In contrast to previous weeks, the highest scoring team of gameweek 11 did not use any chips to boost the number of points earned.
Mário Rui Ventura’s “Lourinhanense” scored 78 points, more than other team, thanks to a well-balanced XI.
Gil Vicente winger Murilo, classified as a midfielder in Fantasy Football, was the star of the show, scoring and assisting for an individual score of 13.
The usual suspects from the Três Grandes did the business, with Jan Bednarek, Gianluca Prestianni and Vangelis Pavlidis scoring 8, 9 and 8 points respectively, while Mário captained Luis Suárez for a 14-pointer.
PortuGOAL Fantasy Football 2026/27 Gameweek 11 Leaderboard (top ten)
André Tomé’s “Baleizão FC” takes top spot after accumulating 61 points in the gameweek.
“TropaDoHiguita” managed by Igor Bramao (one of very few teams to surpass 70 points this week) and previous leader “Project cannot stop” managed by André Calça are in joint second, just four points behind top spot.
Although joining the league this late means there is now no chance of troubling the leaderboard, everyone starts on zero at the start of each round with a chance of winning the accolade of the top-scoring team of the week.
Vangelis Pavlidis was the match-winner for Benfica in Amadora
Benfica kept up the chase against a relentless Porto at the top of the table by grabbing a last-gasp victory against Lisbon neighbours Estrela da Amadora in an exhilarating game of football played at Estádio da Reboleira tonight.
Gianluca Prestianni added to his growing collection of wonder goals this season with perhaps the best of the lot, curling a sumptuous shot into the top corner from 25 yards out in the 26th minute.
Estrela were making a fight of it though, and equalised early in the second half through Lovro Zvonarek after a lung-busting run from impressive Romanian midfielder Ianis Stoica.
Back came Benfica, retaking the lead through a Bernardo Schappo own goal after more good work by Prestianni.
But Estrela refused to lie down and equalised for a second time soon afterwards when Leandro Antonetti headed home from a corner.
Dramatic winner
Benfica threw everything at Estrela and were rewarded in the dying seconds of stoppage time when substitute Andreas Schjelderup dinked a delightful cross into the path of Pavlidis with the outside of his foot, and the Greek striker made no mistake to send the Benfica fans wild with delight.
Although five points behind the leaders, Benfica and their fans will take heart from the fact they are ONLY five points behind Porto despite their rivals’ perfect record.
Marco Silva’s side have won 16 of their last 17 matches in all competitions and look up for a sustained title challenge.
They always find a way. FC Porto beat Vitória 2-1 on a rainy night in Guimarães to extend their remarkable start to the 2026/27 Liga Portugal season, winning their eleventh straight game in the competition.
It seemed like business as usual when Borja Sainz converted Alberto Costa’s low cross at the back post shortly before half time to give the Dragons the lead at the break.
But Vitória came back strongly in the second half and when Alanzinho fired a fine cross-shot past Diogo Costa in the 77th minute it was no more than the home team deserved.
At that point it was anyone’s game, but right-back Fernandes proved the unlikely hero for the Portuguese champions, cracking a ferocious shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle in the 86th minute.
Porto held on to make it 33 points from 11 games going into the international break.
It wasn’t pretty but Sporting beat Moreirense 1-0 in Lisbon this evening to give new coach Paulo Fonseca a winning start to life in the Alvalade dugout.
Moreirense came into the game on the back of two victories and a solid display by the northerners kept chances at a minimum for the hosts, albeit without carrying a threat of their own.
It needed a moment of magic on the hour mark from prolific striker Luis Suárez to decide the match. The Colombian latched onto a Doumbia pass, cut inside his marker and smashed a cross-shot with such ferocity it gave Moreirense goalkeeper André Ferreira no chance of keeping it out of the net.
Fonseca will be pleased with the three points but tonight’s display shows he has plenty of work to do to get Sporting playing at a level he and their fans expect.
It’s all change at Sporting, with Paulo Fonseca and his coaching team replacing that of Rui Borges
Sporting have sacked manager Rui Borges and replaced him with Paulo Fonseca. Portuguese football journalist Kevin Fernandes gives his opinion on the decision.
Rui Borges was announced as Sporting Clube de Portugal manager in the festive Christmas period (December 26th, 2024), had his contract renewal announced on Portugal’s labour day (May 1st, 2026), only for it to be terminated on The Day of the Dead (November 2nd, 2026). Both parties are yet to reach an agreement regarding the rescission.
Ironic, or illustrative? Tiago Fernandes may have held the official title to guide Sporting through a tough test against Shakhtar, but Rui Borges was already an interim in spirit – in other words, a dead man walking – after initially guiding the Lions to two trophies in his first six months in charge.
A gift and a curse
The status of the man from Mirandela contrasted heavily to his predecessors, the former top-level players and Portuguese internationals, Ruben Amorim and João Pereira.
Borges’ humility was once his greatest strengths, as the coach was willing to accommodate the squad he inherited by respecting the dynamics implemented by Ruben Amorim in an authentic interim-style job.
Sporting weathered the storm under Borges, who survived an unprecedented wave of debilitating injuries, recovering the squad’s hunger and drive, who mourned and moped after losing their affectionate father-figure Amorim, on the way to conquering two trophies: the Liga Portugal title and the Taça de Portugal, the double that I had never seen Sporting do in my (relatively short) lifetime.
For that, every Sportinguista will be eternally grateful. Rui Borges’ name will be written in the history books, without any question marks or asterisks.
From “Onde Vai Um Vão Todos” to “Tiki Taska”
In his first full season, Sporting went trophyless. The ‘cherry on the cake’ of both campaigns was the Portuguese Cup final, with diametrically opposing outcomes. From the enthralling high of beating eternal rivals SL Benfica in 2025, to the lamentable low of being defeated in extra-time by Liga Portugal 2 side SCU Torreense in 2026.
Accusations of lacking hunger, humility, histrionics in the midst of humiliation were more than Rui Borges’ fragile stature could withstand. Despite numerous votes of confidence by the board, the evaluation of the masses resulted in the impression that Borges’ days were numbered.
The game model was never the fundamental issue as his sides showed themselves capable of playing attractive football at times, even warranting the label “Tiki Taska”, which is a play of words with the well-known Spanish style of short-passing football, tiki-taka, and the Portuguese word for a rudimentary bar, a tasca. The phrase helps explain his defined ceiling as Rui Borges never truly received the widespread consideration and respect that Ruben Amorim’s natural charisma, standing in the game and concise, captivating communication style warranted from minute one.
Ruben Amorim was defined by the slogan that translates into “Where one goes, we all go” – an eloquent catchphrase uttered upon his presentation and which became a mantra among the Sporting staff and supporters alike. Rui Borges was defined by a well-intentioned yet comparatively degrading play on words relating to typical Portuguese bars/taverns where the working class frequent.
The underdog couldn’t embrace becoming top dog
Rui Borges’ understated (passive) nature was seemingly insufficient in ruthless contexts of great expectation. Paradoxically, he enjoyed unrivalled success in the Champions League, where the stringent demands were replaced by freedom afforded by lack of expectation.
Sporting made history against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Athletic Club and BFK Bodø/Glimt, finishing in the top 8 of the league phase of the UEFA Champions League and reaching the quarter-finals, where they were narrowly beaten by eventual finalists Arsenal. Yet the same side that went toe to toe versus Europe’s elite failed to beat Braga, Benfica and Porto in any of the six league fixtures against them. A repetitive inability to hold onto leads in domestic matches was another black mark against Borges.
The inability to take command during complete matches and captivate the crowd outside of the biggest European nights led the Sporting hierarchy to attempt a drastic transition into a new era, revolutionising the squad and moving on from the key figures that had underpinned the previous successes. The likes of Morten Hjulmand, Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão, among other, were sold, but the board withstood from substituting the least secure protagonist of all, Rui Borges.
President Frederico Varandas defended the credentials and successes of his manager after planning an entire season under his leadership, proceeding with what proved an untimely contract renewal in the midst of a run of dropped points against relegation favourites, which saw Sporting temporarily drop out of the Champions League places.
A lack of foresight and proactivity had become increasingly apparent and the project was condemned to failure.
Needless to say, Rui Borges had his faults.
Among other aspects, Sporting often lacked sufficient confidence to manage leads in a manner befitting of an ambitious club, while breaking down compact, deeper defensive blocks became increasingly lethargic and turbulent affairs.
In some aspects, it seemed that the manager was reverting to his old ways after feeling initially obligated to adopt some of the principles that had underpinned the club’s previous successes. This current Sporting side have mirrored some behaviours which would more appropriately befit Rui Borges’ former clubs of lesser ambitions and working conditions.
The discourse became repetitive as Borges cited his background as a motive behind the negative atmosphere circulating his name and while faults seemed to be overstated in comparison with his contemporaries, the trajectory of his spell was evident.
Competitive fixtures became the trojan horse
Criticised for his lack of action on the sidelines, poor use of the bench and failing to identify and/or rectify problem areas within the squad, the clock was ticking.
In pre-season, Sporting enjoyed success, playing against sides in earlier phases of preparation, Rui Borges implemented the following dynamics:
A more aggressive press with a 4-1-3-2 structure
A double midfield pivot including Silas Andersen
Issa Doumbia as an interior forward on the left side of the attack
Flávio Gonçalves in a freer No10 role to mirror the dynamics of the departed Francisco Trincão (creative in small spaces)
Eduardo Felicíssimo providing a calmer head in the heart of the defence
Fast-forward ten league matches later and none of these dynamics were maintained, with switches in personnel and tamed intentions impacting the fluidity and comfort of his squad.
The switch from small-space mastery to explosive transitional dependence was spearheaded by the unbalanced squad reconstruction which goes beyond the manager. But mentality is what separates the elite from the rest, and despite some promising results, Rui Borges was clearly better tailored to specific contexts and it seemed that a ceiling was becoming self-imposed.
His squad needed a contrasting, friendly face in 2024, but subsequently the ruthlessness of a firm figurehead was evidently missing to maximise Sporting’s potential.
Enter Paulo Fonseca… in controversial fashion
One game away from becoming a centurion and forever written in the history of Sporting Clube de Portugal (one of their most successful eras in recent times), Rui Borges was seemingly used as an interim while the hierarchy negotiated a deal for his intended successor, Paulo Fonseca.
Frederico Varandas is quick to invoke his moral compass in criticisms of rival clubs and their leaders, but led an operation which was conducted in less than appropriate and befitting fashion. Agreement is yet to be reached with the coach entitled to around five million euros, who refused to take charge of preparations for the Shakhtar match despite being requested to do so by Varandas, given the self-serving posture of the club.
Paulo Fonseca’s arrival from Lyon has another twist of irony to it. Sporting were victims of mid-season manager poaching, when Manchester United swooped to whisk away Ruben Amorim in 2024, and now the Lisbon club have become the benefactors of the same strategy, to the detriment of Lyon.
In the YouTube video entitled DAY 1 | Paulo Fonseca, the theme was intensity, with the interventive coach pushing for fast action with and without the ball. One scene of the compilation ended with the phrase “they have to run” while he chuckled.
The goal: to create an environment to breed excellence and superiority
In his first pre-match press conference, multiple quotes were particularly interesting as the Luso-Mozambican identified the necessity to patiently evolve in positional attacks and his desire to defend his way.
The 53-year-old coach said that the best way to defend was by having the ball, that his sides will press man-to-man across the pitch in an ambitious manner, praising sides like Académico de Viseu, Porto and Gil Vicente for their approaches.
Paulo Fonseca has become renowned for his attacking philosophy and successfully platforming young talents, which are aspects of his coaching that will captivate the masses from the get-go.
Renewed hunger, assurance in posture, desire to dominate and evolve. The mentality that Paulo Fonseca transpires is what Sporting currently seem to lack in various forms.
UEFA Champions League fixtures against Manchester United and AS Roma, and a Liga Portugal fixture at runaway leaders FC Porto in the next month represent monumental challenges. But before the international break, tonight at Alvalade, Moreirense represent the first opportunity for Paulo Fonseca to spearhead a step in the right direction.
Francesco Farioli’s FC Porto have been flawless in domestic competition, advancing in the cups without unnecessary dramatics and winning all of their opening ten league matches in professional fashion.
Midfielder Gabri Veiga has been at the forefront of operations, enjoying an incredible week of football, contributing to four goals between Estoril Praia (Liga Portugal) and SSC Napoli (UEFA Champions League).
The Spaniard has truly come into his own this season, scoring and assisting on twelve occasions. While supermarkets may be promoting all things Christmas, it is worth remembering that we have only just entered the month of November.
Gabriel Veiga put in two successive man-of-the-match performances for Porto this week (Photo: Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images)
With ice in the veins while ‘Os Dragões’ breathe fire, PortuGOAL’s latest Figure of the Week is propelling Portugal’s best back to familiar highs in Europe and Portugal. Kevin Fernandes reports.
An invisible string
Gabriel Veiga Novas was born in O Porriño, Pontevedra, roughly fifteen minutes from Spain’s northern border with Portugal. He joined Celta Vigo’s academy aged 11, rapidly rising through their ranks and making his senior debut for Vigo’s reserves aged 17.
Veiga would make his first-team debut one year later, eventually emerging as a regular under Portuguese manager Carlos Carvalhal. An elite progressor, the teenager showed he had the grit to make an impact in the harsher side of the game. Veiga established himself as a top prospect of the Spanish game alongside the likes of Gavi and Pedri.
The former Premier League and Championship coach promoted Veiga definitively in the first weeks of 2023, where he rapidly became a mainstay in Celta’s lineups.
The pleasure intertwined with panic for Celta, as former president Carlos Mouriño once admitted: “It seems a matter of when rather than if Veiga leaves Galicia and earns a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs. We do not want to sell Gabri Veiga, but they are going to buy him from us and we can’t do anything about it. We know some of the salary offers and it’s impossible for us to match them. Of the top ten teams in the Premier League, four have asked us about him.”
Making waves at U-21 international level and in one of the best domestic divisions in world football, it seemed that Mouriño’s greatest fear would become reality. However, before Gabri met his destiny, his rise would take an unexpected turn.
An elite win not seen as an elite move
In August 2023, Gabri Veiga joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, signing a three-year deal after they activated his €40 million release clause.
Despite winning ‘Ma'aqil Al-Usood’ their first everAFC Champions League Elite title and earning generational wealth that is unfathomable to billions, the move was heavily criticised by the masses, including legends like Toni Kroos who labelled it as “embarrassing”.
Once one of world football’s most sought-after young players, many feared that Gabri’s career would stagnate.
But Gabri’s game-changing decision making is evidently not limited to the football pitch, as he reportedly took a staggering 90% salary cut to return to the highly regarded European football landscape.
Gabri Veiga joined Futebol Clube do Porto, and the rest, as they say, is history (in the making).
Valiant Veiga
The northern side have been extremely dominant (unwavering defensive solidity and offensive efficiency) in Portugal in the last 15 months and Veiga is one of the main executors, fusing old-school box-crashing with indefatigable ground coverage and duelling.
Gabri is maturing as once expected. Now in his mid-20s, Veiga is more consistent as a protagonist, despite his fiery nature (disciplinary problems sporadically cut his matches short, by the referee or the coach) and not having the most varied passing range from deeper zones.
Gabri Veiga is the latest PortuGOAL Figure of the Week and one of the best players operating in Portugal.
Kevin Fernandes’ Team of the Week (Gameweek 10):
My @ligaportugal Team Of The Week - GW10 (One player per team, one will become the latest @PortuGoal1 'Figure of the Week' - weekly article out soon, written by yours truly) https://t.co/ILTHeESPEZ
Portuguese clubs have performed well in UEFA club competitions overall in the 2026-27 season
It was a highly successful week for Portuguese teams in the UEFA competitions, with four wins and one draw in five matches.
At the exact mid-point of the league phase of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, PortuGOAL looks at the prospects of Portugal’s representatives in European competition this season.
Champions League
Back in Europe’s premier competition, Porto had a nightmare start to their campaign with three straight defeats, two of which were at home to seriously compromise their future in the tournament.
But Francesco Farioli’s men bounced back in style on Wednesday, thrashing Lazio 4-1 at Estádio do Dragão to get themselves back in contention for progress to the knockouts.
Porto’s final two games at home to Slavia Prague and away to LASK Linz look winnable, but in the new format 9 points have not always been enough to avoid elimination. Indeed, two years ago teams were knocked out having accumulated 11 points in the league phase.
The next two matches, both away, against Feyenoord and Liverpool, will likely determine Porto’s future in the competition, with points required from them.
Prediction: Porto to squeeze into the playoffs
Sporting overhauled their squad in the close-season and have been inconsistent domestically, resulting in the sacking of coach Rui Borges, who has been replaced by Paulo Fonseca. However, the Lions have followed up their best ever performance in the Champions League last season with another solid campaign this time round.
Tuesday’s 1-0 victory against Shakhtar in London made it three wins in four matches to leave the Lisbon outfit in 10th place in the standings, and help boost Portugal’s ranking in the UEFA coefficients table. The best online Casino Canada rankings are also available.
Sporting face a tough schedule in their remaining matches in this phase, with games to come against Manchester United (home), Roma (away), Barcelona (home) and Manchester City (away).
Prediction: Sporting to qualify for the playoff round
Europa League
Benfica are flying under Marco Silva. The Eagles have swept all before them, including a highly impressive 2-0 victory against Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan in Italy.
Four wins out of four, 13 goals scored and three conceded sees the Portuguese giants sitting pretty at the summit of the 36-team league.
Benfica were touted as potential contenders to win the trophy at the start of the season, and their performances to date have only confirmed they can legitimately aspire to go all the way.
Prediction: Benfica to secure automatic qualification for the last 16 (top 8) with games to spare.
Just competing in Europe is a triumph for Torreense, in what has been the most memorable year in the club’s history. The team from Torres Vedras are the only one of the 108 clubs in UEFA’s three club competitions who do not play in their respective country’s top flight.
Tough assignments lie ahead though, with regular European competitors Celtic, Real Sociedad and Olympiacos on the schedule, as well as a tricky trip to Polish champions Lech Poznan.
Prediction: Torreense to just miss out on the playoffs.
Conference League
After reaching the Europa League semi-finals last season, Braga had high hopes of going deep in the Conference League.
An indifferent start – one defeat, one win and one draw – and poor domestic form has tempered those ambitions somewhat, but the next three opponents, from Finland, Norway and Albania appear to give Braga excellent chances of making progress.
Three wins must be the aim, which would put Braga on 13 points. That would be more than enough to qualify directly for the round of 16 based on the last two years of the competition in this format.
Prediction: Braga to squeeze into the top eight and qualify automatically for the round of 16.
Second-tier Portuguese side Torreense experienced another night to remember as they clocked up victory number two in the Europa League in four matches, in the most dramatic of circumstances.
After making headlines across the football world, the fairytale story seemed to be fizzling out for the modest club from Torres Vedras.
A shock Portuguese Cup final win over Sporting had been followed up by victory on their Europa League debut against Lillestrom in Norway.
But after a narrow defeat against Sunderland, Torreense suffered a chastening 4-1 thrashing in Hungary, versus Ferencvaros, which along with poor domestic form cost coach Luís Tralhão his job.
New coach, more heroics
But under new coach João Nuno, Torreense wrote another golden chapter in the most incredible year in the club’s history.
An early goal by Jorge Aguirre put the Portuguese team ahead in Leiria, but the Spanish forward went from hero to villain when he received a red card midway through the first half.
The Armenians took advantage to turn around the match with goals by Muradyan and Bruno Wilson either side of half time.
On 76 minutes Ararat goalkeeper João Bravim was sent off to make it ten against ten.
Nevertheless, the visitors looked set to hold on for the win as the game went into stoppage time with Ararat still leading.
Torreense had other ideas though, as goals by Javi Vázquez (93’) and Drammeh (95’) sent the home fans into raptures of joy.
A dramatic ending to secure their second win 🤯 The Torreense fairytale continues 👏 #UEL | @scu_torreense https://t.co/VvgjNHR5Mh
With six points from a possible 12 at the halfway stage of the league phase, Torreense are in 19th place in the 36-team table and in the mix for a place in the playoff round.
The feel-good factor under Marco Silva continued at Estádio da Luz tonight for Benfica supporters, with a comfortable 3-1 win over Polish champions Lech Poznan.
Rafa Silva opened the scoring early on, and substitute Gianluca Prestianni doubled the home team’s lead in the second half. The Poles pulled one back through Leo Bengtsson after a horrendous Enzo Barrenechea mistake, but the Argentine made amends soon afterwards, providing a clever assist for Georgiy Sudakov to make the game safe.
Marco Silva opted to rotate his squad for this affair, going with young striker Jhon Durán in place of the team’s leading scorer Vangelis Pavlidi. Durán responded with the first shot of the match in the 3rd minute, a sign of things to come?
Shortly after, the breakthrough came, with the build-up beginning on the left. A low cross from Andreas Schjelderup should have been gathered by stopper Mateusz Lis. The keeper’s inability to hang on saw the ball fall to midfielder Rafa Silva, who simply had to poke in from 5 yards out.
Claudio Echeverri, who was given the nod tonight in the No. 10 role, got his first shot off in the 9th minute. Schjelderup and Echeverri continued to pull the strings as the match progressed, combining in the 14th minute with some sharp play that ended with Echeverri’s second shot of the night, this one also sailing over the crossbar.
On the defensive front Daniel Banjaqui reminded us all why he is considered such a promising talent. The 18-year-old right back was outstanding in the first half, handling Poznan’s left-sided winger Daniel Hakans with an ease and composure of a veteran defender. He was even able to push up and impose himself in the opposition’s box on a few occasions, nearly putting one in the back of the net later in the game.
Just before the break, Schjelderup had a glorious chance to double the lead, his chip over the visiting keeper, however, was cleared in unorthodox fashion by Terry Yegbe just as it was creeping towards the goal.
Second half
Silva started the second half as he did the first, with another great opportunity to score. A well-timed run connected with a Souffian El Karouani through ball from the left wing, but the defender pulled off a timely block.
The Polish side had endured the might of Benfica’s attacking force for the bulk of the contest, but at the 60-minute mark, it was still only a one-goal deficit. Poznan began to grow into the tie with several half-chances of their own.
The Eagles responded in the 62nd minute with a triple substitution from manager Silva, with Enzo Barrenechea, Gianluca Prestianni and Fredrik Aursnes coming on. Prestianni, who has been the Eagles’ standout player this season, made an instant impact, scoring within five minutes, driving a low and powerful left footed shot past Lis.
For big clubs like Benfica, playing out of the back seems to have become the norm around Europe. Still, that method can backfire if not executed properly. In the 72nd minute, Benfica gifted a goal back when Barrenechea’s careless pass across his own box went straight to a streaking Leo Bengtsson. The forward, who had scored Poznan’s only European goal of the league stage, made no mistake, driving his shot into the roof of the net as Anatoliy Trubin could only watch.
As the match opened up, Benfica had space to work with and created chance after chance with Durán and Lukebakio nearly getting their names on the scoresheet. In the end it was Sudakov who was able to capitalise, making it 3-1 in the 90th minute to rubberstamp another three points for Benfica.
Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin, Daniel Banjaqui, Alessandro Circati, Tomás Araújo (João Palhinha, 69’), Souffian El Karouani, Georgiy Sudakov, Manu Silva (Fredrik Aursnes, 63’), Rafa Silva (Gianluca Prestianni, 62’), Claudio Echeverri, Andreas Schjelderup (Dodi Lukebakio, 82), Jhon Durán
Lech Poznan: Mateusz Lis, Joel Pereira (Robert Gumny, 80’), Mateusz Skrzypczak, Terry Yegbe, Michal Gurgul, Antoni Kozubal (Gustav Berggren, 71’), Radoslaw Murawski, Pablo Rodríguez (Filip Jagiello, 71’), Patrik Walemark (Leo Bengtsson, 71’), Yannick Agnero, Daniel Hakans (Luis Palma, 62’)
Braga picked up a point in the Conference League after a 0-0 draw against Aarhus.
The Danish club got off to a great start, Callum McCowatt’s cross picking out Rasmus Carstensen who forced a fantastic save from Bernardo Fontes.
Braga fought back, Mads Hedenstad saving an effort from Mario Dorgeles before Tobias Molgaard made a vital clearance with Gabri Martínez poised to pounce.
Hedenstad was forced into action again to stop Diogo Travassos and Dorgeles. Braga maintained the momentum after half-time, Jean-Baptiste Gorby’s shot sailing narrowly wide.
Aarhus stopped the onslaught and went close on a counter attack, Fontes coming off his line to deny McCowatt.
Braga got back on the front foot but were unable to break the deadlock, Fran Navarro firing at Hedenstad from close range and Jonas Wind unable to get a shot away.
Paulo Fonseca said he feels well prepared to take on his “dream job”
Paulo Fonseca was presented as the new manager of Sporting Clube de Portugal at the club’s Alvalade stadium in Lisbon this evening. The Mozambique-born tactician has signed on the dotted line until 2030, with Sporting paying Lyon €5 million in compensation to end his contract with the French club.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas explained that he had wanted to appoint Fonseca as the head coach of the Lions for some time, having kept up communication with him over the past year.
“I can confide that we have exchanged ideas and we have a certain connection in our way of being and seeing things,” said the Sporting supremo. “It was a dream of mine to work with Paulo Fonseca.”
Fonseca takes over from Rui Borges, who was relieved of his duties on Sunday evening by Varandas, although the president explained he had made the decision the previous week, after the two home defeats against LASK Linz and Académico de Viseu.
Both Varandas and Fonseca praised Borges for the work he did in almost two years at Sporting. “Rui Borges and his coaching staff were not mediocre. They were not satisfactory. They were not good. They were very good. Rui Borges will go down in history as the man who delivered the first back-to-back championship in 70 years and the man who won the club its first double in 23 years,” said Varandas.
Prepared for the challenge
Varandas then left the stage clear for Fonseca to explain his decision to leave Lyon for Sporting and to answer questions from the assembled media.
The 53-year-old began by recalling how he was a Sporting fanatic as a child, citing several club legends from the 1980s and early 90s such as Jordão, Manuel Fernandes and Balakov. “My dream has become reality. I’m at the club I love.”
Fonseca emphasised he believes he is a more complete manager than when he left Portugal to embark on a successful career abroad ten years ago.
“I feel prepared to take on the demands of a club like Sporting. Naturally people in Portugal will remember me from my time coaching here. I went abroad with the clear ambition of progressing and evolving. I had a lot of offers to go to the Middle East, to Brazil, but my goal was to stay in the top five European leagues to prepare myself for this moment.
“Today people in Portugal don’t know Paulo Fonseca mark II; they know the Paulo Fonseca from ten years ago in Portugal. I can assure you that the Paulo Fonseca of today is different, and I believe for the better, than the one who left Portugal, because of the experience I have acquired.”
“Quality squad”
As for the squad he has inherited, Fonseca was effusive about the quality of players at his disposal.
“One of the aspects that motivated me to accept this offer was the quality of this young squad. I think we have a brilliant future ahead of us.
“And if I thought that before I arrived, after taking my first training session today, I’m even more enthusiastic given how the players responded. This change [squad overhaul] has not been easy, but time will show that the right choices have been made.”
Fonseca’s first game in charge is the Liga Portugal fixture at home against Moreirense on Saturday evening.
Porto picked up their first points in the Champions League after defeating Napoli 4-1 at Estádio do Dragão.
Pepê scored from an offside position and Borja Sainz narrowly missed the top corner but the Dragons took the lead in the 11th minute.
We saw exactly Massimiliano Allegri's side have been struggling. Rafa Marín conceded a needless corner and paid the price, Jan Bednarek left wide open to head the ball into the net.
Napoli responded, Rasmus Hojlund going on a surging run from inside his own half and seeing his shot deflected wide. The Serie A side equalised in the 43rd minute after Diogo Costa saved efforts from Matteo Politano and Hojlund, but the goalkeeper couldn't stop Scott McTominay who made no mistake.
Alex Meret was busy at the start of the second, denying Gabri Veiga and doing well to stop a point blank shot from Pablo Rosario. Bednarek headed Veiga’s corner over the bar with Porto well on top.
Francesco Farioli brought on Samu for André Silva as the game opened up. Veiga rattled the cross bar before Farioli introduced Zaidu Sanisu and Santiago Gimenez for Martim Fernandes and Sainz.
Pepê fired wide and Alberto Costa’s shot was saved as the chances kept coming. The pressure paid off in the 71st minute.
Gimenez released Veiga who was never going to miss, the playmaker placing the ball through Meret's legs. Samu broke clear and hit a tame effort at Meret but it was soon 3-1.
Napoli conceded from another corner, Hwang In-Beom sending the ball into the box where Jakub Kiwior was left wide open to head past Meret.
There would be more misery for Massimiliano Allegri’s side as Porto broke down the right wing once again, Gimenez squaring the ball to Samu who was dragged down by Marin. The centre-back was duly sent off, Samu stepping up to the penalty spot and sending Meret the wrong way.
Samu came off the bench and converted a late penalty (Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images)
Veiga on fire
Gabri Veiga is a joy to watch at the moment, the Spaniard full of confidence and clearly the go to man for Porto. He is orchestrating everything from midfield, taking set pieces, scoring goals and will be a key player for the remainder of the campaign.
Porto played some great football, particularly getting out of Napoli’s press in the first half with Pablo Rosario and André Silva instrumental.
Dragons supporters will be pleased but side were given a helping hand from a Napoli side who are on a downward spiral.
Allegri appears to be done
Allegri Massimiliano became the Napoli manager in July and has lost seven of his 14 games in charge. The Campania club are a shadow of the side that were Serie A champions under Antonio Conte in 2024-25 and runners-up last season.
Playing Antonio Vergara and Matteo Politano as wing-backs is ridiculous, Vergara frequently resembling a fish out of water and clearly targeted by Alberto Costa.
Massimiliano looks washed up, uninspired and only going to work to collect a pay cheque. It doesn’t help when his team can’t defend corners.
Man-of-the-match Silas Andersen in action for Sporting against Shakhtar Donetsk, with goal-scorer Issa Doumbia looking on. (Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Interim manager Tiago Fernandes guided Sporting to a 1-0 victory in their Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk, played in London this evening.
Issa Doumbia scored the all-important goal on the hour and a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort, grounded on a brilliant display by Silas Andersen, saw the Lions over the line for a third victory in four matches in this season’s competition.
***
All change under Fernandes
With Rui Borges sacked on the weekend to make way for Paulo Fonseca, but the former Lyon coach not yet occupying the Sporting dugout, it fell upon B-team manager Tiago Fernandes, son of Sporting great Manuel Fernandes, to prepare the team for the clash against the Ukrainians.
He will probably only have one match in charge, but Fernandes stamped his mark on the occasion with several bold decisions. The system was changed to accommodate three centre-backs, one of whom was 19-year-old Eduardo Felicíssimo, as well as two forwards – Fotis Ioannidis keeping Luis Suárez company up front – and goalkeeper Rui Silva was restored to the starting lineup.
Shakhtar, who play their “home” matches in the Champions League at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium owing the war with Russia, started brightly, but it was Sporting who created the first near thing to a goal. Geny Catamo jinked his way into the box and cut the ball back to Silas Andersen whose cross caused panic in the Ukrainians’ defence, Maxi Araújo’s angled shot scrambled clear.
Chances were proving scarce at both ends of the pitch in a highly physical game with some intense one-on-one duels, notably Geny versus Pedro Henrique and Maxi versus Alisson Santana.
Just before half time Kauã Elias looked set to open the scoring for Shakhtar but he shanked his effort high and wide.
Doumbia turns up!
Sporting’s expensive summer signing Issa Doumbia had endured another frustrating half in the opening 45 minutes, but he came to life after the break. In the 47th minute a brilliant run and cross by Suárez was met by the sliding Italian whose effort fizzed just the wrong side of the post.
The hosts hit back, Elias again close to scoring but a combination of Felicíssimo, Inácio and Silva prevented the Brazilian’s effort from point-blank range from hitting the net.
Sporting players celebrate Issa Doumbia’s goal in front of their fans at Stamford Bridge (Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
There was no let-up in the high tempo of the game, which was opening up, and Sporting took the lead in the 59th minute. Doumbia started the move and benefited from a fortunate ricochet of Henrique, adjusting his feet quickly to fire into the net from close range in front of the large contingent of Portuguese fans.
Sporting threatened to take a firm grasp of the match as they poured forward, Eduardo Quaresma unlucky to see his header from a corner well saved by Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk.
Action-man Andersen to the fore
The irrepressible Andersen was everywhere, executing both his defensive and attacking duties with acumen, and a beautiful dinked pass into Suárez’s path by the Dane created a huge chance, the normally lethal Colombian showing a rare lack of composure and he blazed his effort miles over the bar.
A similarly glaring opportunity then appeared at the other end of the pitch, Elias turning and somehow scooping the ball over the bar from practically on the goal-line.
Shakhtar were now throwing caution to wind, livewire Santana causing all sorts of problems for Maxi. The Brazilian almost scored the equaliser with a clever direct free kick when everyone was expecting a cross, but the alert Rui Silva scrambled across his goal to push the ball away. Santana then smacked an effort against the post after waltzing past Maxi again.
Shakhtar spurn late chance
Sporting’s increasingly desperate defensive effort seemed about to be undone when Oleg Ocheretko swung over a delicious cross right onto the head of Newerton, but the substitute could only direct his header straight at the relieved Rui Silva who pouched the ball to secure the all-important three points.
An inspired use of the Park The Bus chip by David Pessanha resulted in a huge score for his “Abaladiça” team.
The 123 points accumulated in Gameweek 10 win him the honour of Team of the Week in the PortuGOAL Fantasy Football league, as well as propelling Abaladiça into the top ten on the leaderboard.
Playing the Park The Bus chip means double points for all defenders, and as David’s back five of Jan Bedarek, Jakub Kiwior, Samuel Dahl, Iván Fresneda and Pedro Pacheco all kept clean sheets, they scored a remarkable 80 points between them!
Porto’s Gabri Veiga was another big points scorer, a goal, two assists and a clean sheet in the Dragons’ 4-0 win over Estoril earning the Spanish midfielder 16 points.
PortuGOAL Fantasy Football 2026/27 Gameweek 10 Leaderboard (top ten)
André Calça’s “Project cannot stop” are the new leaders of the PortuGOAL Fantasy Football 95-team league. The 92 points scored in Gameweek 10 resulted in a jump from sixth place to top of the table with a healthy 16-point lead.
Previous leader “Alheira Mecânica” managed by Hugo Pagani drop to second place, with João Rodrigues’ “Belenenses” and André Tomé’s “Baleizão FC” tied in third place, just two points further back.
Although joining the league this late means there is now no chance of troubling the leaderboard, everyone starts on zero at the start of each round with a chance of winning the accolade of the top-scoring team of the week.
Benfica clocked up their 14th win in their last 15 matches in all competitions with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Alverca at the Estádio da Luz on Monday night.
In a game of few chances, a penalty shortly after half time won by substitute Claudio Echeverri and converted by Vangelis Pavlidis proved the difference.
The victory moves the Eagles to within five points of leaders FC Porto.
Today’s edition of Portuguese sports paper “Record” says Sporting are in talks to appoint Paulo Fonseca
Multiple press reports in Portugal suggest Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca is about to leave the French club and return to his homeland, to take over Lisbon giants Sporting.
Current Sporting coach Rui Borges has been under fire in recent weeks after a string of poor performances. Wins away at Braga and Lens after the international break seemed to have steadied the ship, but successive home defeats against LASK Linz and Académico de Viseu severely undermined his position, despite two victories in the two most recent games since then.
On Sunday evening Sporting issued a statement saying that negotiations were ongoing to rescind the contract with Rui Borges and that B-team coach Tiago Fernandes would take over first-team coaching duties on an interim basis.
Paulo Fonseca gradually worked his way up the football ladder, starting out at lower league clubs in Portugal, landing his first job in the top flight at Paços de Ferreira in 2012/13. He worked miracles at the Mata Real, leading the “Castores” to their highest ever finish of third place in the Primeira Liga, which meant a place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.
The achievement earned him a shot at FC Porto, but after one unhappy season at the Estádio do Dragão he was let go by the Blue and Whites. He returned to Paços where he again oversaw a highly positive campaign, just missing out on guiding the club to Europe again.
In the summer of 2016 Fonseca began his career abroad which has encompassed highly successful spells at Shakhtar Donetsk, Lille and Lyon, and more modest results in Italy at Milan and Roma.
Style of play and emphasis on youth
Paulo Fonseca’s teams are known for playing easy-on-the-eye, flowing, attacking football, while being tactically smart and able to adapt to the opposition. He has made a point of sticking to his beliefs in a wide variety of environments and with squads of varying degrees of talent.
He has also built a reputation of working wonders with young players, turning several talented footballers at the start of their career into elite performers that have gone on to earn their clubs huge transfer fees.
Diogo Jota, Mykhailo Mudryk, Riccardo Calafiori, Carlos Baleba, Leny Yoro, Rayan Cherki, and more recently Tiago Santos and Afonso Moreira are some examples of youth players Fonseca developed brilliantly.
This facet of his management ability should make him a good fit at Sporting. In Gameweek Two of the current league phase of this season’s Champions League, the Lisbon club fielded the youngest team in the entire competition, not to mention the fact Sporting are known throughout the world for the production line of talent coming out of their Alcochete Academy.
Season goals
Although Sporting have not given up on the league title, a 9-point gap to leaders FC Porto almost one third of the way into the season makes fighting for the championship a tough ask. Targeting silverware in the domestic cups may be a more realistic goal, while Sporting will also strive to continue their recent strong displays in Europe.
Ironically, Sporting’s next match is in the Champions League is against one of Fonseca’s former clubs, Shakhtar Donetsk, which will be played on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge in London.
Porto maintained their perfect start in Liga Portugal after a regulation 4-0 win against Estoril at Estádio do Dragão.
It took only four minutes for Francesco Farioli’s side to take the lead, Pepê’s cross turned home by Victor Froholdt.
The chances kept coming with Estoril struggling to get past the half-way line. Jakub Kiwior’s pass Alberto Costa behind enemy lines, his shot deflected off Martin Turk and off the bar.
Samu headed Zaidu Sanusi’s cross wide as Porto’s went into half-time with a 16-2 shot count.
The Dragons eventually extended their lead in the 64th minute. Gabri Veiga robbed Pedro Carvalho and played a great pass to Borja Sainz who found the top corner.
André Silva came off the bench and imediately got on the score sheet, finishing from close range after Veiga’s shot was saved by Turk. It was 4-0 in the 73rd minute when Veiga got onto Sainz’s pass, strolled past Tiago Parente and finished with style.
Estoril went desperaly close to a late consolation when Nail Omerovic hit the bar, the ball bouncing off Diogo Costa, hitting the post and eventually claimed by the goalkeeper who couneted his blessings.
The result was no surprise in a complete mismatch. It was one way traffic from start to finish, Estoril proving why they sit bottom of the table with no wins, five goals scored and 19 conceded.
Amid Sporting’s maelstrom of transfer activity in the summer it almost went unnoticed that the Lisbon outfit had signed midfielder Pedro Lima from AFS for a modest fee.
Until this week, the 23-year-old Brazilian had hardly featured for the Lions, but coach Rui Borges gave him his chance in Tuesday’s Taça da Liga match against Marítimo and he responded with both goals in a 2-1 victory.
Borges kept faith in him tonight against Casa Pia and Lima repaid his faith with an excellent performance and another goal, opening the scoring for the visitors in the 13th minute.
Sporting dominated the match but could not put it to bed, mainly because of an outstanding goalkeeping display by Costa Rican stopper Patrick Sequeira.
Only in the dying seconds was the victory confirmed, Geny Catamo rolling the ball into an empty net after a quick Sporting break from a Casa Pia corner for which Sequeira had gone up to try and grab an equaliser.
A second successive win, albeit without playing particularly well, will boost Sporting’s confidence ahead of their Champions League encounter on Tuesday against Shakhtar Donetsk, which will be played at Stamford Bridge in London.
The Taça da Liga in its current form is clearly set up to arrive at the Final Four phase of the competition with Portugal’s four biggest teams playing the semi-finals.
The constant changes to the format of the tournament, the initial goal of which was to encourage teams to play their homegrown and/or youth players, reached a ridiculous low this season, whereby the current holders could not even defend the trophy.
Vitória Sport Clube lifted the Taça da Liga in 2025/26 after their brilliant performances to beat Porto in the quarter-finals, Sporting in the semi-finals and Minho rivals Braga in the final, each time coming from behind to win.
However, in its infinite wisdom, the Portuguese Liga decided that only the teams finishing in the top six positions of the Primeira Liga last season, along with the winners and runners-up of the Segunda Liga, would compete in this season’s version. The Guimarães side finished ninth, so were excluded.
The quarter-finals were played this week, comprising a one-off match with no extra time in which – of course – the traditional Big Four of Benfica, Porto, Sporting and Braga would play at home.
Sporting, Porto and Benfica duly saw off their opponents, but the status quo was disrupted by Famalicão, who had the temerity to beat Braga at the Quarry. Young Brazilian goalkeeper Gabriel Cabral was the hero for Fama, saving three penalties in the shootout after the match had ended in a 2-2 draw.
Taça da Liga 2026/27 quarter-final results
Sporting 2-1 Marítimo
Porto 1-0 Académico
Braga 2-2 Famalicão (Famalicão win on penalties)
Benfica 4-1 Gil Vicente
The Final Four phase will be played in Leiria at the start of January.
Taça da Liga 2026/27 semi-final lineup
Porto v Benfica, 05 January 2027
Sporting v Famalicão, 06 January 2027
The final will be played in the same Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa on Saturday 9 January.
A full-back can provide width, move inside to support midfield or stay deeper to protect the team against counterattacks. These are different jobs, even though the starting position on a team sheet may look identical. Portuguese football offers an interesting setting for examining those choices because clubs face varied domestic opponents and, at times, different challenges in European competition. The most useful question is not whether a full-back attacks often, but what the player’s movement allows teammates to do. Position and timing can matter more than raw distance covered.
Wide overlaps and their purpose
When a winger moves toward the centre, a full-back can overlap on the outside and stretch the defensive line. This movement may create room for a cross, but it can also pull an opposing defender away from a midfielder. An overlap is valuable even if the ball never reaches the runner. Analysts should look for the reaction it provokes: does the opposition full-back follow, or does a midfielder shift across to help? The answer changes where space becomes available. A team that overlaps automatically, without reading the opponent, may lose its balance for little attacking benefit. Sporting’s Maxi Araújo has proved effective in this role, aided by the fact he began his career as a winger.
Inverted movements into midfield
Some full-backs move inward during possession to provide an additional passing option in central areas. This can help a side circulate the ball and protect against immediate counterattacks. The role demands awareness of pressure from several directions and an ability to receive with an open body shape. It also changes the winger’s responsibilities, since the touchline may need to be occupied by someone else. When comparing Portuguese teams, note whether the inward movement occurs consistently or only in certain phases, such as when the goalkeeper begins a controlled build-up. João Cancelo was often given this role of moving into a midfield position for Portugal under Roberto Martínez.
Defensive responsibility remains essential
Attacking contributions attract attention, but a full-back must still defend wide one-on-one situations, judge the flight of crosses and coordinate with the nearest centre-back. A player who advances at the wrong time may leave a channel for the opponent’s winger to attack. Recovery speed can help, yet it cannot replace positioning and communication. Watch how the defensive line responds when possession is lost. Does the full-back immediately press the ball, or recover toward the back line? The appropriate answer depends on the position of teammates and the threat posed by the opponent. Nuno Mendes is considered by many the best all-round full-back in the world, but it should not be overlooked just what an accomplished defender he is.
Why raw statistics can mislead
Assists and crosses are easy to count, but they do not provide a complete evaluation. A full-back may make few crosses because the team’s plan is to progress through the centre. Another may produce many deliveries from poor positions. Pass completion is also shaped by the difficulty of the instructions. A player asked to switch play under pressure will naturally attempt riskier passes than one recycling possession close to the centre-back. Video analysis and role-specific context are necessary before using numbers to compare players across different tactical systems.
Keep unrelated gaming terms out of tactical claims
Modern full-backs attract attention far beyond the stadium. Supporters study touch maps, debate tactical clips and follow matches through digital platforms where other leisure interests, including searches for online casino slots, compete for attention. Those habits explain the crowded online setting of football coverage, not a player’s role. To understand a Portuguese club’s full-back, watch when the player moves inside, who provides width and how the team protects the space left behind when an attack breaks down.
A practical comparison exercise
Select one match in which a team dominates possession and another in which it spends long periods defending. Track the full-back’s starting position in both. Count not just forward runs but the situations that prompt them. Observe the distance to the nearest midfielder, the winger’s movement and the cover available after a turnover. The same player may perform two very different jobs across those matches. Understanding that flexibility provides a better picture of modern Portuguese football than judging a defender solely by goals, assists or highlight clips.
There is also a developmental dimension. Young defenders should practise both wide defending and central receiving, even if their senior team eventually uses only one of those patterns. Learning multiple roles improves awareness of teammates’ movements and helps players understand the consequences of losing possession. Coaches can gradually introduce the additional responsibility instead of expecting a technically promising full-back to master every tactical demand immediately. Versatility grows through repeated decisions in realistic match situations, not merely through changing a position label on a formation diagram.
Académico de Viseu’s João Guilherme (No31) celebrates after scoring a goal against Sporting. (Photo: EPA/Rodrigo Antunes/LUSA)
No, this isn’t a case of déjà vu. Recently promoted Académico de Viseu have been honoured with back-to-back Figure of the Week features. After André Clóvis last time round, it is time for João Guilherme to take a bow.
‘Os Viriatos’ (A reference to Viriathus, the leader of the Lusitanians, assumed to have lived for a significant period in the vicinity)commenced their long-awaited return with a visit to Benfica’s Estádio da Luz and a surprise 2-2 draw are showing no signs of slowing down.
Viseu clearly enjoy facing Lisbon-based sides, as they have since beaten Estoril Praia (H) and Estrela da Amadora (A) before heading to Sporting CP’s Estádio José Alvalade, where Brazilian forward João Guilherme stole the show to make it five wins in a row for the viseenses.
From representing the worst team in the world to becoming the talk of the town for Portugal’s surprise package, this is the story of João Guilherme, PortuGOAL’s latest Figure of the Week. Kevin Fernandes reports.
Slow steps to the top
João Guilherme de Souza Crispim commenced his professional career at the curiously named club ‘Três Passos’ in his native Brazil (that’s ‘three steps’, if literally translated into the English language).
The winger from Teresina, Piauí, bounced around various clubs in the third and fourth divisions of Brazil, forging a respectable career in those tiers as a journeyman, loosely following in the footsteps of his father, Batistinha.
Guilherme would even pass through the self-named, self-deprecating ‘pior time do mundo’ (worst team in the world), Íbis, the club who gained global fame after going 3 years and 11 months without winning.
You wouldn’t expect Guilherme to jump from Brazil’s Série D to Liga Portugal after representing 13 clubs by the age of 24, but that is exactly what he has done, taking it all in his stride.
42 games and 13 goal contributions later, the 25-year-old is entering his prime in an unprecedented career turn.
The man that Viseu depend on
Starting in all of Viseu’s league matches (nine, thus far), coach Bruno Pinheiro admitted that Guilherme was fundamental to their approach in the season opener against Benfica: “João was our reference point to hit long balls forward, because we felt that we would have an advantage in his duel with (Samuel) Dahl.”
Guilherme also scored Viseu’s sole goal against Gil Vicente, one that would offer his side their first Liga Portugal victory of their return campaign.
The attacking midfielder can play in any zone in support of a defined centre forward (the prolific André Clóvis in Viseu’s case), excelling in the lesser appreciated arts of off-the-ball work (intelligent movement and defensive contributions), progressive play (particularly carries into the final third to find the correct pass) and shooting (smooth technique).
Viseu currently sit in sixth and while it may be too early to point them towards a top-five finish, the latest PortuGOAL Figure of the Week will be one to watch in one of Portugal’s most cohesive, functional and plucky sides.
Kevin Fernandes’ Team of the Week (Gameweek 9):
My @ligaportugal Team Of The Week - GW9 (One player per team, one will become my latest @PortuGoal1 'Figure of the Week' - weekly article out soon) https://t.co/hneZowjsTp
Porto returned to the Champions League unbeaten at home in 2026, then lost 2-0 to Manchester City at the Dragão on 8 September, with Erling Haaland scoring both goals in a tense night that saw Francesco Farioli booked. A 3-2 defeat at Real Betis on 14 October followed, and on 20 October PSV won 1-0 in Porto. Three games, no points: the maths is now tight, and the next fixtures decide whether the campaign can still reach the knockout play-offs.
Readers who follow FC Porto’s Champions League campaign, Porto players’ performance and Porto’s Champions League stats often compare match prices as well, and a guide to the best betting sites uk helps show how the market rates Porto before each league-phase game, which moves quickly after results like these.
An Erling Haaland brace did for Porto in their opener against Manchester City (Photo: Lusa)
Where FC Porto stand in the Champions League
There are no groups in the current format: 36 clubs play eight games each in one table, the top eight go straight to the round of 16, and places 9 to 24 enter a play-off. After three matchdays Porto have scored two and conceded six, a goal difference of minus four, which leaves them in the bottom group of the table. Domestically, the picture is the opposite: Porto have won all nine Primeira Liga games, with 21 goals scored and four conceded.
Against City, Porto held firm until half-time, but ESPN’s match report describes a fiery night with a tunnel scuffle and Haaland goals at the start and end of the second half. The squad’s confidence at home remains strong, with five wins in the seven competitive matches at the Dragão this season.
Crucial Champions League fixtures on 13.10.2026 and 14.10.2026 that mattered to Porto
With a single league table, results elsewhere shape the cutoff line between 24th and 25th place in the standings as much as Porto’s own games. Matchday two on 13 and 14 October produced 78 goals in 18 matches, and five of Tuesday’s results mattered most for Porto’s route.
Arsenal vs Lille (13.10.2026)
Arsenal won 3-0 at the Emirates with three goals in seven minutes, and an expected-goals edge of 1.85 to 0.38. Lille now have no points and a goal difference of minus four, which makes them a direct rival for Porto near the bottom.
Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United (13.10.2026)
Atlético beat Manchester United 2-0 in Madrid, keeping a clean sheet. United’s defeat leaves another big club fighting for points around the play-off line, raising the total Porto may need. Diego Simeone’s side are built to shut games down once ahead, and United, who are also struggling down in 16th in the Premier League, created little.
Galatasaray vs Barcelona (13.10.2026)
Barcelona came from behind to win 4-1 in Istanbul. Barcelona’s ability to turn possession into goals after falling behind is the standard Porto will meet if they draw one of the Spanish giants later in the league phase.
RB Leipzig vs PSV Eindhoven (13.10.2026)
Leipzig won 1-0, and PSV arrived at the Dragão on 20 October on a run of three straight away defeats. On paper it was Porto’s best chance of a first win, which made the 1-0 home defeat all the more damaging: PSV moved to four points, while Porto stayed on zero.
Viking FK vs Bayern Munich (13.10.2026)
Viking drew 3-3 with Bayern in Norway, scoring in the 90th minute against ten men after Michael Olise’s red card. A surprise point for Viking adds another club in the lower half with something on the board, which pushes the cut-off up slightly.
FC Porto vs PSV Eindhoven (20.10.2026): what went wrong
The decisive moment came in the 57th minute, when Guus Til finished a move set up by Sven Mijnans. PSV had the better of the first half, with Filip Kostic hitting the post just before the break, and Porto’s best chance fell to Pablo Rosario after a long ball from Diogo Costa.
Unlike the Manchester City match, Porto’s defeat at home to PSV was completely unexpected (Photo: José Coelho/Lusa)
The numbers were close, with Porto on 1.40 expected goals and PSV on 1.63, as ESPN’s match centre shows. Late efforts from Hwang In-beom and Alberto Costa were blocked or saved. PSV coach Peter Bosz said the win put his side “back in the mix”; for Porto, it meant a third defeat in three.
Line-ups, injuries and squad questions
Farioli has to balance a title race with Europe, and a free weekend before the PSV game gave him a full week of rest. As reported by WhoScored team news, William Gomes and Vasco Sousa were injured before the game, while Chris Smalling, Gabriel Mec and Dominik Prpic are not in the Champions League squad. Five key FC Porto players 2026 to watch for the rest of the league phase:
Diogo Costa, goalkeeper and captain: fit, first choice in Europe.
Jan Bednarek, centre-back: back from suspension for the PSV game and a starter in Europe.
Alberto Costa, right-back: fit, marauding full-back who offers extra threat to Porto’s attack.
Gabri Veiga, attacking midfielder: fit, early-season league goalscorer.
Samu Omorodion, striker: back from injury, scored at Betis and still pushing for a regular start.
Tactical and statistical keys that will decide Porto’s Champions League fate
An FC Porto tactical analysis points to three fixes. First, game management after half-time: City broke through two minutes after the restart, and PSV scored 12 minutes into the second half. Second, defensive transitions, since the back four that conceded once in six domestic matches before City has been exposed in Europe. Third, chance quality: Porto must raise their expected goals against stronger sides rather than rely on long shots, as Alan Varela’s late effort against City showed.
The Porto vs Manchester City game also showed what works: compact pressing kept the game level until half-time. Farioli knew the margin was small: “PSV has to be one of the matches,” he said before the game. The defeat means the next home game, against Napoli, now carries extra pressure.
Final Forecast
Porto can still finish between 9th and 24th, inside the play-off places, but the margin for error has gone. In the first season of this format, the cut-off for 24th was 11 points, while last season it was 9 points, so with five games left Porto need at least three wins and probably at least one draw. Napoli at home on 4 November and Slavia Praha at home in January are the must-win games; away trips to Feyenoord, Liverpool and LASK will decide whether a draw or two is realistic. If the defence does not tighten up by November, Farioli may have to prioritise the league over Europe.
Matchweek or stage
Date
Opponents and venue
Why it matters
League phase MD1
8 September 2026
Porto 0-2 Man City, Dragão
First home defeat of 2026
League phase MD2
13 October 2026
Rivals’ results, incl. Arsenal 3-0 Lille
Shapes the play-off line
League phase MD2
14 October 2026
Real Betis 3-2 Porto, Seville
Second defeat, goal difference minus three
League phase MD3
20 October 2026
Porto 0-1 PSV, Dragão
Third defeat, goal difference minus four
Taça da Liga quarter-final
28 October 2026
Domestic cup
Rotation test before Europe
League phase MD4
4 November 2026
Porto v Napoli, Dragão
Must-win home game
League phase MD5
24 November 2026
Feyenoord v Porto
First of three away games left
End of league phase
27 January 2027
All 36 clubs
Final cut for play-offs and round of 16
FAQ
When and at what time does FC Porto play next?
Porto’s next Champions League game is at home to Napoli on Wednesday 4 November 2026, at 8pm UK and Portuguese time, 9pm CET. They lost their previous Champions League match 1-0 to PSV on 20 October. Check UEFA’s official fixture list for later Porto Champions League fixtures.
Where can I watch FC Porto’s Champions League matches?
In the UK, Champions League rights are held by TNT Sports and Amazon Prime Video; the City game was on Prime. In the US, matches stream on Paramount+. Porto Canal covers club news, and UEFA’s app offers live text commentary.
Who is favourite to advance from Porto’s group?
There is no group. PSG, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Betis are the five teams with three wins out of three and nine points after matchday three. Of that quintet, PSG, Liverpool and Real Madrid are among the favourites to win the tournament. Porto were tipped by previews to beat PSV but lost, and are now playing catchup.
How do FC Porto stand in the Champions League table?
No points from three games, two goals scored and six conceded, sees Porto in 34th position in the 36-team league. Ties are broken by goal difference, then goals scored, so every goal in the FC Porto Champions League 2026/27 campaign counts.
Congratulations to Kylezinho Linhares and his “Pizzi Blinders” team who scored 78 points in Gameweek 9, and as such was the top-scoring team in the PortuGOAL Fantasy Football league.
It is a notable achievement given he did so without using any chips.
Some left-field choices came up trumps, namely the inclusion of Casa Pia midfielder João Rêgo (11 points) and Nacional defender Zé Vítor (8 points).
Kylezinho also chose his captain wisely this week, putting the armband on Gianluca Prestianni. The Benfica winger scored and assisted in a man-of-the-match performance against Santa Clara yesterday, earning Pizzi Blinders a whopping 24 points.
PortuGOAL Fantasy Football 2026/27 Gameweek 9 Leaderboard (top ten)
Hugo Pagani’s “Alheira Mecânica” stay top of the table, with a slender 6-point lead over second-placed “Baleizão FC” who swapped positions with “TBC” in the standings.
The top three scored a modest 54, 54 and 50 points respectively, allowing some of the chasing pace to make up ground. Only 21 points separate the top seven teams in the 95-team league.
Although joining the league this late means there is now no chance of troubling the leaderboard, as shown by Pizzi Blinders this week, everyone starts on zero at the start of each round with a chance of winning the accolade of the top-scoring team of the week.
Argentina winger Gianluca Prestianni continued his sensational form to dig Benfica out of a hole on the Azorean island of São Miguel this evening.
High-flying Santa Clara were good value for a half-time lead, obtained thanks to a penalty converted by Fernando.
Benfica came out strongly after the interval but it needed two pieces of brilliance from Prestianni to turn the result around.
First the diminutive winger burst into the box from the left flank and angled a perfect pass with the outside of his foot to Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored from point-blank range.
A few minutes later it was Prestianni himself who scored, wriggling free of the attentions of Santa Clara’s defenders, advancing into the box and rifling a smart finish into the corner of the net.
The 20-year-old Prestianni has been hands-down the best player in Portugal this season, and tonight’s efforts bring his numbers up to 10 goals and 6 assists in 16 matches.
The victory keeps Benfica in touch with Porto at the top of the table, the Eagles five points behind the Dragons.
Sporting fell to their second shock defeat in five days at Alvalade, this time to Académico de Viseu, with white handkerchiefs waved at coach Rui Borges at the full-time whistle by the angry home fans.
João Guilherme scored in each half, with Luis Suárez’s equaliser proving just a consolation. Sporting can point to bad luck, twice hitting the post, but the Lions did not do enough against the outfit from Viseu.
The large travelling contingent of away supporters celebrated loudly after another brilliant result away from home, making it 3 wins and 2 draws on their travels for the newly promoted team.
Académico took the lead in the 24th minute through a lethal counter-attack. Robinho sped down the right flank and sent over an inviting low cross which João Guilherme smashed into the net with his left foot on the run from a tight angle.
Five minutes later the visitors had the ball in the net again, but Kahraman’s terrific finish from the edge of the box was ruled out because of an incorrect throw-in at the start of the move.
Sporting were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when Ewerton clattered into Maxi Araújo, but after review on the pitch-side monitor the referee declared the goalkeeper had played the ball.
Both teams had chances after the break, but it was Sporting who grabbed the equaliser, Luis Suárez scoring for the tenth match running for his club side, smartly dispatching a low Fresneda cross into the net.
Académico never abdicated their positive approach and retook the lead when Guilherme scored his second, again shooting first-time at the far post, from a Messeguem cross.
Sporting poured forward in search of a second equaliser and both Maxi Araújo and Suárez saw efforts come back off the post, while Ewerton also produced a superb save from Araújo, while at the other end of the pitch Clóvis missed a great chance to score a third when clean through.
Tough times for Sporting coach Rui Borges, whose position will surely come under serious scrutiny from the board of the Lisbon club.
It was not a vintage performance but Porto maintained their impeccable start to the defence of their Liga Portugal crown by winning their ninth straight game in the 2026/27 season.
It is the first time in 87 years that the Blue and Whites have won the first 9 games of a league season.
In a game of few chances, it was Borja Sainz who scored the all-important goal just after the hour mark, dispatching a firm low shot into the corner of the net after latching onto a Victor Froholdt cross.
Sainz was only in the starting lineup because Polish winger Oskar Pietuszewski got injured in the warmup.
Porto’s defence had been unusually porous in recent games, conceding goals in each of their last seven matches, but tonight it was back to its rock-solid self. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa did not have a difficult save to make all match.
The visitors’ task of defending their lead was made easier when Gil were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute when Marvin Elimbi was sent off for a foul on Pepê.
Porto go 8 points clear of second-placed Benfica and move 9 ahead of Sporting in third, with the Lisbon duo playing later this weekend.
Benfica have dominated women’s football in Portugal in recent years, winning the Liga BPI in each of the last six seasons, and the Eagles went top of the table for the first time in 2026/27 with a thumping win in today’s Lisbon derby played at the Estádio da Luz.
Sporting, top of the standings at kick-off, took an early lead when Ana Dias spotted Benfica goalkeeper Lena Pauels slightly off her line and struck a stupendous lob over the German’s head and into the net off the underside of the bar from 25 yards out.
Ana Dias abriu o marcador do #SuperJogo para o Sporting CP 🦁 com um 𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗔𝗖̧𝗢! 🤯 #Canal11 #FutebolEmPortuguês https://t.co/MoIHBkyqWm
The hosts did not take long to hit back though, scoring three goals before the break to take control of the game.
Brazilian striker Nycole Raysla continued her fantastic form this season with two more goals, a sweet finish to a fine move and a header, which sandwiched a somewhat fortuitous Anna Csiki strike.
Aos 11, 31 e 41 minutos, as Águias 🦅 deram a volta ao resultado e estabeleceram o 3-1, que se verificou ao intervalo! 😱 #Canal11 #FutebolEmPortuguês https://t.co/qXdNHTh7iy
There was no way back for Sporting and Benfica put the cherry on the cake when Portugal teammates Diana Gomes and Andreia Norton combined, the latter making it 4-1 in the 89th minute.
Andreia Norton fechou o resultado do #SuperJogo em 4-1 🦅 #Canal11 #FutebolEmPortuguês https://t.co/iZ9kaBIqe5
Benfica continued their perfect start in the UEFA Europa League with a 4-1 victory against Omonia Nicosia.
The Portuguese club had a bright start in Cyprus and took the lead in the 14th minute. Fredrik Aursnes got behind the hosts’ defence and sent a cross to Claudio Echeverri who saw his header deflect off Loïc Nego and nestle in the net.
Omonia were threatening and lacking composure in front of goal, but that changed in the 42nd minute. Ewandro Costa released Jaden Montnor who showed great skill to lift the ball over Alexander Bah and pick out Andronikos Kakoulis who headed home from close range.
The second half was just four minutes old when Benfica regained the lead. Bah got on the end of Echeverri’s cross but couldn’t beat Fabiano Freitas, the ball falling straight to Vangelis Pavlidis who made no mistake.
The Eagles piled on the pressure with Fabiano denying Pavlidis and Gianluca Prestianni before Pavlidis hit the post. The pressure paid off in the 76th minute when Luuk Brouwers’ shocking pass went straight to Aursnes who slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Marco Silva’s side sealed the deal in the 85th minute when Dodi Lukebakio showed his speed, leaving two defenders in his wake before surging into the box and laying the ball to Prestianni who couldn't miss.
The Eagles sit top of the Europa League after three games played, scoring 10 goals with two conceded. The Portuguese club have a fantastic chance to win the competition.
New Braga coach Franclim Carvalho got off to the perfect start with a 2-0 victory over Gent in tonight’s UEFA Conference League clash at the Quarry.
The 39-year-old coach has not had much time to work with the squad. He was appointed on Tuesday after Carlos Vicens had been sacked earlier in the day following Monday’s defeat to Gil Vicente.
The “new manager bounce” was in effect straight away, right-back Víctor Gómez putting the hosts into the lead in the 3rd minute after a wonderful quick passing move.
Braga were in the ascendency all night against the Belgian league leaders, Pau Victor and Ricardo Horta coming close to doubling the advantage either side of half time.
The Arsenalistas were given a scare in the 72nd minute when Momodou Sonko looked certain to equalise, but Braga goalkeeper Bernardo Fontes pulled off an excellent save.
Five minutes later the game was made safe, Víctor Gómez this time turning provider as he threaded through a sublime pass to substitute Gabri Martínez, who made it 2-0.
The lively Martínez twice came close to scoring a third goal as Braga ran out comfortable winners.
For the first time since they began their historic continental campaign, Portuguese minnows Torreense were put to the sword in the Europa League tonight.
The team from Torres Vedras are the only one of 108 clubs competing in the league phase of UEFA’s three club competitions who are in the second flight of their respective country’s football pyramid.
Luís Tralhão’s side have acquitted themselves admirably so far, winning their first match in Norway against Lillestrom and only losing to Sunderland after the English Premier League club scored a 93rd-minute winner.
It was more of the same in the first half in Budapest tonight.
Dele Yusuf put the hosts ahead when he pounced on a loose pass by Alejandro Alfaro and rifled a left-footed finish into the net from the edge of the box.
Pozo scores a beauty
But Torreense hit straight back, star man Manuel Pozo scoring a superb acrobatic volley to level the scores, the teams going into the break all square.
In the second half it was a different story though, with Ferencvaros, regular competitors in Europe, showing their greater pedigree in front of a big crowd at the Groupama Arena.
A towering Mariano Gómez header, an unfortunate Mohamed Diadié own goal and a sliding finish by Krisztián Lisztes saw the home team run out 4-1 winners to make it three wins from three for them in the Europa League.
Torreense’s next match in the competition is a home tie against FC Ararat-Armenia, where the Portuguese team will feel they have a chance of adding to their three points.
