Portuguese football : Portuguese Super League 2011/2012 season preview

Andre Villas-Boas won treble with Porto

Managed by 33-year-old Andre Villas-Boas in his first ever season as a manager, Porto has achieved a trophy treble: league championship, Europa League Cup and the Portugal Cup. They also won the league opener, the Super Cup, at the beginning of the season. They are also the first team to complete a Portuguese league season undefeated since Benfica in 1973.

Champions and Cup winners: Porto (Champ. League group stage)
Runners-up: Benfica (Champions League 3rd qualifying round)
Third place: Sporting (UEFA Europe League)
Fourth place: Braga (UEFA Europe League)
Fifth place and Cup finalist: Guimaraes (UEFA Europe League)
Sixth place: Nacional (UEFA Europe League)
Relegated: Portimonense, Naval
Promoted: Gil Vicente, Feirense

Benfica, 2009/10 champions, clinched second place and a berth in the qualifying phase of the UEFA Champions League. Sporting, Braga, Guimaraes and Nacional secured the UEFA Europa League. Portimonense and Naval were relegated, while Gil Vicente and Feirense take their places in the Portuguese top flight.

#	team	points	g.dif.	win-draw-loss
1	Porto	84	57	27-3-0 (30)
2	Benfica	63	30	20-3-7 (30)

3	Sporting	48	10	13-9-8 (30)
4	Braga	46	12	13-7-10 (30)
5	Guimar.	43	-1	12-7-11 (30)
6	Nacional	42	-3	11-9-10 (30)
7	P.Ferreira	41	-7	10-11-9 (30)
8	Rio Ave	38	2	10-8-12 (30)
9	Maritimo	35	1	9-8-13 (30)
10	Leiria	35	-13	9-8-13 (30)
11	Olhane.	34	-10	7-13-10 (30)
12	Setubal	34	-13	8-10-12 (30)
13	Beira Mar	33	-4	7-12-11 (30)
14	Academ.	30	-16	7-9-14 (30)

15	Portimon.	25	-20	6-7-17 (30)
16	Naval	23	-25	5-8-17 (30)

The Portuguese football league standings for season 2010/2011.

Paciencia takes over Sporting, Braga appointed Jardim

Domingos Paciencia has been confirmed as Sporting coach after agreeing a two-year contract with the Lisbon club. The 42-year-old arrives from league rivals Braga, whom he guided to UEFA Europa League final. Paciencia began his coaching career with Leiria in 2006 before moving on to Academica and then Braga.

Braga have unveiled Jardim as their new coach following Domingos Paciencia's departure. The 36-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the club having left Beira-Mar in February.

This page is introduction to the 2011/2012 Portuguese Super League season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main Euro Football > Portugal page.

Vitor Pereira repleace Andre Villas-Boas

Just one day after Andre Villas-Boas resigned as manager of Porto, the Portuguese champions have unveiled Vitor Pereira as their new coach. Pereira, 42, has signed a two-year deal having spent last season as Villas-Boas's assistant as Porto won the Portuguese league and cup double as well as the UEFA Europa League. Pereira said that his promotion to the role of coach represented the realisation of a long-held ambition. In the past he trained Santa Clara and Espinho.

team	titles	2006/07	2007/08	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
Benfica	32	3	4	3	1	2
Porto	25	1	1	1	3	1
Sporting	18	2	2	2	4	3
Braga	-	4	7	5	2	4
Nacional	-	8	10	4	7	6
Maritimo	-	11	5	9	5	9
Pacos Ferreira	-	6	15	10	10	7
Setubal	-	14	6	14	14	12
Academica	-	13	12	7	11	14
Guimaraes	-	-	3	8	6	5
Leiria	-	7	16	-	9	10
Rio Ave	-	-	-	12	12	8
Olhanense	-	-	-	-	13	11
Beira-Mar	-	15	-	-	-	13
Gil Vicente	-	-	-	-	-	-
Feirense	-	-	-	-	-	-

The overall number of titles since 1934 for each club in Portuguese Super Liga and their league standings in the last five seasons.

Odds by bookmakers

Porto lost coach Andre Villas-Boas but they maintain their winning squad (although we are still a few weeks away from the end of the transfer window) and it's no surprise they are the bookmaker's favorite to win the Portuguese championship this season.

Last year was a very tough for Benfica but they reinforced their squad for the new season (Artur, Garay, Capdevila, Witsel, Perez ...) and coach Jorge Jesus already proved he could lead the team to the title.

Sporting finished 36 points behind Porto in one of their worst league campaigns in the last two decades but a lot has changed. After an unprecedented overhaul that has resulted in 14 new faces in the squad and new coach Domingos Paciencia they harbour high hopes of returning to their glory days.

team	odds	team	odds
Porto	1.5	Olhanense	200
Benfica	3	Rio Ave	200
Sporting	8	Academica	350
Braga	19	Beira-Mar	350
Guimaraes	100	Setubal	350
Nacional	100	U. Leiria	350
Maritimo	150	Gil Vicente	500
P.Ferreira	150	Feirense	1000

The preseason odds for the outright winner of the 2010/11 Portuguese football league

Portuguese Cup finals in last five years

2007 Sporting - Belenenses 1:0
2008 Sporting - Porto 2:0 (after extra time)
2009 Porto - Pacos Ferreira 1:0
2010 Porto - Chaves 2:1
2011 Porto - Guimaraes 6:2

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key players
(with transfer market value in m€)

Academica Coimbra

Goalkeeper Romuald Peiser (1.6); Defense: Markus Berger (1.4), Orlando (1.2), Cedric Soares (1.1), Adrien Silva (1.9), Marinho (1.3), Diogo Valente (1.2), Hugo Morais (0.9), Diogo Melo (0.8); Forward: Eder (1.3), Ibrahim Sissoko (0.4).

Beira-Mar

Goalkeeper Rui Rego (1); Defense: Andre Marques (0.8), Vasco Fernandes (0.8), Yohan Tavares (0.7), Pedro Moreira (0.7); Midfield: Cristiano (2), Rui Sampaio (1), Alexandre Hauw (0.9), Siaka Bamba (0.8); Forward: Douglas (1.1), Artur (0.9).

Benfica Lisbon

Goalkeeper Eduardo (6.5); Defense: Ezequiel Garay (10), Luisao (9.5), Maxi Pereira (9.4), Joan Capdevila (7); Midfield: Nicolas Gaitan (10.5), Axel Witsel (10), Javi Garcia (9.4), Pablo Aimar (6.5); Forward: Oscar Cardozo (15), Javier Saviola (7.5).

Braga

Goalkeeper Quim (1.2); Defense: Nuno Andre Coelho (1.8), Marco Ramos (1.5), Elderson (1.3); Midfield: Hugo Viana (7.5), Marcio Mossoro (4.2), Leandro Salino (3.5), Helder Barbosa (2.6); Forward: Pizzi (4.6), Alan (4.2), Lima (4).

Feirense

Goalkeeper Paulo Lopes (1.2); Defense: Serginho (0.5), Luciano (0.4), Varela (0.4); Midfield: Andre Fontes (0.7), Miguel Pedro (0.6), Cris (0.5), Thiago (0.5), Pinheiro (0.5); Forward: Carlos Fonseca (0.7), Rabiola (0.7).

Gil Vicente

Goalkeeper Jorge Baptista (0.5); Defense: Richard (0.7), Junior Caicara (0.6), Daniel (0.4), Paulo Arantes (0.4); Midfield: Hugo Vieira (0.5), Joao Vilela (0.4), Pedro Moreira (0.3); Forward: Luis Carlos (0.5), Laionel (0.5), Andre Cunha (0.3).

Guimaraes

Goalkeeper Nilson (2); Defense: Joao Paulo (1.8), Bruno Teles (1.5), Alex (0.7); Midfield: Pedro Mendes (5.9), Tiago Targino (2.5), Joao Alves (2), Leonel Olimpio (1.4); Forward: Edgar Silva (2.5), William (1.4), Paulo Sergio (1.1).

Leiria

Goalkeeper Gottardi (0.8); Defense: Jose Shaffer (1.3), Diego Gaucho (0.7), Patrick (0.7); Midfield: Manuel Iturra (1.2), Marcos Paulo (0.6), Tiago Terroso (0.5), Ruben Brigido (0.5); Forward: Luis Leal (0.8), Caca (0.8), Bruno Moraes (0.7).

Maritimo

Goalkeeper Romain Salin (0.9); Defense: Robson (1.6), Joao Guilherme (1.3), Alonso (1.2); Midfield: Selim Benachour (1.5), Rafael Miranda (1.3), Roberto Sousa (1), Tcho (0.8); Forward: Baba (3), Christian Pouga (1), Danilo (1).

Nacional Funchal

Goalkeeper Elisson (0.3); Defense: Felipe Lopes (3.1), Danielson (1.5), Nuno Pinto (1), Claudemir (0.9); Midfield: Luis Alberto (1.3), Dejan Skolnik (0.9), Joao Aurelio (0.8); Forward: Mario Rondon (1.9), Mateus (1.7), Diego Barcelos (1.1).

Olhanense

Goalkeeper Hugo Ventura (0.9); Defense: Joao Goncalves (1.1), Andre Pinto (0.9), Mauricio (0.6); Midfield: Fernando Alexandre (1), Nuno Piloto (1), Ivanildo (0.8), Mateus Borges (0.8); Forward: Djalmir (0.9), Dady (0.9), Wilson Eduardo (0.8).

Pacos Ferreira

Goalkeeper Cassio (0.8); Defense: Ozeia (0.8), Javier Cohene (0.5), Jason (0.3); Midfield: Manuel Jose (0.8), Andre Leao (0.7), Filipe Anunciacao (0.5), Carlitos (0.5); Forward: Caetano (0.9), Michel (0.9), Cicero (0.5).

Porto

Goalkeeper Helton (6.2); Defense: Rolando (14), Alvaro Pereira (10), Nicolas Otamendi (7); Midfield: Joao Moutinho (20), Fernando (14), Fredy Guarin (9.5), Fernando Belluschi (8.8); Forward: Hulk (28), Falcao (25), Silvestre Varela (9.5).

Rio Ave

Goalkeeper Paulo Santos (0.5); Defense: Wires (1), Tiago Pinto (0.7), Milhazes (0.6); Midfield: Bruno China (1.5), Braga (1.3), Vitor Gomes (1.2), Tarantini (1); Forward: Yazalde (1.8), Joao Tomas (0.9), Saulo (0.8).

Setubal

Goalkeeper Diego (1.2); Defense: Miguelito (1.5), Ney Santos (0.7), Amoreirinha (0.6); Midfield: Jose Pedro (1.4), Neca (1.4), Bruno Amaro (1.3), Hugo Leal (0.9); Forward: Claudio Pitbull (1.6), Miguel Fidalgo (1.5), Jorge Goncalves (1.1).

Sporting Lisbon

Goalkeeper Rui Patricio (9.7); Defense: Daniel Carrico (9.3), Joao Pereira (9), Alberto Rodriguez (5.8); Midfield: Matias Fernandez (8.3), Diego Capel (8), Simon Vukcevic (5.8), Stijn Schaars (5.5), Yannick Djalo (5.2); Forward: Helder Postiga (6.7), Ricky van Wolfswinkel (6).

Portuguese Super Liga pages

Portuguese Super League statistics, news and predictions
Portuguese Super League standings
Portuguese Super League transfers
Season 2011/2012 preview - key players, 2011 standings