Portuguese Football in English
The Champions League returns tomorrow with a terrific match to look forward to in the Portuguese capital as Benfica host Borussia Dortmund.
When the draw was made most people made the powerful German outfit clear favourites, but Thomas Tuchel’s team have not been in the best of form recently and come into the game on the back of a defeat at the weekend.
PortuGOAL reached out to Borussia Dortmund expert Lars Pollmann from the excellent YellowWallPod to get the lowdown on the Bundesliga team.
As the threat to Benfica’s Liga NOS title hopes becomes clearer with each passing week, it’s with added attention that proceedings at the top of the table are followed before the UEFA Champions League interlude.
The 3-time champions welcomed Arouca to the Estádio da Luz, and even down to ten men, the Eagles were able to secure top spot for another week with a comprehensive 3-0 win, piling pressure onto rivals FC Porto.
The northern outfit reciprocated Benfica’s hunger for success, however, defeating high-flying Vitória de Guimarães 2-0 away from home to maintain the one-point-gap that led us into Gameweek 21.
Taça da Liga sensation Moreirense then hosted Sporting in Sunday’s main card, but the Lions were strong enough to fight their way into a 3-2 victory and do their bit in the hunt for the league’s top spots, keeping Sporting de Braga at bay. Here’s how the action at the top unfolded.
It was deep into stoppage time in an intensely fought Portuguese Clássico. A thumping header from Sporting centre-back Sebastian Coates sent the ball arrowing towards the bottom corner of Porto’s net, seemingly earning Sporting a share of the spoils.
Iker Casillas, however, was not convinced.
Showing astonishing reflexes and agility belying his 35 years, the Spaniard produced a cat-like dive and at full stretch palmed away the ball.
Moments later the final whistle blew and an uncharacteristically magnanimous Jorge Jesus made a point of going onto the pitch and congratulating Casillas. “I told Casillas it was he who had won the game,” the Sporting coach said to reporters afterwards. “He’s a great goalkeeper.” It's a view even those who were initially sceptical have come to share.
Porto, for a day at least, jump ahead of Benfica to the top of the Primeira Liga after hanging on to a 2-1 win against Sporting at the Estádio do Dragão, ensuring a two horse race until the end of the season.
An impressive debut from Tiquinho Soares gave the home side a 2-0 lead going in to the break. Substitute Alan Ruiz pulled one back in the second half with a lovely finish but it wasn't enough for the visitors. Iker Casillas made an exceptional save in the last minute to prevent Jorge Jesus' side from grabbing a point.
The world has certainly seen more enthralling transfer windows, as the clock ticked down with a whimper on Tuesday night across all relevant leagues.
Action in Portugal followed that trend, in particular within the remits of the traditional ‘Big Three’, so often habitual players in windows gone by.
There was, nonetheless, a good volume of activity to take note in and around those rooting for the top end of the Liga NOS table. Here’s a round-up of the ins and outs.
