Paços de Ferreira fans have enjoyed the most successful season in their club's history. On Sunday, a week after claiming a spot in the qualification round of the Champions League next season, Paços will get a chance to spoil the anticipated title party for Porto.
A last minute victory over Benfica on Saturday will not only have the Porto players full of confidence, but they now only depend on themselves to reclaim the title. Is Vítor Pereira's side going to be able to handle the euphoria heading into the Mata Real, or will this season's surprise team make things interesting?
We will take a look at their previous meetings and any potential patterns that could have any influence on the match come Sunday afternoon.
History Is Not In The Hosts Favor
From 15 meetings at the Mata Real Stadium, the hosts have only managed to emerge victorious on two occasions.
- 05/11/03 Paços de Ferreira 1-0 Porto
- 02/05/01 Paços de Ferreira 1-0 Porto
Other than those two meetings, Paços has only managed to draw three times, and lost 10 matches.
- 03/25/12 Paços de Ferreira 1-1 Porto
- 12/19/10 Paços de Ferreira 0-3 Porto
- 08/16/09 Paços de Ferreira 1-1 Porto
- 02/20/09 Paços de Ferreira 0-2 Porto
- 09/23/07 Paços de Ferreira 0-2 Porto
- 05/13/07 Paços de Ferreira 1-1 Porto
- 11/06/05 Paços de Ferreira 0-1 Porto
- 01/10/04 Paços de Ferreira 0-2 Porto
- 05/05/02 Paços de Ferreira 1-2 Porto
- 03/06/94 Paços de Ferreira 0-2 Porto
- 02/06/93 Paços de Ferreira 1-2 Porto
- 02/16/92 Paços de Ferreira 0-3 Porto
Although their track record at home against Porto is not the most flattering, if there has ever been a chance for Paços to take points from the current Portuguese Champions, the time is now.
They not only are third in the Portuguese League having already guaranteed a European spot, but they have been playing an attractive and consistent style of football. With only one defeat at home all season, the Auri-Verdes will not only have their fans behind them, but every Benfica fan will be rooting for Paulo Fonseca's side.
Undefeated In Their Last Match
Playing at home in front of their fans, Paços will have more of an incentive to close out their brilliant campaign in a positive way. If recent history is any indication, Sunday's match should not only have goals, but it should be yet another fascinating match at the Mata Real.
Neither side has lost their final match of the Portuguese League in quite some time. For Porto, the last side to defeat them on the final day of the season was in the 1999/00 campaign, when they lost 3-1 away to Gil Vicente. Since then, the Dragões have not lost a final match.
Paços de Ferreira's streak does not go back as far, but ironically their last defeat on the final day of the season came against Porto. On May 9, 2004, Paços was defeated 3-1 at the Estádio do Dragão.
While Porto has the upper hand in both of the scenarios mentioned, a home game and the opportunity to turn the Portuguese League on its head should be plenty of motivation for Paulo Fonseca's squad. Will that have any influence on the match knowing they realistically have nothing more to play for?
Can Paços de Ferreira keep their streak alive of not losing in their final match, or is Porto's momentum heading into the final match going to be too much for the hosts to handle?
