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24/08/05
Chelsea have fined Portuguese cente-back Ricardo Carvalho 125,000 euros for recent comments made to sports daily A Bola, where he complained about not getting regular first team
football.
19/08/05
Following on from the expulsion from the Liga de Honra of Alverca and Felgueiras
for debts to the State (the latter may even have to close its doors), it was revealed Friday that the top clubs also owe some 24 million euros. The weekly financial paper Semanário Económico said that
Benfica and Sporting owe 2.5 and 2.7 million euros respectively, but that FC Porto
has its accounts in order. The reason the top clubs have not been expelled are that they have either submitted appeals to the notice of debt, or are negotiating a painless method of payment of it.
18/08/05
With debts to the taxman and coaching staff and players, Liga de Honra (second division) side Felgueiras will not now be able to participate in the season's competition, joining Alverca
in the same boat. Their places in the division have been offered to two clubs that were relegated last season, Gondomar and Chaves, and if either of these sides does not take up the offer, it will
be extended to Sporting Espinho, also relegated. The games involving the two clubs on the opening day this weekend have been cancelled.
16/08/05
The 'Yugoslavian' coach who won the Portuguese title with Benfica in 1975, 'Misha' Pavic, has died aged 85. Pavic also had a season at Sporting (1978/79), as well as spells at Atlético Madrid
and Red Star Belgrade, among other clubs.
15/08/05
England coach, Seven-Goran Eriksson, has told the BBC that José Mourinho
could be his successor in the job. "He has personality, he's a good organiser and he's excellent at motivating his players", said the Swede, who has a contract with the FA until 2008 but could well leave after the 2006 World Cup. Mourinho, in turn, is on record as saying he would like to be Portugal coach in ten years.
Former Boavista and Benfica midfielder Erwin Sanchez
has been banned for 18 months by the Bolivian Football Association for head-butting a referee in a game in March. The Bolivian Sanchez, nicknamed the South American Platini, was also Boavista coach for half of the 2003/04 season. At 36, he will now surely hang up his boots.
Portugal lost the Final of the 10th Beach Football World Cup in Portimão, Algarve, Sunday to eternal rivals Brazil, 4-9. France were third, beating the Ukraine 7-6
. It was Brazil's eighth title.
14/08/05
Benfica won the SuperTaça Saturday, beating Vitória de Setúbal 1-0 in front of 26,000 at the Estádio do Algarve. Neither team really impressed, although it was Benfica who had most
of the play. Their goal, however, came from a move that started with a foul by Geovanni on Ricardo Chaves, not given by a weak referee, Olegário Benquerença. When the ball broke, Beto sent it through to an on-song
Nuno Gomes
who had all the time in the world to turn and sweep it in past Moretto. That was on 51 minutes, and Benfica quite comfortably held on to the lead, despite late chances for Dembele, Fábio and Sougou, all squandered.
It was only Benfica's fourth victory in this pre-season trophy, the last 15 years ago.
The record by club is:
F.C. Porto, 21 presences/14 wins
Sporting, 6/5
Boavista, 4/3
Benfica, 14/4
V. Guimarães, 1/1
Sp. Braga, 2/0
U. Leiria, 1/0
E. Amadora, 1/0
Beira Mar, 1/0
Leixões, 1/0
Belenenses, 1/0
V. Setúbal, 1/0
13/08/05
Saturday's curtain-raiser to the season, the SuperTaça between Benfica and Vitória de Setúbal, is set to be a sell-out. There are just 2,000 tickets left for the game (available from 11.00
a.m. Saturday), to be played at the 30,000-capacity Estádio do Algarve. Only around four thousand tickets were taken up by Vitória fans. The SuperTaça Cândido de Oliveira is played every season and pits the SuperLiga champions (Benfica) against the winners of the Taça de Portugal (Vitória) from the previous season.
Alverca have decided not to register to play in this season's Liga de Honra (second division) due to severe financial difficulties. Their place in the division may be taken by Gondomar
, or it may be decided that the division goes ahead with 17 clubs instead of 18.
Former Sporting captain/ midfielder Pedro Barbosa has hung up his boots at the age of 35. Barbosa spent a decade at Alvalade
but left under a cloud after being released rather brusquely by the club at the end of last season. He was previously at Vitória de Guimarães.
11/08/05
Former Marítimo coach Mariano Barreto, who has been out of a job since the middle of last season after he resigned, has joined Saudi club Al Nassr, which was once coached by Artur Jorge.
10/08/05
FC Porto coach Co Adriaanse has once again left club captain Jorge Costa and left back Nuno Valente out of the squad to face Penafiel
Wednesday, but this time, it appears that the central defender has an injury to a knee.
Liga de Honra club Alverca, facing extinction if it doesn't come up with 2.5 million euros in four days, is claiming a large debt from Benfica for the transfer of Pedro Mantorras
to the Luz
in 2001. Manuel Fernandes, the Chairman of the club's General Assembly, said: "It's a significant amount of money that would be enough to keep a squad at Alverca for two seasons." The General Assembly was to meet Tuesday but could not because of the absence of key shareholders.
Vitória de Setúbal have passed four thousand of their allocation of tickets for Saturday's SuperTaça on to Benfica. The 30,000 capacity Estádio do Algarve
is expected to be near to full, with around 24,000 benfiquistas and the rest supporters of Taça de Portugal winners Vitória.
05/08/05
Club captain Jorge Costa has once again been left out of the FC Porto squad, this time to face Tottenham in London on Saturday. Also out are left back Nuno Valente and winger
Ricardo Quaresma. The decision by coach Co Adriaanse, following a similar decision for the mini-tour of Holland, would seem to suggest that the emblematic Costa is not part of the Dutchman's plans
for the coming season.
03/08/05
Sporting are the highest Portuguese club in the world club ranking of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), published Tuesday. The Lions stay at 21, Benfica
are up one to 27 and FC Porto are down one to 77. The ranking is topped by Inter Milan, followed by AC Milan and Liverpool.
Benfica full back Miguel has pressed charges for verbal abuse against the journalists
who pressed charges against him for assault after incidents in a discoteque in the Algarve Saturday (see below). If Miguel were found guilty of a criminal act, the maximum sentence would be three years imprisonment. If the case is only heard in the civil courts, the maximum compensation would be 750,000 euros.
02/08/05
Benfica confirmed Monday that they will be changing the name of the famous Estádio da Luz before the end of the year for commercial purposes.
The club also confirmed that the passses of five of its players
are collateral for the cost of building of the stadium, along with gate receipts and tv rights. The guarantees were given to construction company Somague, which is still owed 19.3 million euros for the work, to be paid in installments. The players are
Petit, Dos Santos, Giovanni, Fyssas and Carlitos. Should any of the players be transferred, another pass of a similar value will be offered as guarantee.
Meanwhile, Benfica full-back Miguel, in dispute with the club, was reportedly involved in a disturbance at popular Algarve discoteque Casa do Castelo
Saturday. He and a group of friends allegedly hit and kicked some freelance photographers who were working a party at the Albufeira nightspot. The journalists will apparently press charges.
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