17/06/06 Coach Manuel José has taken Al-Ahly to their fifth title this season with a 3-0 win over Zamalek
(coached by Manuel Cajuda) to take the Egyptian Cup. This season Al-Ahly have won the Egyptian league title, the Egyptian SuperCup, the African SuperCup and the African Champions League. 15/06/06
Sporting Braga will officially present their squad to the fans on 5 August in a friendly against Sporting at the Braga Municipal Stadium (21.00).
The nomination of referees for Liga matches will be moving from the Liga to the Federation. A new sports law seeks to separate the entity that nominates the referees from the one that
evaluates them. União de Leiria
could be wihout a home next season. They have been playing in the Estádio Municipal in Leiria, built for Euro 2004, but the public company that runs the stadium reportedly owes the club 780,000 euros. União have
been in contact with local councils to sound them out about using another stadium, but the councils of Marinha Grande, Fátima and Torres Novas have all turned the club down. Vitória de Setúbal
have signed a partnership deal with the once great Vitória de Bahia, now languishing in the Brazilian third division. The offices of Estrela da Amadora
were burgled in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The sporting director's computer and some important documents were stolen. 13/06/06 Benfica
midfielder Nuno Assis has received a 6-month ban for the use of an illegal substance. As he has already served most of the ban, he will be able to return on 4 August. Belenenses
have filed criminal charges against member of the Liga's Disciplinary Committee after the latter went back on their previous decision to relegate Gil Vicente from the Liga
and replace them with Belenenses. The Lisbon club will also appeal to the FPF Council of Justice and will take the case to FIFA. 10/06/06 The Liga
Disciplinary Committee decided Friday to shelve Belenenses' claim that Gil Vicente
should be relegated in their place because of irregularities in the so-called 'Caso Mateus' (see below). Belenenses have said that they will be taking the case to the Public Prosecutor's Office. 09/06/06
The presidents of four clubs from the centre of Portugal, Naval, União de Leiria, Académica, and newly promoted Beira-Mar,
met Thursday to discuss ways of attracting more paying customers to their grounds. The latter three all play in 30,000-seat stadiums built for Euro 2004, but none of the teams attract more than 5,000 per game,
except for games against the Três Grandes Benfica, Sporting and FC Porto. 08/06/06
The Liga has decided that Gil Vicente will be relegated to the Liga de Honra in place of Belenenses (see here). Gil are to appeal to the Football Federation. Former Portugal coach Humberto Coelho is set to join Al-Shabab of Saudi Arabia. He has also been coach of South Korea and Morrocco. 05/06/06 Benfica
are the top Portuguese team in the world club rankings, according to the latest statistics from the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Benfica are in 67th place (down from 66
th), FC Porto are in 71st (up from 82nd) and Sporting stay 91st. Top of the rankings are Liverpool. 04/06/06
Former Sporting coach José Peseiro has signed a one-season contract with Saudi Arabia's biggest club
Al Hilal, which has nine players in the Saudi squad for the World Cup. Al Hilal were coached by Artur Jorge in the 2001/02 season. FC Porto will prepare the new season in De Lutte, Holland,
between 17 and 28 July. They will play four friendlies during that time against: Stevo Gestereen, Rohda Raalte, Groningen and Rigtersbleek. |
