It’s been a whirlwind week for Portuguese clubs in Europe, with differing fortunes for Porto, Benfica, Braga and Sporting. We turn the focus back to domestic football by looking ahead to Jornada 6 of the Primeira Liga season, and not only how those four teams will respond to their mid-week results.
How will surprise league leaders Boavista fair? Can Chaves break out of their dreadful form under a new manager? Plus a host of other intriguing storylines as league action resumes.
Braga v Boavista
Without a doubt the game of the weekend is Braga versus Boavista. Much has been discussed about Boavista - including on our latest podcast - after their fairytale start to the 2023/24 season which sees them as unlikely leaders having won 4 out of 5 games, including that opening day victory over reigning champions Benfica. Their 4-1 victory over Chaves last weekend was emphatic, amassing a 4-goal lead inside 25 minutes to condemn Chaves to a 5th consecutive loss, and was ultimately the final nail in the coffin of José Gomes’ short lived reign as Chaves manager.
The question everyone is asking is ‘how long can Boavista keep this up?’ And that question could well be answered on Sunday when they face a real test away at Braga. How they perform in this game will go a long way to defining what this Boavista team will be this season; a flash in the pan or the real deal ready to go the distance.
Braga’s loss in the Champions League against Napoli was disappointing, not least because Napoli’s win came from a late own goal from Sikou Niakaté, a self-inflicted wound which put a real dampener on an otherwise promising performance where Braga went toe to toe with Italy’s reigning champions. That makes it two consecutive losses for Braga having also fallen to a disappointing but deserved defeat at the hands of Farense in the Algarve last weekend.
The big question will be how the Guerreiros respond to these setbacks, and whether a visit of the league’s leaders will be an opportunity to get their season back on track, or another unwelcome thorn in their side.
Winnable matchups for Big Three
Os Três Grandes all have winnable games this weekend with Porto at home to Gil Vicente, Benfica away at Portimonense, and Sporting at home to Rio Ave. Sporting are coming off the back of an impressive Champions League win against Sturm Graz, and their most complete performance in the Primeira Liga so far this season which saw them beat an ambitious Moreirense side 3-0 last weekend. Like league leaders Boavista, Rio Ave are also under a transfer ban which means they’ve not been able to sign any new players this season. Unlike Boavista, they’ve done very little to command any headlines and shouldn’t trouble Sporting.
Portimonense did win their first game of the season last week but even that motivational boost will likely not be enough to cause Benfica any problems.
Gil Vicente have impressed at times this season, especially last week when they scored 5 goals against Estoril, and could be the most likely to cause an upset against one of the big three. But Porto have overcome nearly every obstacle they’ve faced this season despite their poor form, and if they can channel the same performance level as in the Champions League against Gil Vicente, they should be able to secure another three points.
Moreno takes his bow at Chaves
Chaves v Estrela da Amadora will be a fascinating watch. Chaves’ poor start to the season is well documented having lost five consecutive league games and dispensing with manager José Gomes who was only appointed in the summer.
They have moved swiftly to appoint a new man in the dugout, bringing in recent Vitória manager Moreno. After a summer bringing in a number of interesting signings, it’s imperative to keep an eye on Chaves under Moreno to see if they are able to turn their season around. Estrela themselves have only one win to their name, but a number of promising performances. A win for either team could kick-start their season.
Five players to keep an eye on this weekend:
Róbert Boženík (Boavista): Róbert Boženík has already featured as one of our 5 players to watch this season, but he is impossible to ignore as the league’s top scorer with 5 goals and 2 assists in 5 games. His performances have improved game on game and he is making a name for himself as one of the league’s top strikers. Just take a look at his brilliant goal last week.
⚽ GOLO DA JORNADA
— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) September 19, 2023
Grande golo de Bozeník! O avançado do Boavista domina a bola à entrada da área, e remata de pronto à meia volta, sem hipótese de defesa para Hugo Souza! Para ver e rever!#VSPORTS #LigaPortugalBetclic #LigaPortugal #GoloDaJornada #Jornada5 pic.twitter.com/e0iN4cP5Hq
Ricardo Horta (Braga): It’s a huge game against Boavista for Braga, and they will need their talismanic captain to inspire them to an important victory. Already with 2 goals and 1 assist this season, we know how important Horta is for Braga.
Fabrício Isidoro (Farense): Fabrício Isidoro played for Farense the last time they were in the Primeira Liga, stayed with them to help with their promotion push back to the top flight, and remains at the club as captain. His influence over the team cannot be overstated, not just a leader but also a provider of goals and assists. Farense play fellow newly promoted side Moreirense this weekend and Isidoro will be a key player for the Algarve side.
Leandro Sanca (Chaves): Sanca was at Famalicão last season and looked like a very interesting player. A winger with pace, agility, but also physicality to his game, he only managed two goals in 14 games last season, but when Chaves picked him up it seemed like a shrewd move. Whilst their loss last week against Boavista was devastating, Sanca came on after 36 minutes and they were much improved with him on the pitch.
Morten Hjulmand (Sporting): When the Danish midfielder arrived at Sporting from Italy, it was with much fanfare, but like many who hadn’t seen him play in Italy, we had to wait until his first performances in a Sporting shirt to see what ability he had. Very quickly it’s become clear that Hjulmand is a phenomenal midfielder, with a habit of picking up the odd goal from range. If you watch Sporting’s game against Rio Ave, keep track of their new midfielder who is sure to put on an eye-catching display.
by Albert Carter-Phillips (@LongBallFutebol)
