Europa League qualification and the relegation dogfight take centre stage in Portugal this weekend.
With three matches to go, four teams, separated by just four points, are fighting to finish in the coveted 6th place in the Liga ZON Sagres, which entitles the occupiers to a tilt at Europa League football next season.
Rio Ave are the current incumbents, and Carlos Brito’s men will be hoping to consolidate their position with victory away at Beira-Mar. Any slip-up could let in Madeira duo Maritimo and Nacional, or Paços de Ferreira.
At the other end of the table, Vitoria Setubal take on champions FC Porto knowing that any point gained could prove crucial to their survival hopes, while defeats for Naval and Portimonense could signal the end of the line for them in the top flight.
Despite their creditable showing in the Bwin Cup final last weekend against Benfica, Paços de Ferreira failed to snap out of their poor run of results, losing narrowly to miss out on the chance of raising their first ever trophy. The defeat extends their winless run to seven games.
Truth be told, Vitoria Guimaraes have not been much better, winning just once in their last eight matches. Throw in the factor that it is a local derby and a low-scoring draw looks a likely outcome.
Victory is vital for Sporting to keep alive their hopes of overhauling Braga and finishing third in the Liga ZON Sagres. Having won only two of their last 14 matches that will be no straightforward task, despite playing the team lying bottom of the table.
In theory, motivation among the Lions should not be an issue. With wholesale changes in the close-season announced, many of Sporting’s squad are playing for a place in the Lisbon club’s plans for 2011/12.
Portimonense know that anything other than victory will condemn them to relegation after just a single season back in the top flight. Carlos Azenha’s team have fought bravely in recent weeks, but a lack of quality in the squad has proven too big a hurdle to surpass.
Maritimo have not yet given up hope of snatching a Europa League berth, but to do so a win on Sunday against a struggling Academica is imperative. The Coimbra club are not entirely out of the woods yet in their fight to remain in the top flight, so this match most definitely does not fall into the category of a meaningless end-of-season encounter.
Naval have fought bravely against what looked like certain relegation after the first half of the season, but their heroic efforts will almost certainly have to been in vain if they fail to see off Nacional. The Madeira outfit have been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but remain very much in contention for qualification for Europe, needing to rise just one place in the table, with Rio Ave and Vitoria Guimaraes only one and two points ahead of them respectively.
Emotions are likely to be running high in Figueira da Foz on Sunday.
Braga are in the middle of the biggest European tie in their history. They will attempt to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Benfica at the Estadio AXA on Thursday, but first they must negotiate Uniao de Leiria in domestic play at the same venue.
Even the second-string side Braga coach Domingos Paciencia is likely to send out against Leiria should be too strong for a team that has collapsed spectacularly since the turn of the year. One win and four goals in 13 games in 2011 has seen Leiria plummet down the table and the atrocious run will likely read even worse come Sunday evening.
Rio Ave’s spectacular late run (7 wins in 9 matches) has catapulted Carlos Brito’s side from relegation battlers as recently as February into the Europa League qualification places. The target now is to hold on to or improve their current position of sixth in the standings. With veteran striker Joao Tomas continuing to find the net with unerring consistency, the visitors start the match strong favorites.
Like Braga, Benfica will probably view this game as more of an annoying distraction rather than a serious test as they focus all their energies on the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against the Arsenalistas on Thursday. It will be a big surprise if any of Benfica’s first-choice players are involved.
Olhanense will try to take advantage of the situation. A single point could go a long way to making absolutely sure of survival in the top flight for the Algarve team and a draw appears a good bet.
We are fast running out of adjectives to describe the magnificence of this FC Porto team. Indeed, club president Pinto da Costa went as far as to say that the 2010/11 vintage is a superior side to Jose Mourinho’s European champions of 2004.
Despite the Dragons being far more focused on the Europa League and the Portuguese Cup, Andre Villas-Boas has insisted his players retain a high performance level in the Liga. Even a fired up Vitoria Setubal, fighting for survival in the lower reaches of the division, are likely to be no match for Porto.
Rio Ave are the current incumbents, and Carlos Brito’s men will be hoping to consolidate their position with victory away at Beira-Mar. Any slip-up could let in Madeira duo Maritimo and Nacional, or Paços de Ferreira.
At the other end of the table, Vitoria Setubal take on champions FC Porto knowing that any point gained could prove crucial to their survival hopes, while defeats for Naval and Portimonense could signal the end of the line for them in the top flight.
Despite their creditable showing in the Bwin Cup final last weekend against Benfica, Paços de Ferreira failed to snap out of their poor run of results, losing narrowly to miss out on the chance of raising their first ever trophy. The defeat extends their winless run to seven games.
Truth be told, Vitoria Guimaraes have not been much better, winning just once in their last eight matches. Throw in the factor that it is a local derby and a low-scoring draw looks a likely outcome.
Victory is vital for Sporting to keep alive their hopes of overhauling Braga and finishing third in the Liga ZON Sagres. Having won only two of their last 14 matches that will be no straightforward task, despite playing the team lying bottom of the table.
In theory, motivation among the Lions should not be an issue. With wholesale changes in the close-season announced, many of Sporting’s squad are playing for a place in the Lisbon club’s plans for 2011/12.
Portimonense know that anything other than victory will condemn them to relegation after just a single season back in the top flight. Carlos Azenha’s team have fought bravely in recent weeks, but a lack of quality in the squad has proven too big a hurdle to surpass.
Maritimo have not yet given up hope of snatching a Europa League berth, but to do so a win on Sunday against a struggling Academica is imperative. The Coimbra club are not entirely out of the woods yet in their fight to remain in the top flight, so this match most definitely does not fall into the category of a meaningless end-of-season encounter.
Naval have fought bravely against what looked like certain relegation after the first half of the season, but their heroic efforts will almost certainly have to been in vain if they fail to see off Nacional. The Madeira outfit have been maddeningly inconsistent this season, but remain very much in contention for qualification for Europe, needing to rise just one place in the table, with Rio Ave and Vitoria Guimaraes only one and two points ahead of them respectively.
Emotions are likely to be running high in Figueira da Foz on Sunday.
Braga are in the middle of the biggest European tie in their history. They will attempt to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Benfica at the Estadio AXA on Thursday, but first they must negotiate Uniao de Leiria in domestic play at the same venue.
Even the second-string side Braga coach Domingos Paciencia is likely to send out against Leiria should be too strong for a team that has collapsed spectacularly since the turn of the year. One win and four goals in 13 games in 2011 has seen Leiria plummet down the table and the atrocious run will likely read even worse come Sunday evening.
Rio Ave’s spectacular late run (7 wins in 9 matches) has catapulted Carlos Brito’s side from relegation battlers as recently as February into the Europa League qualification places. The target now is to hold on to or improve their current position of sixth in the standings. With veteran striker Joao Tomas continuing to find the net with unerring consistency, the visitors start the match strong favorites.
Like Braga, Benfica will probably view this game as more of an annoying distraction rather than a serious test as they focus all their energies on the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against the Arsenalistas on Thursday. It will be a big surprise if any of Benfica’s first-choice players are involved.
Olhanense will try to take advantage of the situation. A single point could go a long way to making absolutely sure of survival in the top flight for the Algarve team and a draw appears a good bet.
We are fast running out of adjectives to describe the magnificence of this FC Porto team. Indeed, club president Pinto da Costa went as far as to say that the 2010/11 vintage is a superior side to Jose Mourinho’s European champions of 2004.
Despite the Dragons being far more focused on the Europa League and the Portuguese Cup, Andre Villas-Boas has insisted his players retain a high performance level in the Liga. Even a fired up Vitoria Setubal, fighting for survival in the lower reaches of the division, are likely to be no match for Porto.
