The curtain was officially raised on the 2024/25 Portuguese season with the annual Super Taça, and what a contest fans were treated to. Reigning Primeira Liga champions Sporting CP looked to be well on course to claim victory and assert their dominance over the rest of the country when they raced into an early three-goal lead thanks to strikes from Gonçalo Inácio, Pedro Gonçalves, and 17-year-old prodigy Geovany Quenda. But FC Porto weren’t about to go down without a fight.
The reigning Taça de Portugal holders pulled a goal back through Brazilian winger Galeno. Then, two goals in two second-half minutes from Nico González and Galeno once more tied things up at three goals apiece. That took the tie to extra time, where Porto would find the winner through Iván Jaime in the 101st minute.
Both teams will represent Portugal in continental competition throughout the 2024/25 season, but which teams will play alongside them? Let’s find out.
Sporting CP
Lisbon heavyweights Sporting CP are Portugal’s reigning champions, romping to a second Primeira Liga title in four seasons last term with two games to spare. Their most important piece of business in the months since was clinging on to manager Rúben Amorim, who denied talk of moving to Liverpool and chose to remain in the Portuguese capital. Now, he gets to lead his team out in the revamped UEFA Champions League for the second time.
The Portuguese champions aren’t considered one of the frontrunners for glory on the continent, though. The latest online sports betting odds price them as +8000 outsiders. Reigning champions Real Madrid have recently added Kylian Mbappe to their ranks and are now the +375 favorites, closely followed by English behemoths Manchester City (+300). A successful continental campaign for Sporting would be making their way out of the new league stage and into the round of 16.
If they are to do that, they will need star striker Viktor Gyökeres to be on top form once more. The Swedish hitman was instrumental in leading his club to the title last season, finishing as the league’s top scorer with a whopping 29 goals, and he will play a pivotal role once more next term, providing the club can cling on to him like they did their manager.
Benfica
Sporting will be joined by cross-city rivals Benfica in Europe’s premier competition next term after the Águias finished as runners-up last season. The Reds are expected to have even less hope of emerging victorious and that should be unsurprising because the curse of Béla Guttmann still runs deep. After having a pay rise request rejected following winning the European Cup in 1962, the Hungarian manager allegedly stated that not for another 100 years would the club taste continental success. In the years since his departure, Benfica have gone on to lose no fewer than eight European finals.
Benfica had a solid season last term, despite ultimately missing out on the title. They were led by their veteran captain and defensive stalwart, Nicolás Otamendi, who marshaled the backline effectively throughout the campaign, despite being 36 years of age. The Argentinian World Cup winner will certainly have his work cut out in the UEFA Champions League next term.
Porto
Porto earned their spot in the Europa League by winning the Taça de Portugal last term with another extra-time victory against Sporting CP, this time with Mehdi Taremi netting in the 100th minute. Unlike rivals Benfica, the Dragões do have plenty of pedigree on the continent, especially in the Europa League. They won this competition back in 2003 with a thrilling 3-2 victory against Celtic under José Mourinho, before going on to win the Champions League against all odds the following year.
Porto also emerged victorious back in 2011, with a solitary Falcao goal enough to down compatriots Braga in Dublin. If they are to make a similar impression next term, they will need Portugal’s number one Diogo Costa to continue being a rock-solid last line of defense. He made headlines with his displays for the national team at Euro 2024, and similar performances will certainly help his team’s continental charge.
Braga
Braga has long been considered the fourth-best team in Portugal and last season, they managed to go one better by finishing third. That was enough to secure them a spot in the Europa League next season, a competition they have had success in in recent years. As mentioned, they reached the final back 13 years ago and they have reached the quarter-finals twice in the years since.
Talented winger Ricardo Horta is their star man. The 29-year-old is the club’s captain and has been with Braga for the entirety of his career - barring a short loan spell with Malaga. Last term, he notched 13 goals and a further 14 assists with several blistering displays from attacking midfield, and similar form is required if his team are to make an impression once more this season.
Vitória de Guimarães
Vitória de Guimarães is Portugal’s sole representative in the Conference League after finishing fifth last season. They are currently locked in the qualifying rounds and they will be hoping to reach the competition proper at the third time of asking. In each of the last two campaigns, they have been dumped out in the qualifying rounds - firstly by Hajduk Split and then by lowly Slovenian outfit Celje - and they will be aiming to buck that trend this term.
Vitória have started well, winning their first qualifying tie 5-0 on aggregate against Maltese team Floriana, followed up by an impressive 3-0 victory in Switzerland in the first leg of the next qualifying round against FC Zurich.
