There was a time when coming to Porto meant entering a gritty, foggy and unsavoury world of hard-working and dodgy men — a place where beauty and gallantry had no room. That time is no more. No club has experienced such a dramatic change in identity in so few months as the Dragões, since André Villas-Boas surprisingly ended Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa’s longstanding reign as club chairman.

It was a bold move by the former manager, one fuelled by years of frustration among many club members that became even more clear in the dramatic events of the club’s general assembly back in November, where several ultra-group members physically and verbally abused many sócios while the president and his board stood still and watched unimpressed. 

Deadline day deals in Portuguese transfer market

It was a hectic deadline day in the Portuguese transfer market yesterday, with some big deals completed, namely the sale of Benfica striker Marco Leonardo to Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal and the purchase of Danish striker Conrad Harder by Sporting.

The biggest one of them all though – Porto winger Wenderson Galeno to Al-Ittihad for €50 million – fell through in unusual circumstances as it was vetoed at the last minute by the Saudi club’s CEO Domingos Soares de Oliveira, who spent years on Benfica’s board.

PortuGOAL rounds up the main deals that were completed in the final days the summer transfer window in Portugal. 

Portuguese champions Sporting Clube de Portugal went clear at the top of the Primeira Liga after beating FC Porto 2-0 in Lisbon tonight.

The Lions edged a hard-fought match, creating the better and more numerous chances, but it needed a typically powerful piece of play by Viktor Gyökeres to break the deadlock in the 72nd minute, the Swede winning and converting a penalty.

Geny Catamo made sure of the three points with a fine injury-time strike. Tom Kundert reports from Alvalade. 

Roger Schmidt’s spell as Benfica manager is over, less than 24 hours after a dubious added time penalty secured a last gasp 1-1 draw at Moreirense.

Eagles president Rui Costa, who looked like a defeated man himself in Moreira de Cónegos, announced the departure of the German coach at a press conference in Seixal.

“Roger Schmidt is no longer the coach of Benfica. I confirm this. I want to thank him for all his efforts, two titles and for the players he has trained.”

The club had already sent a statement to the Securities Market Commission (CMVM), informing them that negotiations to terminate the contract were underway.

Costa is likely to have a successor lined up, Leonardo Jardim rumoured to be the next boss at Estádio da Luz.