• Chaves
• Talk of the Town

PortuGOAL is today launching its “Talk of the Town” feature, in conjunction with the new Football and Tourism section of the website.

Over the coming months and years we will work through every football town and city in Portugal, delving into the history and current prospects of the club in question. With the help of local experts and travel writers, we shall also provide tips on watching football there, in addition to tourism info. 

For no particular reason, we have decided to begin at the northernmost tip of mainland Portugal, with Grupo Desportivo de Chaves. 

Our first “Talk of the Town” feature zooms in on northern outfit Chaves.

PortuGOAL runs the rule over the newly promoted side and assesses the prospects of the Transmontanos having a successful season back in the big time. 

The picturesque and mountainous Trás-os-Montes region in the north-eastern corner of Portugal, as its name which translates into “Beyond the Mountains” suggests, has the feel of being cut off from the rest of the country.

It is here that Portugal’s northernmost top-flight team is found, Grupo Desportivo de Chaves. 

• Boavista
• Primeira Liga,
• Vitória de Guimarães,
• Portimonense
• Gil Vicente
• FC Famalicao
• Santa Clara
• Arouca
• Casa Pia
• Liga Bwin
• Jota Silva
• Rafael Martins

The attentions this weekend we’re overwhelmingly aimed at the Estádio do Dragão where FC Porto hosted Sporting for the first ‘Clássico’ of the season.

The Dragons maintained their 100% win record with a 3-0 win against the Lions, with the onus of catching up, in Benfica’s absence, placed on Boavista and Vitória after winning starts to their campaigns.

Both fell short, however, as Casa Pia claimed their first victory against the ‘Panteras Negras’ prior to Portimonense’s 2-1 turnaround versus Vitória.

Elsewhere, Santa Clara picked up a second consecutive defeat after their failure to hold onto a 1-0 lead, meanwhile Famalicão registered their first point of the season away to Gil Vicente.