Portuguese Leagues 2017/18

Having read the feedback from members about all the Euro leagues being in one thread, we've decided to revert to individual threads for each league, but they won't be stickied unless very active.

All Portuguese football chat here please.

 

I'm glad to provide updates on the league from a (forgive me) Sporting perspective ...am happy to chat with anyone interested in the Portuguese league and with any other Celtic-affiliated Portuguese folk!

 

Here are the Primeira Liga standings going into week 6.....

 

What happened with Ryan Guald?

 

When he first arrived at Sporting, he played on Sporting's B Team in the second division, where he adapted to the culture @ Sporting, and to playing in Portugal, playing alongside Sporting's academy players and young prospects. He was subsequently loaned out to first division side and perpetual mid-table dwellers, Vitoria de Setubal last season, and he he was loaned out again this season to newly promoted Desportivo Aves, where he's getting regular playing time and scored this nice goal the other day:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ryan-gauld-nets-first-primeira-11151906

Sporting are looking @ Ryan as a long term prospect to groom, which is why they haven't sold him and his current loan deal has an option to call him back to Sporting at any time. Sporting gaffer, Jorge Jesus, likes Gauld and wants him to gain regular first division experience, with an eye to making the first team next year. Breaking into Sporting's first team hasn't been easy for Ryan because of the level of competition for the positions he plays at, and he's still young. I think he's very promising and hope he kills it @ Aves.

 

Thanks for the info. Not many Scottish players go out of the UK to play, so it's exciting to see someone potentially have a good career elsewhere in Europe.

 

You are correct, and as a young player, you can't get much better than going to the Sporting Academy, as Sporting is renowned for churning out top notch footballers. The question is if Ryan can reach the point where he develops to the point where he can break the first team. A similar and parallel, albeit English example, is Eric Dier, starting midfielder @ Tottenham, who got his football education @ the Sporting Academy which he joined as a kid. He made his way up through the Sporting youth ranks, the B team and eventually making the first team a few years back, before he was sold to Tottenham as he wanted to play in his native England after having developed in Portugal. Eric started out as a center back in the academy and was transitioned to left back and center midfielder when he made the Sporting first team. Here's a video of him discussing his development @ Sporting while he was still there (video was made a few years back when Sporting was in a bit of a funk, before the current President):



I think it's great for the Scottish players to experience playing in different European leagues.

Here's Ryan when he was playing on the Sporting B Team:

 

Are Porto good again?

Seemed to be excellent from like 2001-2005, then they had a bit of a dip from about 2005-2008 or so then came back good again with the team with Hulk and got better for a while when they had Falcao but then they disappeared a bit again the last 2-3 years but they've had a good start there looking at the table although lost to Besiktas the other night I noticed.

 

Porto basically ruled the Portuguese League from the 90's onward until about 6 years ago or so when Benfica rose to top, winning the past couple of league titles and Sporting has had a much needed renaissance and resurgence, since Bruno de Carvalho was elected President, and especially with Jorge Jesus making the controversial switch from coaching Benfica to Sporting: his childhood and family club, (he also played at Sporting during his playing career). Benfica and Sporting have been the top two teams the past few years, but Porto has started out hot this season, with new coach and former Portuguese national team player, Sergio Conceiçao as coach.

I will admit, I feared the great Porto team of 2010/2011, when under the helm of Andre Villas Boas, they were an absolute powerhouse both in Portugal and in Europe, winning the Portuguese league undefeated with a 20 point cushion as well as winning the Portuguese Cup and the Europa League. That team was a monster, with both Hulk and Falcao in their primes, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho, Fredy Guarin, Cristian Rodriguez, Nicolas Otamendi, etc. I remember Falcao scoring what seemed like 5 goals against Villareal in one game, during the semifinal home leg of their Europa League campaign, I beleive. What a great Porto squad that was.

 

Update for those interested, Benfica loses away at Boavista and drops 3 points, Sporting to play in 15 minutes and Porto plays tomorrow.

 

Week 7 update, Porto wins again and secures top spot, Sporting slips and ties away from home, now 2 points behind Porto, and Benfica wins and is now 5 and 3 points away respectively from the two front runners. Braga wins and starts creeping back up into the top 5 where they usually reside. So far, an exciting and competitive season.

As of today:

 

Have got Benfica to win the league but Porto have started the season very well.

How is Brahimi doing at Porto? He was so class during the World Cup.

 

Brahimi is playing well, he scored twice against Algarve based side, Portimonense a few days ago. Porto won that game 5-2 and Brahimi played very well, he's quality. Week 8 has Sporting vs Porto on tap, a very crucial game for both sides, I can't wait.

 

Huge match just kicked off, Sporting vs. Porto in Lisbon, big implications in this match....

 

On that new freesports channel..channel 95 on freeview

 

Good to know! I'm watching on FuboTV.

 

I was just about to post that when I seen the title.

It's not a bad little channel. They show some good and random stuff.

 

0-0 at the half, Sporting has more possession, but Porto is organized at the back and is dangerous on the counter. Matthieu for Sporting at CB has been a beast, breaking everything up. C'mon Sporting Hoops!

 

Sporting and Porto tie, Benfica ties @ Maritimo and Braga smashes Estoril 6-0. Positions remain the same for the Big 3 with Braga in 5th place behind Maritimo.

 

Just providing a friendly Sporting biased update from Lusitania....Sporting just lifted the League Cup at the Braga stadium, after beating Vitoria de Setubal on penalties, after making it to the finals by way of beating Porto on penalties on Wed in an intense semi final match....Força Sporting!