Portuguese Football Season 2017/18

[Thunder_PT]

Sporting win on penalties again, just like in the League Cup final. Porto lose 2 competitions on penalties.

[Thunder_PT]

Update on the 3 fights:


Top of the table:

Braga 2-0 Marítimo
Estoril 1-2 Benfica
Sporting 1-0 Boavista
FC Porto - Vit. Setúbal (tomorrow)

All won, Benfica still alive with a late winner, Sporting are on the chase and Braga are chasing Sporting. Braga's schedule is easier than Sporting's.


Race for 5th (possible EL spot):

Braga 2-0 Marítimo
Moreirense 2-1 Rio Ave

Marítimo lost in Braga as expected but they're still alive as Rio Ave also lost in Moreira de Cónegos. Rio Ave still favourites, though.


Battle against relegation:
P. Ferreira 1-1 Belenenses
Feirense 2-1 Vit. Guimarães
Estoril 1-2 Benfica
Tondela 3-0 Aves
Moreirense 2-1 Rio Ave
FC Porto - Vit. Setúbal (tomorrow)

Big win for Feirense! Their hopes increase dramatically, but they're still favourites for the drop together with Estoril. Feirense's schedule is harder than Aves', the other main candidate. Moreirense are out of here and Paços de Ferreira might regret not being able to do the same.

[Thunder_PT]

FC Porto 5-1 Vit. Setúbal

Porto deal with the first hurdle with ease. They need 7 points from the last 3 games, even if Benfica win their 3, to secure the title.

[xavier_]

Attendance average so far this season

1. Benfica 54 139
2. Sporting 43 266
3. Porto 42 215
4. Vitória Guimarães 15 930
5. Braga 11 695
6. Marítimo 6648
7. Boavista 5738
8. Feirense 3812
9. Chaves 3572
10. Rio Ave 3623
11. Vitória Setubal 3588
12. Belenenses 3471
13. Paços Ferreira 3396
14. Portimonense 2937
15. Aves 2704
16. Tondela 2321
17. Estoril 2193
18. Moreirense 2182

[Gorandinho]

Pretty sad list really. Everything below Boavista is embarrassing for a top tier of a strong country.

[Thunder_PT]

Pretty sad list really. Everything below Boavista is embarrassing for a top tier of a strong country.

Indeed, but to be fair it has improved. And it'll improve again when Académica gets promoted back (hopefully this year).

[dnina10]

For a big club like Sporting Braga, only 11 695? That's about one third of their stadium's capacity. That is a woeful number.

[xavier_]

In the II Liga, the numbers are on the same trend... very disappointing, especially the B teams, have bad numbers.

Average attendance so far (all the numbers were taken from the league official site)

1. Académica 3934
2. Santa Clara 1922
3. Famalicão 1801
4. Nacional 1695
5. Vitória Guimarães B 1643
6. Leixões 1292
7. Varzim 1227
...
14. Benfica B 597
15. Porto B 519
16. Real Massamá 516
17. Oliveirense 379
18. Braga B 355
19. Sp. Covilhã 308
20. Sporting B 255

The games during the week at 4pm really kill the averages... there could be a better planing imo for the games schedule.

Real Massama and Oliveirense were the 2 recent promoted teams, and have very disappointing attendances.
Vitória Guimarães B, the only respectable average from the B teams.
Sporting B will end this season, the club will only focus in the new under23 championship that will begin next season.

[Thunder_PT]

Vit. Setúbal 0-2 Feirense

Huge win for Feirense and with 2 wins in a row they're suddenly out of the relegation zone! Estoril, Aves and Vit. Setúbal all in big trouble. P. Ferreira uncomfortable too, must get at least a point visiting Boavista. And on Monday: Estoirl vs. Aves!

[Thunder_PT]

Benfica 2-3 Tondela

FC Porto very close to the title! They only need 4 points from their last 3 games (Marítimo away, Feirense at home and Vitória Guimarães away).

Up next:
Portimonense vs. Sporting

Sporting will catch Benfica on 77 points if they win! Portimonense are comfortable in the middle of the table.

[xavier_]

Big surprise today in Lisbon, Benfica lost, yet again, at home... this time against Tondela!

Tondela is having a great season, surprisingly. On their 3rd season on the I Liga they seam to finally have found their footing.

Porto needs only 4 pts max (out of 9) to be the new Champion.
Benfica next week visits their neighbors Sporting and might finish 3rd, and out of the CL.

And Braga, if they manage to win their last 3 games... they could surprise and finish 2nd. Very interesting

In the II Liga, Nacional is very close to lock their promotion. They were missed this season in the I Liga, hopefully next season they will be fighting for EL and not to avoid relagation

[angel_87]

suicide Benfica, Porto less than a sensational twist will go straight to the title
a good 27 points between 4th and 5th position ...

[xavier_]

suicide Benfica, Porto less than a sensational twist will go straight to the title
a good 27 points between 4th and 5th position ...

Yeah... this is disheartening. And its even worse seeing that almost no one seems to care, not the media, not the clubs, not the fans. Everyone seems to busy discussing what the president of X club said.

Until Tv rights are equally shared not much will change unfortunately. And that is just the begin of many problems.

Teams like Maritimo, Vitoria Guimaraes, Chaves and even Rio Ave - the best they can hope is 5th place, 4th if Braga is on a weak year.

[dnina10]

suicide Benfica, Porto less than a sensational twist will go straight to the title
a good 27 points between 4th and 5th position ...

Yeah... this is disheartening. And its even worse seeing that almost no one seems to care, not the media, not the clubs, not the fans. Everyone seems to busy discussing what the president of X club said.

Until Tv rights are equally shared not much will change unfortunately. And that is just the begin of many problems.

Teams like Maritimo, Vitoria Guimaraes, Chaves and even Rio Ave - the best they can hope is 5th place, 4th if Braga is on a weak year.

Sadly true Xavier, but most of what you mentioned happens all around Europe and all around the world (but especially the former). Just look at the premier league. Practically every year, it's the same six for the top six and domestic cup titles. It is almost always the race for 7th place. There's also a big six in Cyprus, the main difference is, in the Premier League, if you finish 5th or 6th, you get a Europa League spot. In Cyprus, if you finish 5th or 6th, you don't play in Europe at all.
But like I said, as sad as this is, it is a reality, and I portion the blame primarily on UEFA as well as the respective associations.

[Roque]

Porto very nearly kept things interesting today... but after 45 minutes trying to break down 10 men they finally got the goal which has surely won them the title!