Liga Portugal Thread - 2023/2024

[Sporting1906]

https://www.ligaportugal.pt/media/2...p&width=647&height=485&rnd=132491654100000000

CURRENT STANDINGS AFTER MATCHDAY 3 (I will only be showing the standings of the 4 main contenders)

1. Sporting CP 9pts
4. SL Benfica 6pts
5. FC Porto 6pts (They have a match In hand)
13. SC Braga 3pts (They have a match in hand)

TEAM BREAKDOWNS:

Sporting CP: Sporting head into the new season on the back of a disappointing 2022/2023 season where they missed out on Champions league football. Sporting have lost only one key player (So far) in Manuel Ugarte (PSG) and young striker Youssef Chermiti who left for Everton. One of the key reasons for Sporting's inconsistent season last year came down to one thing...missed chances in front of goal as well as a lack of presence in the box. Well Sporting have gone out to rectify that this season, by paying a club record fee for striker Viktor Gyokeres who scored two cracking goals in his league debut for Sporting. Additionally Sporting purchases Morten Hjulmand from Lecce who looks to make his debut on Friday vs Casa Pia. Both Gyokeres and Hjulmand are our record signings Furthermore Sporting have purchased highly talented 18 year old RB Ivan Fresneda from Real Valladolid. Young academy player Geny Catamo has looked promising in that right wing back position in pre season and he could end up being an option as well. Overall Sporting have been able to keep many of their key/star players and unless any other big changes happen they look to have a good squad that is capable of competing this season. So far Sporting have made a perfect start to the campaign by winning each of there opening three games.

SL Benfica:The defending champions will be looking to repeat this season and have made that very clear with some big summer acquisitions. Benfica are looking to have another solid Champions League campaign and have added real quality with names like Angel Di Maria, Orkun Kokcu, and Jurasek who was signed to replace Grimaldo who departed for Bayer. Benfica did however lose star striker Goncalo Ramos (Sold to PSG) but have replaced him with Arthur Cabral from Fiorentina. Additionally it looks as though Goncalo Guedes will be black at Benfica for another loan deal. On paper Benfica have the strongest squad in the league and are heavy favorited to win the league title once again. With that being said they did not begin their league campaign in the best manner as they lost 3-2 away to Boavista on the opening day.

FC Porto: Porto have lost Mateus Uribe (Free Transfer) however they have added Nico Gonzalez from FC Barcelona as well as Fran Navarro who was a breakout player for Gil Vicente last season. Porto are most likely going to lose either Mehdi Taremi our Diogo Costa as they desperately need to balance the books. Additionally Porto have made some good moves by signing midfielder Alan Varela from Boca Juniors. On paper Porto have possibly the worst squad out of the big three however you can never count out Sergio Conceicao from making Lemons into Lemonade with limited resources. Young players Goncalo Borges and Romario Baro may get a chance to finally break into the first team.

SC Braga: Although beginning the league campaign with a shocking home loss to Famalicao, Braga have qualified for the playoffs of the Champions league after comfortably eliminating Backa Topola in the previous round. They are currently leading Panathinaikos 2-1 after the first leg in the playoffs as they hope to make it into the Champions league for the third time in their history and first since the 2012/2013 season. Champions league qualification could be huge for the clubs growth and attempted approximation to the "Big Three". Braga are making a statement so far by making some marquee signings for the club with names such as Joao Moutinho, Bruma, Jose Fonte, Rony Lopes, and Rodrigo Zalazar all joining the club. After nearly losing Ricardo Horta (Clubs all time scorer) to Benfica last season he now looks fully committed to Braga which is great news for the club. I fully expect Braga to make some additional signings especially if they can secure qualification until the group stages of the Champions league. The clubs ambition is clear as stated by both Jose Fonte and the head coach, Braga want to win the title.

LEAGUE BREAKDOWN:

Since this thread is only being made three games into the season here is a quick catch up. After 3 games so far the league has been even very competitive with all four contenders winning there games by the bar minimum and both Porto and Sporing needing 90th minute goals to win their home openers. Additionally we have already has two upsets with both Braga and Benfica losing on the opening day. Hopefully the games continue to be this close as it makes the league more fun to watch.

STANDOUT/STAR PLAYERS/YOUNG TALENT: (This section will contain who are in my opinion the most sought after players in our league/standout players and or young talent to keep an eye on). All young prospects will have a star next to their names (21 and under).

Pedro Goncalves (Sporting)
Marcus Edwards (Sporting)
Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)
Goncalo Inacio (Sporting)
Angel Di Maria (Benfica)
Orkun Kokcu (Benfica)
David Neres (Benfica)
Rafa (Benfica)
Mehdi Taremi (Porto)
Diogo Costa (Porto)
Pepe (Porto)
Ricardo Horta (SC Braga)
*Ousmane Diomande (Sporting)
* Afonso Moreira (Sporting)
*Joao Neves (Benfica)
*Antonio Silva (Benfica)

**Not sure if there are other Portuguese members on here but if so good luck to your teams this season. For any City fans or fans of other clubs in general I hope you guys enjoy the thread and that we can make it an active one**

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MATCHDAY 3:

Sporting 1-0 Famalicao



Gil Vicente 2-3 Benfica

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Just reading up on the league and there have only ever been 5 winners of it, including two teams that have won it once each.

Seems an amazing stat.

 

[dronefromsector7G]

Just reading up on the league and there have only ever been 5 winners of it, including two teams that have won it once each.

Seems an amazing stat.

Boavista in 2001, Belenenses back in 1946. Joke league

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Boavista in 2001, Belenenses back in 1946. Joke league

10m population explains a lot if it. It’s a better Scottish league, played with good technique.

Properly feisty at times though when the big teams play each other.

 

[Sporting1906]

Just reading up on the league and there have only ever been 5 winners of it, including two teams that have won it once each.

Seems an amazing stat.

Well actually its not true. Portugal have had multiple champions however the league only recognizes two outside of the big three which is incorrect based on date and history of the Portuguese league. This is why Sporting state they have 23 national championships while the league only recognize 19 at the moment.

The other champions are as follow:

SC Olhanenses 1923-1924
CS Maritimo1925-1926
Carcavelinho 1927-1928
Belenenses (1926-27,1928-29,1932-33, and 1945-46)

 

[Sporting1906]

Boavista in 2001, Belenenses back in 1946. Joke league

It may be a joke league compared to the EPL but the Portuguese league is the number one provider in top talent to the top 5 leagues in Europe and they also lead that category in revenue made. Sporting, Porto, and Benfica are competitive in Europe based on the reality of the league and consistently produce top talent via the academy or through scouting.

 

[Sporting1906]

10m population explains a lot if it. It’s a better Scottish league, played with good technique.

Properly feisty at times though when the big teams play each other.

I actually compare more to the Dutch league and Turkish league. All three leagues have a big three that dominate the league.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I actually compare more to the Dutch league and Turkish league. All three leagues have a big three that dominate the league.

Technique of the Dutch League and the shithousery of the Turkish league!

 

[SkyBlueFlux]

While the league is clearly dominated by the big three, the balance between the three is much better than in some other leagues. It's not like Germany or France where a team is winning it for a decade straight.

The most consecutive wins was Porto in the 90s with 5, not that far from where City are now in the grand scheme of things. 4 in a row has been done once by each team, Porto, Benfica and Sporting.

Generally, they trade it pretty evenly between the three, which makes it more watchable.

My in-laws are all Benfica fans from Lisbon (sorry @Sporting1906), so I will tune in from time to time. There are a lot of very good footballers in the Portuguese league playing the game the way you like to see it played (as we as a club have benefited from repeatedly).

 

[Sporting1906]

Technique of the Dutch League and the shithousery of the Turkish league!

Amen!

The big three are fun to watch though trust me

While the league is clearly dominated by the big three, the balance between the three is much better than in some other leagues. It's not like Germany or France where a team is winning it for a decade straight.

The most consecutive wins was Porto in the 90s with 5, not that far from where City are now in the grand scheme of things. 4 in a row has been done once by each team, Porto, Benfica and Sporting.

Generally, they trade it pretty evenly between the three, which makes it more watchable.

My in-laws are all Benfica fans from Lisbon (sorry @Sporting1906), so I will tune in from time to time. There are a lot of very good footballers in the Portuguese league playing the game the way you like to see it played (as we as a club have benefited from repeatedly).

I agree with this! Albeit for years Sporting were way behind Sporting but this gap has closed considerably In the last few years and in particular since Ruben Amorim joined the club