Fresh off the heels of Francisco Trincão’s 31 million euro transfer from Braga to Barcelona, the press quickly flashed the “New Ronaldo” headlines. They couldn’t be more wrong. Wrong in the sense that the player-type isn’t the right fit. As you’ll recall, Cristiano Ronaldo started as a proper winger, transitioned...
Over the past two years, Sporting Portugal fans have anxiously awaited the day one of Europe’s elite teams would sign their midfield maestro, Bruno Fernandes. When the 2018 Alcochete training ground attacks led to a mass exodus of Sporting’s top talent, Fernandes remained with the club, taking the captain’s armband...
Since 1907, Os Derby de Lisboa has divided Portugal’s capital, one side represented by the verde e branco of Sporting Portugal, the other identifying with os encarnados of Benfica. The tense affair pits the royalty and upper-class backed Sporting against Benfica, the everyman’s club of Portugal. Despite the wide gap...
After Sporting Portugal suffered a 5-0 shellacking at Benfica’s hands in the Portuguese Super Cup, the club made a slew changes. In fact, this Sporting looks very little like that side. Marcel Keizer was replaced just five games into the season, eventually leading to the hiring of Silas. Bas Dost...
Poor early season defending and lack of initiative in attack had demoralised the Sporting Portugal fans and players. When Os Leões fired Marcel Keizer just four games into the season, rumours of José Mourinho, Leonardo Jardim and Marco Silva set the Portuguese football world ablaze. All three coaches turned down...
Eintracht Frankfurt fans could be forgiven for being somewhat disappointed with the signing of Bas Dost. After losing their two star forwards, Luka Jović and Sebastien Haller, for a combined fee of £99 million, Frankfurt were reluctant to splash their cash. Head Coach Adi Hütter seemed satisfied with both Gonçalo...
Benfica’s head coach Bruno Lage has overseen a remarkable turnaround since taking over at the club in January 2019, leading them to their 37th league title in unlikely circumstances. When Lage was promoted from his position as B team manager to take over from the sacked Rui Vitória, Benfica had...
Eyebrows were raised in November 2018 when Dutch coach Marcel Keizer was announced by Sporting CP as José Peseiro’s successor. Apart from an ill-fated six-month spell as Ajax head coach in 2017, the 50-year-old does not boast much top-level coaching experience on his CV. That said, he is, of course,...
If you just happen to be having a look at some statistics for Portugal's Liga NOS, your eye can’t help being drawn towards a young Brazilian winger named Wenderson Galeno. On loan from FC Porto at Rio Ave, the 21-year-old has notched up a healthy return of four goals and...
The first semi-final in the Taça da Liga was a mouth-watering clash between the top two sides in Liga NOS, Benfica and Porto. Porto, who have never won the competition before, were attempting to make only their third final. However, Benfica are the most decorated team in the competition having...
We haven't done a lot of analysis on Portuguese games in the past. This will change in the future given the tactical interest the league provides. Portugal is a great exporter of talented footballers as we all know, but they export quality coaches too. The weekend saw two of the...
S.L Benfica is renowned for producing world-class talent from their esteemed academy. João Félix is a recent graduate to make a step into the first team. The Portuguese giants have cultivated a culture of nurturing potential and have made £230m in the last three years from selling their academy graduates,...
Joao Felix has yet to make his debut for Benfica but is already linked with a move to the Premier League. He has been a regular starter for Benfica B in Portugal's second tier. This player analysis focuses on why the teenager is attracting so much attention without even making...
Under Sérgio Conceição's tactics, FC Porto won their first Primeira league title since 2013. For Conceição, who is coming off a great job he did with Nantes in Ligue 1, this is another impressive result to add to his young coaching career. Other well-regarded managers, such as Paulo Fonseca, Nuno...
