Portugal.svg João Batista
Flag of Portugal.svg João Pereira
First-team coach Flag of Portugal.svg Leandro Pires
Goalkeeper coach Flag of Brazil.svg Luciano Oliveira
Fitness coach Flag of Brazil.svg Rogério Juidecce
Flag of Portugal.svg João Gavazzo
Analyst Flag of Portugal.svg Nicolau Carvalho
Physiotherapist Flag of Brazil.svg André Rocha
Flag of Portugal.svg Diogo Moniz
Flag of Portugal.svg Bruno Viveiros
Flag of Portugal.svg Jony Xavier
Flag of Portugal.svg Francisco Silva Cabral
Physiologist Flag of Portugal.svg Rafael Gregório
Chief scout Flag of Portugal.svg Diogo Fonseca
Scout Flag of Portugal.svg Hugo Melo
Manuel Sousa
Sporting director Flag of Portugal.svg Paulo Clemente
Squad planner Flag of Brazil.svg Rafael Andrade
Academy manager Flag of Portugal.svg Leandro Rodrigues
Flag of Portugal.svg Luís Pires
Kit manager Flag of Portugal.svg Alfredo Arruda

League and cup history

SeasonDiv.Pos.Pl.WDLGSGAP Cup League Cup Notes
1982–833DS73012612423930Round 2
1983–843DS73012711383231Round 2
1984–853DS103011613322628Round 2
1985–863DS4301488342036Round 2
1986–873DS2301686542940Round 1Promoted
1987–882DS203851320195123Round 3Relegated
1988–893DS103413912353235Round 2
1989–903DS1341897544145Round 2Promoted
1990–91 2DS143412917405633Round 2Relegated
1991–92 3DS53415910553439Round 2
1992–93 3DS143481412274030Round 1
1993–94 3DS133410915285229Round 1
1994–95 3DS18343922207015Round 1
1995–96 3DS1261673481555Round 1Promoted
1996–97 2DS2341969673663Round 3
1997–98 2DS1341885603165Round 4Promoted
1998–99 2H33413137533755Round 5Promoted
1999–00 1D183471017355031Round 5Relegated
2000–01 2H1342077603767Round 3Promoted
2001–02 1D143491015324637Round 5
2002–03 1D173481115395435Round 5Relegated
2003–04 2H133411914414442Round 3
2004–05 2H153411617394939Round 4
2005–06 2H63413129453251Round 4
2006–07 2H43015510343150Round 4
2007–08 2H103010713315037Round 4Round 1
2008–09 2H3301578453252Round 5Round 1
2009–10 2H43013125452951Round 4First Group Stage
2010–11 2H93010812262938Round 3First Group Stage
2011–12 2H123081012293834Round 2Second Group Stage
2012–13 2H1142151413554859Round 4Round 2
2013–14 2H154213920384648Round 3Round 2
2014–15 2H1946102115334251Round 2Round 1
2015–16 2H1646151219495257Round 3Round 1
2016–17 2H1042161214424260Round 4Round 2
2017–18 2H23819910554066Round 5Round 2Promoted
2018–19 1D103411914434542Round 4Round 2
2019–20 1D934111013364143Round 5Round 3
2020–21 1D63413714443646Quarter-finalsBest league finish
2021–22 1D73491312385440Round 3Semi-finals

European record

SeasonCompetitionRoundOpponentHomeAwayAggregate
2002–03 Intertoto Cup R1 Flag of Armenia.svg FC Shirak 2–03–35–3
R2 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Teplice 1–41–52–9
2021–22 Europa Conference League 2QR Flag of North Macedonia.svg Shkupi 2–03–05–0
3QR Flag of Slovenia.svg Olimpija Ljubljana 2–01−03−0
PO Flag of Serbia.svg Partizan 2–10–22–3

References

  1. "Manuel Fernandes já orientou treino do Santa Clara" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 3 October 2001. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. "Santa Clara substitui minhotos na Taça Intertoto" [Santa Clara replaced Minho Province team in Intertoto Cup]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 May 2002. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. "Santa Clara eliminado da Intertoto" [Santa Clara eliminated from the Intertoto]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 July 2002. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  4. "Carlos Alberto Silva de saída" [Carlos Alberto Silva leaving]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 May 2003. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  5. "Trofense-Santa Clara, 0-0: Insulares garantem permanência" [Trofense 0-0 Santa Clara: Islanders guarantee survival]. Sábado (in Portuguese). 6 May 2015. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. "Carlos Pinto deixa o Santa Clara após subida à I Liga" [Carlos Pinto leaves Santa Clara after promotion to the I Liga]. Público (in Portuguese). 14 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. "João Henriques sai do Santa Clara depois de duas épocas de recordes" [João Henriques leaves Santa Clara after two record-breaking seasons]. Observador (in Portuguese). 24 July 2020. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  8. "Liga: Santa Clara garante qualificação europeia" [Liga: Santa Clara guarantee European qualification] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  9. Salvador, Rui (26 August 2021). "Santa Clara perde com Partizan e Paços de Ferreira derrotado em Londres. Falham fase de grupos da Liga Conferência" [Santa Clara lose to Partizan and Paços de Ferreira defeated in London. They miss the Conference League group stage]. Observador (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  10. "Daniel Ramos abandona Santa Clara rumo a "grande oportunidade"" [Daniel Ramos abandons Santa Clara for a "great opportunity"]. Público (in Portuguese). 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  11. "Santa Clara renova com o treinador Mário Silva por duas épocas" [Santa Clara renew with manager Mário Silva for two seasons]. Observador (in Portuguese). 19 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  12. "Mário Silva deixa comando técnico do Santa Clara" [Mário Silva leaves the helm of Santa Clara]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 6 January 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  13. ""Ninguém da administração do Santa Clara vai a lugar nenhum"" ["Nobody from the Santa Clara administration is going anywhere"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 20 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  14. klaiber-it.de, Timo Klaiber. "Estádio de São Miguel". Europlan-Online. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  15. "Plantel" (in Portuguese). CD Santa Clara. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-09-27.