It was wonderful watching matches at the old Stadium of Light. There used to be so many kids around the stadium and over time I got to know the doormen. I spoke with them and they allowed the kids to go in for free as they didn’t have any money. We had picnics – gatherings – with food and drinks, saving places in the stand for our friends. There was a good spirit there and, of course, some great wins.
The ‘O Barbas’ signature dish is the Caldeirada de Peixe – a fish stew. Everything we serve is seafood, but the Caldeirada is the most famous. I don’t think there has been a single Benfica player that hasn’t come here to eat. Yesterday, one of our former players, João Cancelo, was here having lunch with his family. My restaurant was like a home for Eusébio. Sometimes he would arrive around noon and not leave before night. He was relaxed here, with friends, coming and going and chatting with them. Our former captain Mário Coluna came to Barbas straight from the airport when he arrived from Mozambique. They were great. All great. There’s a reason the players come here: they feel good here. They start coming when they’re playing for the youth teams in Seixal, Benfica’s nearby academy, and they all treat me well.
