• Primeira Liga,
• Sporting,
• FC Porto,
• Bas Dost,
• Vincent Aboubakar,

Following the final chapter for two of Portugal's 'Big Three' in the UEFA Champions League, it was all hands to the pump for the likes of Benfica and Sporting in the Primeira Liga, as FC Porto looked to deflect the pressure from their closest rivals at the top of the table.

Benfica were able to respond to another miserable result versus FC Basel by defeating Estoril 3-1 at home, with Sporting replicating the Eagles' result away from home against Boavista to move Jorge Jesus' men up to first place, albeit momentarily.

Such results would mean Porto could afford to turn in a win and nothing else if they were to return to the pinnacle of the Liga NOS table, obliging with a huge 5-0 victory over Vitória de Setúbal at the iconic Estádio do Bonfim. PortuGOAL followed this weekend's action:

Paulo Fonseca’s reputation soars; Benfica embarrassed; another Ronaldo record

FC Porto confidently strode into the last 16 of the Champions League with a 5-2 hammering of Monaco at the Estádio do Dragão last night. As has often been the case this season, striker Vincent Aboubakar was the catalyst behind an impressive display.

Elsewhere, Paulo Fonseca closed out a sensational group phase by his Shakhtar Donetsk team by becoming the first coach to get the better of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side this season, winning 2-1 in Ukraine. Fonseca had said that should his team qualify for the knockout stage he would give his post-match press conference dressed in a Zorro outfit… and was as good as his word!

Cristiano Ronaldo may be struggling for form domestically, but in the Champions League he is unstoppable, scoring a brilliant goal against Dortmund to set a new record as the only player to hit the net in each of the six group games.

There was more intrigue in Liga NOS this week as Sporting drew level with Porto at the top of the division, while defending champions Benfica kept up the pressure in 3rd place.

Another big mover this weekend was promoted Aves, jumping from 16th to 12th after a last gasp 1-0 victory away at Feirense. Keeping a clean sheet was in no small part down to their veteran goalkeeper Quim, who pulled off a string of fine saves to keep the home side out, continuing his excellent personal season.

The former Portugal goalkeeper is PortuGOAL’s Figure of the Week.

• Primeira Liga,
• Liga NOS,
• FC Porto,
• Classico,
• Andrija Zivkovic,
• Moussa Marega,

FC Porto 0-0 Benfica

FC Porto have loosened their grip on top spot in the Liga NOS after failing to overcome ten-man Benfica in tonight's 'Clássico', as the Eagles held on to a 0-0 draw at the Estádio do Dragão.

The hosts saw their position in first place come under threat after Sporting's 1-0 triumph over Belenenses hours earlier in Lisbon, as they also eyed a potential knockout blow in Benfica's season to go with a reinstated three-point-advantage at the head of the Primeira Liga table.

In a heated game, Benfica were reduced to 10 men after Andrija Zivkovic's red card in the latter stages of the encounter, but Porto would be unable to take advantage of their numerical superiority after a couple of Moussa Marega chances went begging.