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Everything you need to know about all 18 teams in Portugal's top flight.
With the season starting today, I thought I'd provide all of you with a quick preview of the 18 contenders that will be participating in the 2020/21 edition of Portuguese top-flight football, Liga NOS (the Primeira Liga). I’ve jotted down previews for Benfica and the other 17 teams that they will be facing over the course of the domestic league competition. A more detailed preview for our Benfica will be published next week.
Sport Lisboa e Benfica
2019/20 League Finish: 2nd place (77 points)
Players to Watch: Everton “Cebolinha”, Darwin Núñez, Luca Waldschmidt, Julian Weigl
2020/21 Projected Finish: 1st place (qualify for Champions League group stage)
Bruno Lage may have left, but the problems with this Benfica side remain. After fumbling a 7-point lead over Porto in Liga NOS and an embarrassing 2-1 loss in the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup) final last season, Benfica went straight to the bank. After bringing back former manager Jorge Jesus, Os Encarnados spent €80M over the summer transfer window to bring in two exciting and skillful wingers from Brazil, Everton "Cebolinha" Soares (€20M) and Pedrinho (€18M), as well as several other signings. Several weeks ago, Benfica made the most expensive transfer in the history of Portuguese soccer (€24M) to sign Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez.
Jorge Jesus' wishlist extended further, as the club brought in German second striker Luca Waldschmidt and Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, the latter of whom most recently played for José Mourinho's Tottenham in the English Premier League. The club is likely to sell several players in the coming weeks, as Jesus does not see every player being a good fit for his Benfica squad, but all of the above signings are sure to excite in the coming season.
It will be very interesting to see how defensive midfielder Julian Weigl is utilized under JJ, as the midfield seemed to be a source of Benfica's many problems since mid-January. The decisions made surrounding the midfield, like what role, if any, players like Florentino and Adel Taraabt will play in this new system. Likewise, there are lots of decisions to be made throughout the rest of the squad. Personally, I am curious to see what role promising academy players like Gonçalo Ramos, Tiago Dantas, Tomás Tavares, and João Ferreira will play during Benfica's quest to reconquer Liga NOS.
We'll go much more in-depth on our squad in a separate season preview blog next week.
FC Porto
2019/20 League Finish: 1st place (82 points)
Players to Watch: Medhi Taremi, Alex Telles, Carraça, Jesús Corona, Otávio, Sérgio Oliveira 2020/21 Projected Finish: 2nd place (qualify for Champions League group stage)
Futebol Clube do Porto was the most successful team in Portugal last year, edging out Benfica to win Liga NOS and the Portuguese Cup (Taça de Portugal) to complete the double, known in Portugal as "a dobradinha." Manager Sérgio Conceição and his men are looking to become back-to-back champions ("bicampeões") this season, while also making noise as the only portuguese club in the Champions League.
The club just sold one of their most promising youth players, Fábio Silva, to English club Wolverhampton, who also received Porto prospect Vítinha on a one-year loan. That being said, there are still rumors floating around the league linked to who is often described as one of Liga NOS's best players, Alex Telles. If the 27-year-old left back stays at the club this season, their chances at repeating the success of last year greatly increases. Skilled wing players Otávio and Jesús Corona have also caught the eye of clubs across Europe, but it remains unclear whether or not the duo will leave "Os Dragões" before the summer transfer window closes.
In terms of incoming players, FC Porto picked up one of the biggest talents of the league last year in Rio Ave striker Medhi Taremi, who was named in the Liga NOS team of the season and scored 18 league goals. They also picked up a versatile right back from Boavista with Carraça, who was signed to create competition within an FC Porto defense that was the best in Liga NOS last season, with only 22 goals allowed.
It will be interesting to see how Conceição and this FC Porto squad will be able to manage a competitive match load this season. They will look to veterans Sérgio Oliveira and Danilo to control the midfield, while European champion and longtime Portugal defender Pepe helps lock down the defense at the age of 37 (no, that is not a typo). As Benfica fans hope their team can walk through Liga NOS easily, this FC Porto team is here to spoil the party.
SC Braga
2019/20 League Finish: 3rd place (60 points)
Players to Watch: Nico Gaitán, Fábio Martins, Ricardo Esgaio, Ricardo Horta, Paulinho
2020/21 Projected Finish: 3rd place (qualify for Champions League qualifying stage)
This season, Braga is looking to build off of the club's best finish in the Primeira Liga since the 2011/12 campaign, in which they also finished in 3rd. 'Os Minhotos' have been constantly knocking on the door of Portugal's historic 'Big 3' (Benfica, FC Porto, Sporting), but this season will be a big test to see if the club is here to stay. The arrival of former Rio Ave manager Carlos Carvalhal, who led Rio Ave to a 5th place finish in the league last year and a spot in the Europa League qualifiers, will be encouraging to Braga fans who are now looking for the club to challenge for the league title in the coming years.
The arrival of former Benfica fan favorite Nico Gaitán will add some excitement to a Braga squad who lost their young star winger Francisco Trincão to FC Barcelona on a €31M transfer earlier this year. On the attacking front, Ricardo Horta should continue to be leader for Braga, while new arrival Guilherme Schettine (CD Santa Clara) will try to be the replacement for Paulinho, who has been the subject of transfer rumours all summer long after earning a spot in the 2019/20 Liga NOS team of the season. Should Paulinho stay, Braga's attack will be terrifying for defenders across the league. Arguably the most promising news for Braga is the return of winger Fábio Martins, who scored 12 goals in Liga NOS last year while on loan at Famalicão.
SC Braga continues to be in great hands defensively, with Nuno Sequeira and Ricardo Esgaio both looking to build on a strong 2019/20 campaign, which even saw Esgaio named to the Liga NOS team of the season. All in all, they look to be the favorites to secure that third and final portuguese spot in the Champions League this season.
Sporting CP
2019/20 League Finish: 4th place (60 points)
Players to Watch: Jovane Cabral, Nuno Santos, Pedro “Pote” Gonçalves, Eduardo Quaresma
2020/21 Projected Finish: 4th place (would qualify them for Europa League)
'Os Leões' have high hopes for their first complete season under new manager and former Benfica midfielder, Ruben Amorim. Sporting still hasn't paid SC Braga the €10M that they owe them for purchasing Amorim back in early March of this year, but that is not stopping them from doing everything they can to climb back to grand stage of Champions League football. Sporting went out and grabbed two of last year's Primeira Liga standouts, Nuno Santos (Rio Ave) and Pote (Famalicão) to reinforce their midfield's attacking capabilities. Pote was even featured in last season's Liga NOS team of the season so it will be exciting to see if he lives up to expectations this year.
It'll be interesting to see how Amorim is able to manage several of Sporting's youth academy prospects who rose to the ranks last season, mainly after the COVID-19 pause in league play. Among these prospects are Jovane Cabral, Nuno Mendes, and Eduardo Quaresma. Jovane, whose free kicks are enough to get you up out of your seat at home, will look to increase his goal total from last season (6 goals in 16 league games), while Mendes and Quaresma focus on their defensive duties. As always, Sporting have a ton of youth talent within the first team this season, but their financial troubles will likely cause them to get rid of several talented youth players. The real question will be - who stays at the club and who is either loaned out or sold before the close of the transfer window? Daniel Bragança, Tiago Tómas, and Pedro Mendes are some names that would be interesting to watch out for if they stay at the club.
Hopefully, Amorim and his coaching staff are able to fill the gaping hole left in the middle of their back line after the retirement of frenchman Jérémy Mathieu at the end of last season. Eduardo Quaresma, who played all but one match after the COVID restart, will look to cement his spot as the center back companion of Sebastián Coates, who has been a constant amongst a Sporting squad that has seen much instability in recent years. If the duo can't produce lockdown defense this season, Sporting is unlikely to achieve their dream of playing Champions League football on Tuesday nights at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon once again.
Vítoria SC
2019/20 League Finish: 7th place (50 points)
Players to Watch: Marcus Edwards, Bruno Varela, Ricardo Quaresma, Pepelu
2020/21 Projected Finish: 5th place (would qualify them for Europa League)
Up north in Guimarães, the fans of Vitória SC are another fan base that cannot complain about the work of their club during the summer transfer window. The club was able to bring former Benfica goalkeeper Bruno Varela to Guimarães, as the club looks to find themselves back in European football after missing out on qualification during the 2019/20 season. On the bright side, all of Vitória SC´s focus this season will be on domestic competitions, making them a very dangerous matchup for the Top 4 clubs that will be battling in European competitions over the course of the season. They will also have central midfielder and Levante loanee Pepelu for this year's campaign, in which the Spaniard hopes to replicate the solid season he had at CD Tondela last season.
With undoubtedly the best signing announcement video of the summer transfer window, Guimarães was able to sign European champion Ricardo Quaresma, who has already played with both FC Porto and Sporting CP in Portugal’s top flight of football. All fans of Portuguese football will be happy to welcome a star like Quaresma back to Liga NOS, although he’ll be looking to break the hearts of all opposing fans with his signature trivela. While Quaresma will likely be featured on one wing, Guimarães have former Tottenham academy star Marcus Edwards on the other side. Edwards’ dribbling skills, paired with his pace, will be a nightmare for all outside backs in the league this season, as Edwards looks to improve upon a 2019/20 campaign that saw him turn heads all across Europe, scoring twice in the Europa League group stage and on seven occasions in Liga NOS.
Boavista FC
2019/20 League Finish: 12th place (39 points)
Players to Watch: Reggie Cannon, Angel Gomes (loan), Javi García, Nuno Santos (loan) 2020/21 Projected Finish: 6th place
Boavista are "all in" for this season. The club from Porto have been one of the most surprising and active Portuguese clubs in the transfer market this summer, with all of their key players arriving at the club this season. Reggie Cannon, a young American defender with blazing speed, did not make the move to Boavista just to play in Liga NOS - this team has aspirations for European football. Angel Gomes, a former Manchester United Academy player, will also be joining 'Os Axadrezados' on loan from French club Lille with the hopes of finishing in a Europa League spot.
Boavista will also have help from former Benfica players Javi García and Nuno Santos (on loan from Benfica) for this year’s campaign. Defensively, it will be interesting to see how the squads comes to terms with losing their starting goalkeeper Helton Leite to Benfica. The club brought in World Cup winner and Frenchman Adil Rami to help bring more stability and experience to a Boavista backline that truly needed it. The 2020/21 season will certainly be an interesting one for Boavista fans, as we should look for them to pull off some upset victories and maybe even a deep run at the Taça de Portugal or Taça da Liga.
FC Famalicão
2019/20 League Finish: 6th place (54 points)
Players to Watch: Ivan Zlobin, Bruno Jordão (loan), Gonçalo "Guga"Rodrigues 2020/21 Projected Finish: 7th place
Fresh off of a surprisingly successful season, Famalicão is looking to build upon the triumphs of last season, which saw the club in first place until the season's first international break. That will be tough for a squad that saw its group of core players dissolve after the end of last season. Famalicão lost both of its starting wingers, Fábio Martins (Braga) and Diogo Gonçalves (Benfica), after their loan deals ended. Furthermore, they sold the only player from their squad that was named to the Liga NOS team of the season: Pedro “Pote” Gonçalves.
The hopes of this year's team start in the back, with former Benfica backup Ivan Zlobin taking over the role of starting goalkeeper. Famalicão struggled last year in this department, and the defensive reinforcement of Wolverhampton loanee Bruno Jordão will be something exciting to watch. In the midfield, look for former Benfica academy player Guga to step up and make a difference this year, as well. Up front, Famalicão will likely have to deal with the loss of 23-year-old Toni Martínez (10 goals in 2019/20), who is rumored to be headed to FC Porto on a permanent transfer. The lack of attacking firepower is what will hold this team back during the 2020/21 campaign.
Rio Ave FC
2019/20 League Finish: 5th place (55 points)
Players to Watch: Gelson Dala, Carlos Mané, Aderllan Santos 2020/21 Projected Finish: 8th place
This is likely going to be a tough season for fans of the club from Vila do Conde, after a great season in which their club secured a spot in the Europa League qualifiers on the last day of the season. The club will surely missed their former manager, Carlos Carvalhal, who moved to Braga after leading Rio Ave to their highest Primeira Liga point total in the club's history (55 points). To make matters worse, the club lost their star striker, Iranian international Mehdi Taremi to FC Porto after the season ended. Taremi scored 18 league goals last season for 'Os Vilacondenses', on his way to being named in the Liga NOS team of the season.
Rio Ave will have to deal with the increased match load that comes with qualifying for Europa League football, which certainly makes their season more likely to be a disappointing one for fans. However, they will look to forwards Gelson Dala and Carlos Mané, who both played large roles in the club's success last season, even though Gelson only arrived on loan last January. Central defender Aderllan Santos will look to act as a key figure on and off the pitch this year, after a season which saw him only miss 4 league games.
CS Marítimo
2019/20 League Finish: 11th place (39 points)
Players to Watch: Nanu, Amir Abedzadeh, Zainadine Júnior, Rodrigo Pinho 2020/21 Projected Finish: 9th place
Marítimo has what it takes to shock fans across Portugal this year with some upsets against the league's best sides. Last year, goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh gave the team from Madeira the chance to steal points on many occasions (namely in a 2-0 win over Benfica), showing he was one of the best goalies in Liga NOS. In that same match against Benfica, right back Nanu showed the rest of the league his blazing pace and finishing ability. It will be interesting to see these two stand out in matches for Marítimo over the course of the season.
On the defensive side of things, Marítimo is clearly in good hands. Central defender Zainadine Júnior helped lock down a Marítimo backline that secured 10 clean sheets, which was 5th best in Liga NOS. The worry for fans should be how the squad is going to score. Striker Rodrigo Pinho will be another name to look out for, as he looks to better his goal total from last season of 9 goals, six goals more than anyone else on the team. Hopefully, Nanu will be able to inspire the counterattack for a Marítimo team that can sometimes be found hiding behind their outstanding keeper. Don't be surprised if Marítimo are able to make use of tired teams traveling to Madeira for away games on their quest to finish in the top half of the table this season.
Moreirense FC
2019/20 League Finish: 8th place (43 points)
Players to Watch: Fabio Abreu, Lazar Rosic 2020/21 Projected Finish: 10th place
It's always comforting when your club has a striker that can score. For Moreirense, that man is Fabio Abreu, who scored 12 goals in last year's edition of Liga NOS. Offensively, the club continues to be in steady hands, but the same cannot be said for the defense, who lost several of its core members this offseason. Most notably, Iago Santos and João Aurélio are no longer at the club to control the Moreirense defense. Luckily, Serbian center back Lazar Rosic is still there to command the backline. Without several of their starters from last season, don't be surprised if Moreirense gets off to a slow start before picking things up before the season's end.
CD Santa Clara
2019/20 League Finish: 9th place (43 points)
Players to Watch: Fabio Cardoso, Rafael Ramos, Lincoln 2020/21 Projected Finish: 11th place
As an affiliate club of Benfica, Santa Clara is bound to feature talent that previously passed through their big brother in Lisbon. This season, right back and Benfica Academy product Rafael Ramos will look to improve upon the success that he experienced in the 2019/20 campaign. Fellow Benfica academy defender Fabio Cardoso will continue to be a leader for the Azorean side, who hopes to stay in Liga NOS for the fourth consecutive season. Santa Clara fans should be looking out for the creativity of 21-year-old Brazilian Lincoln on the pitch throughout the season. Coming off of the club's first ever win against Benfica, I think it's fair to say Benfica will be throwing everything they have at Santa Clara for their two matchups this season.
FC Paços de Ferreira
2019/20 League Finish: 13th place (39 points)
Players to Watch: Pedro Martelo, Douglas Tanque, João Amaral (loan) 2020/21 Projected Finish: 12th place
Fans should be excited to watch Pedro Martelo, whose strike won Portugal the U-19 European Championships for the famous "Geração '99" (the 1999 Generation), make his debut in the Primeira Liga. Martelo will have lots of responsibility on his shoulders, as he works alongside striker Douglas Tanque, who tallied 11 goals for Paços in Liga NOS last year. The duo should provide Paços de Ferreira with some consistency on offense. In the midfield, they will look to Lech Poznan loanee João Amaral for guidance. Amaral arrived at the club on loan in January, but really found his stride after the restart in June. The issue with this Paços side will be the defense, which the third worst in the league (52 goals allowed).
Gil Vicente FC
2019/20 League Finish: 10th place (43 points)
Players to Watch: Lucas Mineiro (loan), Ygor Nogueira
2020/21 Projected Finish: 13th place
Similar to Famalicão, Gil Vicente took full advantage of taking on loan players last season. While that saw the club from Barcelos finish 10th in their first season in the Primeira Liga since 2014/15, they now have to deal with the loss of their leading goal scorers, Sandro Lima (10 goals) and Bozhidar Kraev (8 goals). Combine that with the loss of legendary portuguese manager Vitor Oliveira and Gil Vicente fans are likely going to be in for a disappointing season. The club will rely on Brazilian midfielder and Chapecoense loanee Lucas Mineiro to keep them from falling near the relegation zone. On defense, they are in good hands with central defender Ygor Nogueira looking to repeat another solid year for Gil Vicente in Liga NOS. However, the lack of consistency and stability within the squad will make it nearly impossible for Gil Vicente to have a successful season. Don't be surprised if they find themselves in the relegation battle at points throughout the year.
CD Tondela
2019/20 League Finish: 14th place (36 points)
Players to Watch: Bebeto, Yohan Tavares, João Pedro 2020/21 Projected Finish: 14th place
Tondela are another club who will be looking to overcome the losses of several key players from last season. Among those who left the club are Pepelu (loan) and goalkeeper Cláudio Ramos (FC Porto). The club was able to attract some Primeira Liga talent by adding Bebeto, who was one of Marítimo's best defenders last season. Bebeto will be joining Yohan Tavares, one of Tondela's most consistent defenders, in the club's backline. The real mystery is who will be the goalscorer for this club, as last season's leading scorer, Ronan (6 goals), returned to Rio Ave after his loan expired.
SC Farense
2019/20 League Finish: 2nd Place in 2nd Division (Promoted to Liga NOS)
Players to Watch: Ryan Gauld, Rafael Defendi, Alex Pinto
2020/21 Projected Finish: 15th place
Every fan across the league should be rooting for SC Farense to stay up, even if it's just for us to see what Adidas have planned for their jerseys next season. On the pitch, Farense will be looking to Scottish attacker/midfielder Ryan Gauld to keep them above the relegation zone. Gauld, who was signed by Sporting in 2014, finished a COVID-shortened, 22-match 2019/20 Segunda Liga campaign with 9 goals, which the club from the Algarve is hoping he can build upon this season.
Right back Alex Pinto, who was on loan from Benfica at Gil Vicente last season, will look to build on the strong finish he had to last season. Helping out Pinto on defense will be former Famalicão keeper Rafael Defendi. Defendi was one of the worst goalies in Liga NOS last season so the success of SC Farense will weigh heavily on his shoulders. If he has a bounceback season, you can expect Farense to survive until next season.
Portimonense
2019/20 League Finish: 17th place (33 points) - Avoided regulation due to league ruling
Players to Watch: Bruno Tabata, William Rocha, Welinton Junior 2020/21 Projected Finish: 16th place (Relegation playoff match)
If it wasn't for the Portuguese League's advisory board ruling to send Vitória de Setúbal and CD Aves to the 3rd division as a financial penalty, Portimonense would be playing in the 2nd division for the 2020/21 campaign. Bruno Tabata was a diamond in the rough last season, as the winger finished the season with 8 assists (tied for 4th in Liga NOS). William Rocha will look to improve upon a strong finish to last season after the COVID restart. The most exciting part of this squad has to be the addition of former CD Aves forward Welinton Junior, who scored 7 goals in 23 Liga NOS games last season.
That being said, I'm not sure that these three will be able to keep Portimonense afloat in the Primeira Liga. Don't be surprised to see this group in the relegation playoff match with the 3rd place finisher from the Segunda Liga (2nd Division).
Belenenses SAD
2019/20 League Finish: 15th place (35 points)
Players to Watch: Licá, Silvestre Varela, Sphephelo Sithole 2020/21 Projected Finish: 17th place (Relegated to Segunda Liga)
This season will be another nail biter for Belenenses SAD, as last season saw the club teeter along the relegation line. The 2020/21 season should be no different, as the club from Belém has not made any convincing moves during this transfer window. Former Benfica midfielder and current B-SAD manager, Petit, will rely heavily upon the scoring abilities of Licá (7 league goals last season) if the club hopes to avoid relegation to the Segunda Liga.
Something to watch for is 21-year-old South African midfielder Sphephelo Sithole looking to affirm himself in the first team after having a solid season for the club's U23 side last year. Former Portuguese national team winger Varela will hope to use his veteran status to provide stability within the locker room for the squad. At the end of the day, this team severely lacks what it takes to stay in Liga NOS so don't be surprised to see them relegated.
CD Nacional
2019/20 League Finish: 1st Place in 2nd Division (Promoted to Liga NOS)
Players to Watch: Brayan Riascos, Bryan Rochez, Vincent Koziello 2020/21 Projected Finish: 18th place (Relegated to Segunda Liga)
Oftentimes, teams that are promoted do not have the intensity, the squad depth, or the financial power. This will likely be the case with CD Nacional. The club from Madeira Island will be looking to feed off strikers Brayan Riascos (11 goals) and Bryan Rochez (7 goals) who feasted on Segunda Liga defenders in a season shortened due to COVID. Nacional will need this duo to continue producing goals if they have any hopes of staying above the relegation line. French midfielder Vincent Koziello will also feature for the side this season, but the loanee from FC Köln is not able to carry the midfield by himself. More likely than not, Nacional will find themselves in the relegation zone by the season's end.