In Portugal Os Três Grandes or “the big three” dominate the sporting headlines and are familiar with football fans all over the world. As a result Porto, Benfica and Sporting’s general publicity, transfer dealings and expectations are fairly well documented but what about the other 15 teams competing in Liga NOS this season?
Here is part 2 of our take on the best of the rest in Portugal (click here for Part 1).
Marítimo
Too many defeats was the take home message from 2018/19 for the Madeira side, only the bottom two sides Feirense and Nacional lost more than the 19 Marítimo suffered. Concerns over the style of football look to have been addressed as young manager Nuno Manta has been hired to potentially take them in a more exciting direction. Joel Tagueu’s departure from the club has seen the club move to bring in attacking reinforcements in the shape of Japanese forward Daizen Maeda, while Erivaldo was a good performer with Leixões in the 2nd tier last season.
Season target: Top half - Returning to the days of challenging for Europe are probably not quite round the corner but returning to the right half of the table should be more than doable this time around.
First match of the season:
1-1 vs Sporting (H) - Many positives to take from this opening fixture, albeit one tinged with disappointment in some respects as Marítimo had several chances to win the game in what was a frantic contest at times. Conversely, the Lions could easily have taken all 3 points so Manta should be pleased from what was a good attacking display.
Santa Clara
A highly positive season for the islanders in 2018/19, after their promotion the summer previous they were widely tipped for a relegation battle but it never materialised as they cruised to a 10th place finish. Unsurprisingly Joao Henriques remains in charge, as well as the core of the squad remaining intact. Osama Rashid will be expected to be another key cog in midfield, and he is joined by Chico Ramos, who returns after a loan spell from Vitoria Guimaraes with the club in the second half of last season. Brazilian forward Carlos Júnior should get more of a chance than he did at Rio Ave after signing on a two year deal.
Season target: Survival - After exceeding expectations to large extent last year, the club likely won’t have got too carried away and will mainly focus on a primary target of maintaining their top flight status.
First match of the season:
0-2 vs Famalicão (H) - A flat display from the team on a wet and windy day in Azores. Caught cold perhaps by Famalicão’s newly assembled side, Santa Clara will need to be far more clinical in attack and cut out the basic defensive errors in the weeks to come.
Tondela
It was classic Tondela last time out as for the third time in four seasons they secured their top flight status with a dramatic win on the final day. Manager Pepe has left the club, his heart probably unable to take any more, and they have looked outside of the country to hire Spaniard Natxo Gonzalez to replace him. The 56 year old has brought in compatriots Manu Sanchez and Pepelu, while Honduras internationals Jonathan Toro and Rubilio Castillo offer attacking promise to try and fill the void of the outgoing António Tomané. Experienced customer Yohan Tavares should shore up the centre of defence, an area that badly needed maintenance after the summer departures of Ricardo Costa, Ícaro and Jorge Fernandes, as well as Ricardo Alves still recovering from long term injury.
Season target: Survival - The manager’s task will likely not stretch too far beyond keeping them in the division after narrow escapes in 3 of the last 4 seasons.
First match of the season:
0-0 vs Vitória Setúbal (A) - Tondela would have certainly taken a draw and a clean sheet prior to the match but will have come away a little disappointed having had several chances to win the game, and also they were inches away from nicking a win in stoppage time after Castillo hit the post.
Aves
Augusto Inácio guided the team to survival last season and keeps his place as coach. He could have a significantly tougher time of it this time around though as many of the club’s key players left this summer, notably Rodrigo, Mama Baldé, Vítor Gomes and Carlos Ponck. The core of the team has been almost completely cut out and the club’s limited resources have seen a turn to the U23 division as well as some of the more obscure leagues to replace them. On the subject of the former, there is a good amount of talent to choose from including Ricardo Rodrgiues, Miguel Tavares and Bruno Lourenço, while foreign investment in the form of Mamoud Kehraba, Wellinton Júnior and Mehrdad Mohammadi in particular offer promise, but it could take a little while for all of these elements to bond together
Season target: Survival - Not much has changed in terms of the team’s target, and perhaps even more so this year looking at the state of an inexperienced squad.
First match of the season:
1-2 vs Boavista (A) - Aves can count themselves unfortunate not to have come away with at least a point in an evenly-fought encounter. Positive signs in the form of new signings Mohammadi and Wellinton looking sharp, the former equalising with a very well-taken finish.
Paços Ferreira
Paços are back where they belong after dropping down to the second tier last season. They return at the first time of asking after winning the Segunda title, and have maintained the bulk of the squad that got them there with experienced Primeira players like Marco Baixinho, Luiz Carlos and Pedrinho almost certain to prove vital for the season ahead. Additions in attacking areas offer hope too, Murilo and Renat Dadashov in particular will be ones to watch.
Season target: Survival - Perhaps with one eye on challenging for midtable though, being the most established of the promoted sides. However, for their first season back the main focus will simply be preserving Primeira status.
First match of the season:
0-5 vs Benfica (A) - Not much to be said about the game, they will do their best to move on from a match in which they were never expected to gain anything from. Bernardo Martins’ clumsy dismissal did contribute to a late avalanche of goals but it might be a good thing in the long run to get such a tough game out of the way early.
Gil Vicente
Gil Vicente celebrate their long-awaited return to the top flight this year after an enforced drop to Segunda Liga back in 2006 for fielding an ineligible player was successfully appealed. With this, the playing and coaching staff has experienced an almost entire overhaul, to be expected having competed in the third tier last season. Second division promotion specialist Vítor Oliveira has been named manager, while Rúben Fernandes, William Soares and Sandro Lima are some of the more notable players acquired to help them re-adapt to top flight life.
Season target: Survival - Simply staying in the league has to be the number one priority having worked so hard and waited so long to come back.
First match of the season:
2-1 vs Porto (H) - It could scarcely have been a better start to the campaign for Gil Vicente, producing a stunning upset over Porto, new signings Lourency and Bozhidar Kraev helping to secure a famous victory.
Famalicão
A first season back in the top flight since 1993/94 for the team, who came up after finishing 2nd behind Pacos Ferreira in the second tier last season. The players and manager who achieved this though have almost entirely been dispensed with the give the club a whole new feel. Marco Silva’s assistant João Pedro Sousa takes senior charge, while agent Jorge Mendes’ influence has been felt with acquisitions from Atletico Madrid in the form of Nehuen Perez and Gustavo Assunção, while the loan signing of Fábio Martins from Braga in particular represents excellent business.
Season target: Survival/Midtable - This team is ambitious and may be looking a little further up the table in terms of their objectives for the season ahead. However, first and foremost it will have to be survival that is considered the first goal.
First match of the season:
2-0 vs Santa Clara (A) - Fantastic start for the new boys as they went to a tricky venue and came away not only with all 3 points but a clean sheet to boot. Toni Martínez settled any nerves with an early goal, while Anderson came off the bench to wrap up a memorable opening day in tricky weather conditions.
By Jamie Farr
