Portuguese Football in English
Portuguese coach Pedro Caixinha was voted Manager of the Month in the Campeonato Brasileiro earlier this week; recognition of his fine work with 2nd-place RB Bragantino as the campaign heads into the final third.
Elsewhere, Paulo Sousa is once again out of a job following his sacking by Italian side Salernitana, making it the third position in succession that the illustrious former Seleção midfielder has lasted less than a year.
Pep Guardiola’s affection for Portuguese international Bernardo Silva at Manchester City is well-established, and the Seleção man’s ability to perform in various roles for the European champions was on display again this weekend in the Premier League.
City were edged out by Arsenal 1-0 in London on Sunday afternoon, conceding a late goal towards the end of what was a below par performance by the standards set by Guardiola’s side. For Bernardo, the fixture is becoming synonymous with him being deployed in surprise positions on the field at the Emirates.
Botafogo have parted company with manager Bruno Lage after less than three months in charge of the Brazilian league leaders.
Hired to maintain the club’s unlikely title challenge, Lage lasted just fifteen matches in Rio de Janeiro due to an alarming recent slump in form in the Campeonato Brasileiro.
Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed defender Nuno Mendes will be out for around four months, as he heads to Finland to undergo surgery on a hamstring problem.
Mendes has not played since April due to the problem in his right hamstring, with further examination of the issue leading PSG to decide to operate on Friday. Therefore, Mendes will not play again until 2024.
These are interesting times for Rafael Leão in Italian football with AC Milan. While on the surface the Portuguese superstar has scored in three straight Serie A matches and was even named captain for the weekend win over Verona, there is a sense the decision to issue Leao the armband was a protective measure against persistent voices of criticism aimed at Milan’s prized asset.
The latest and most prominent voice of dissent is legendary former Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi, who launched a detailed account of how he perceives Leão’s impact to be detrimental to the team’s ability to be a well-structured outfit playing to their full potential.
