It’s strange to think that we’re already in December and yet the Primeira Liga season feels like it’s barely gotten started. These first few months have been punctuated with breaks for international qualifiers and domestic cup competitions, and not for the first time this season it feels like we’ve been made to wait a long time for the Primeira Liga to return.
But return it has, and we are now finally set for an extended, uninterrupted period of football which takes us through the festive period and into the New Year.
And this weekend is packed with fascinating match-ups that will test the mettle of the title contenders. PortuGOAL previews what promises to be an action-packed weekend action.
Leaders Benfica face tough task at Moreirense
Benfica travel to this season’s surprise package Moreirense. The newly promoted side have conceded the 3rd least goals this season (10) and worked their way up the table to 5th place with 20 points, winning 4 and drawing 1 of their last 5 games including a 4-0 demolition of Rio Ave, and an impressive win over Vitória. For a team that were relegated with a reputation of playing negative football two years ago, they’re one of the most interesting teams in the league to watch this season and look like a very accomplished outfit.
Benfica entered the international break on a high having beaten Lisbon rivals Sporting to draw level at the top of the table, but a disastrous second half capitulation in the Champions League against Inter, when they threw away a 3-goal lead and denied them a much needed first win in the Champions League, has the potential to set them back in their quest for more consistency in the league. That said, the gulf in quality and resource between these two teams shouldn’t be underestimated, and Benfica will go into the game as firm favourites.
Sporting aiming to bounce back against Gil Vicente
With that loss to Benfica last time out, the dynamic of Sporting’s season has changed slightly as they give up their position as league leaders and now look to prove (again) that they can be the top team in the league. There’s no better opportunity for three points than playing Gil Vicente at home, whose away form is spectacularly bad having lost all five of their matches on the road this season. Gil Vicente have been much better at home - only losing once all season at the Estádio Cidade de Barcelos - proving that they can play good football, but they’ll need a big improvement in their away form if they are to survive against the likes of Gyökeres and Edwards.
Famalicão look to upset Porto
Porto find themselves three points off the top and will have one eye on the match in three weeks when they play Sporting and get a real opportunity strike down their title rivals. In the meantime, they are away at Famalicão this weekend against a team who have proved decent if a little unremarkable this season. Porto’s season has been a tale of inconsistency both collectively, and with key individuals struggling for good form. At the moment their main spark seems to be coming from the manager’s son Chico Conceição, but the likes of Taremi, Pepê, Galeno, and other attacking players are yet to hit top form.
This season looks like it will be closely fought championship race and it is a difficult task predicting the winner at this stage. A cheeky bet could bring big rewards, and playing online slot machines is another fun way to gamble. Among the plethora of themed slots available online, some of the best themed online slots are those centred around football. These games transport players from the digital realm straight onto the virtual pitch.
The entertainers: Braga v Estoril
Braga host Estoril in what could be a particularly interesting game. Braga are a well-known entity at this point with attacking talent like Bruma, Álvaro Djaló, and the talismanic Ricardo Horta proving to be a formidable attacking force, but defensive weaknesses have held them back both domestically and in Europe. Estoril are a much more unknown prospect. A disastrous start to the season saw them bottom of the table after 9 games, but the improvement under new manager Vasco Seabra has been notable and they’ve won two consecutive league games against Casa Pia and most notably against Porto. Another giant killing would be a huge result for the Lisbon underdogs. With the two teams packed with attacking potential but leaky at the back, this game promises goals.
Hipster’s choice: Farense v Vitória
As always our last word goes to an under-the-radar game you might normally miss, but well worth keeping an eye on, and this weekend that game is Farense vs Vitória. In the last few years the newly promoted teams have often been the most interesting to watch, and Farense fit that description well this season. Three wins in their last 5 games have seen them rise to 7th place in the league table.
They have a number of interesting players including dead ball specialist and former Sporting player Mattheus Oliveira (son of Brazilian legend Bebeto), young Algerian winger Mohamed Belloumi, and long-serving midfield veteran Fabrício Isidoro. They’re hosting perennial 5th placers Vitória, who have unleashed their attacking potential under former Vizela manager and flat cap enthusiast Álvaro Pacheco, and who were unlucky to walk away from their last game at home to Porto with nothing to show for a very promising performance. This should be an interesting match-up between two teams in good form, playing good football.
Five players to keep an eye on this weekend
Mohamed Belloumi (Farense): The 21-year-old Algerian winger moved from GC Mascara in his native Algeria to Farense in the Algarve in 2022. He spent the first year of his career in Portugal playing for Farense’s U23 team in the Liga Revelação, but broke into the first team this season and has so far contributed 3 goals and 2 assists in 11 games. One of the league’s most interesting young talents outside the traditional big three clubs.
Otávio (Famalicão): A new signing from Flamengo this season, Otávio has made a real impact on the league in a short space of time with his impressive defensive displays. A strong, physical defender, he will have his hands full with Porto’s attacking players, but equally this could be a big opportunity for a young player to make an impact against a big team with their own issues going forward.
Rafik Guitane (Estoril): If you asked me for one Estoril player who has benefited most from Vasco Seabra’s arrival at the club, I would choose Guitane. One of the league’s most talented players outside of the top 4 clubs, the French winger has shown us more of what he can offer in recent games and will be a real problem for Braga’s sometimes shaky defence.
João Mario (Benfica): Many people thought Joao Mario’s best performances at Benfica were in the past, given his dwindling contributions in the league this season compared to some incredibly goal-scoring form in the 22/23 season, but a hat-trick against his former club Inter Milan showed he can still offer a lot to Benfica. With Benfica throwing away that lead in the Champions League, Joao Mario will be keen to go out and get a reward for his contributions.
Marcus Edwards (Sporting): Marcus Edwards is having the season we’ve been waiting for since he first arrived in Portugal, putting together consistent performances which prove he is one of this league’s best players. This week he was involved in a frightening car crash on the way to training, but just a day later came off the bench against Atalanta in the Europa League to score an equalising goal for his club. This weekend he will relish the opportunity to put in another eye-catching display in front of his home fans.
by Albert Carter-Phillips (@LongBallFutebol)
