Even though I hope they win to help improve Portugals UEFA ranking....I gaurantee Porto doesn't get by Arsenal. In fact, I predict that Arsenal wins easily with a 6-2 aggregate (3-0 & 3-2 in the dragao) Sadly, Portugal make it out of group stages in WC, and then beat Spain.....but then lose to a lesser opponent in the quarter-finals. Argentina, yes I said it, will win the WC2010. And sadly, Benfica will lose this years EUROPA League final on PK's. Rio Ave to win the Portuguese Cup, Benfica takes the Carlsberg Cup. As for our domestic results.....I am predicting Benfica, Porto, Braga, Leiria, Maritimo and Sporting finish (In that order) Any thoughts about my predictions??? please post some of your predictions.

Yea it's pretty easy to get worked up over all of this. I guess that's what makes this sport and league so great, it's all about passion. I get guys up here in Canada that don't understand how we can get so worked up over these clubs and national teams, its like they are part of your family. Hey at least we aren't German, the one's around here are always depressing.

Since we're in the habit of pointing out facts, I'd like to add a few I think we all would be wise to remember. Simao led the Seleccao with 5 goals(I'll admit should have had 8-10) in the WC qualifiers, followed by Nani with 4. Another interesting tid bit of information is CR7 the golden child had Zero-0. Yet CR7 remained the Captain. Ronaldo is a wonderful talent at the club level, but when it comes to the world stage he reminds me of Ricardo "can't play outside of Potugal" Quaresma. That being said I still believe he has to be on the starting 11. If not only for the fact that teams have to game plan for him and that allows things to open for other players. Nani has to learn to play with more composure. I love to watch him play he is a player with impeccable class. Yet he loses form and can get lost in games from time to time. Simao is the same player game in game out. Having someone like Duda or Bosingwa gives the Seleccao tremendous attacking ability. However it also leaves the team open to Counter Attacks. Which is how a defensive minded team like Denmark manages to defeat us. They wait for the other team to revael an opening and pounce. Having both Nani and Ronaldo on the pitch is attractive, but against a Denmark squad could prove to be hazardous. I would prefer to see a defensive back four of Bosingwa and Rolando at the R+L backs. With Carvalho and Alves in the center. Than have Miguel Veloso be the CDM against teams like Brazil and Spain. I know it's a more conservative mindset, but it allows the team to use the Nani and Ronaldo wings, with Deco in the middle of it all (Ruben Micael and Joao Moutinho have to raise the level of play Deco's legs won't last the whole WC and Meireles is anonymous at the world level nevermind not creative enough). From there it's Liedson and Makukula (some may disagree, but he's been in spectacular formthis year). There is too much uncertainty with Pepe and his injury to factor him into the Seleccao, pity really he was in very good form.

Just thinking out loud....Forca Portugal!!!!!!!

Porto have 17 championships in the past 25 years... How many people did they pay off to get those?
They got caught with boa, but how many times did they never get caught..
Porto - cheaters and their fans are just as worse

Your funny with your facts, you forgot to point out why Boavista is in the 3rd division. O I remember they where found guilty of taking bribes from Porto to throw games so Porto would win more games. The non-funny part is the fact that Porto only got a slap on the hand, I wonder who they paided off?

Anyways if you want to compare you can look at how Benfica has still won the most titles and if you want something more current go look at Benfica on top of the table again. LOL

I must say you are a godsend. Your flashy rhymes, your long novels, and your lack of enthusiam for futbol clearly makes me feel unworthy in this "add your comment" forum. I understand a great writer like you must be vexed, otherwise you wouldn't have to rant, on and on and ON. I mean nice imagery with the electric chair, I really felt like I was going to be fried and served with BBQ sauce. (LOL)

Please do me a favor and continue writing these nugatory (I love words) anecdotes more often. What would you classify your genre? Oh wait a second...I don't care. Thanks for the exceptional read however, it was thoroughly inveigling.

Benfica and Porto are great teams but Porto's negative fans that attack Portuguese players is the reason why Benfica have more fans in Porto's own backyard, just read this FIFA article: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/stories/classicderby/news/ newsid=1015039.html Facts and figures Benfica remain Portugal's most successful side overall, with 31 league golds, while Porto are their closest challengers on 23. The sides have won Europe's top club prize twice apiece. The Lisbon giants have over 160,000 registered paying members, and 14 million worldwide. Moreover, they earned a Guinness World Record in 2006 for being the sport's best-supported club. Ironically, Benfica also enjoy a bigger fan-base in the north than Porto.

Lex you need to cool your comments agenist all Portuguese teams and national team players on all theses articles. Benfica in the history of all Euro competitions is ranked 8th.

I agree that Porto have been stronger over the past couple of years but I can easily point out how Benfica have dominated over time.

Benfica have rebuilt and just gave the english clubs the worse defeat in their history, that's something you should be proud of if you support the Portuguese league. Unlike you, most people here will cheer for all Portuguese teams for any cups out side of Portugal.

I knew Benfica would win, but not by three goals...Great performance from the men in red and I hope we get Porto in the final...Also CarGolo's goal is officially the goal of the season...What a rip...

Forca Benfica!!!

What a honour this is to my porto...a benfica versus sporting game and the name on everyone's lips is porto,wow! I'm honestly tired of hearing this story of bribing refs by porto,benfica, or whoever. Soccer matches are won on the pitch. I'm not denying that thus far benfica have been the better team in the liga(in relation to porto that is),they have,but as a porto fan i've got to keep hope that we continue to play they way we have of late and in so doing the championship is up for grabs. There was a french man,nicolas boileau-despreux, who said: "tout ce qu'on dit de trop est fade et rebutant" (that which is repeated too often becomes insipid and tedious)

OK, Benfca once again beats a team with only 10 players... this is getting old. Now, lets be honest here - all you guys that think Joao Perrira's tackle deserved a straight red I want to draw your attention to a few things: 1) it was in the SIXTH minute of the match - yes this matters, its much too early for the referee to stamp his presence on the game with a sending off; 2) Pereira NEVER TOUCHED Ramires - as nasty as the tackle looked, there was no contact between the players as Ramires jumped over the tackle; and 3) by way of legitimate comparison - compare Joao Pereira's tyackle on Ramires to the tackle FCP's Fucile suffered from a Naval player tw days ago... Fucile was violoently tackled by the Naval player in a very similar fashion to what Pereira did, the only difference being Fucile was actually tackled and hurt. This happened around the 30th minute of the match, and the referee gave the Naval player a yellow. I challenge you guys to honestly compare the two tackles and see which one was worse... I'm not suggesting Benfica is cheating by paying off the referees (although anything is possible). What I am saying is these referees seem to love Benfica, and don't miss a single oportunity to give them the advantage.
Btw - Tom I love your articles, but you really go to far when you say the referee had no choice but to issue a red for Pereira's foul... c'mon man - it was the 6th minute, compare that foul to the one Fucile suffered - a yellow would have been appropriate without fuc*ing the game 6 minutes into it!

when u pay refs to win a league title(even just if its 1 title) u get money from more shirt sales, higher attendance, donations from rich fans, and you face other european teams in champs league broadening the club etc etc... all this equalls more money more than the other leauge teams WHICH allows u to buy better players, so my point is if all those years ago porto never cheated they probably wouldn't have won much at all, also to u saying its ok if pinto da costa cheats but don't get caught, would it be ok for me to cheat on my girlfriend aslong as i dont get caught? answer = no it wouldn't, think about that for a sec maybe itll help

Another wondeful victory over the Lions. Silverware is coming back to the SLB. Looking forward to the upcoming Uefa Cup matches against Hertha Berlin. We should take both games handily.

With regards to those of you who doubt the call for a red card. I have a eye doctor for you. Or is it only a foul when it happens to your team.....Hmmmm.

As far as Pinto goes...seriously you can be that ignorant to doubt the financial implications that would result in sending down Porto to the second league. The Liga powers that be have no spine when it comes to the big 3.

Again great game for the Aguias.

I am a PT Benfica fan.. mostly because of the absurdity of the Portuguese Liga or else I would watch it more.. this is across the board.. you can't watch a decent game without the referee's totally bolloxing the easiest calls.

But I watched half of this game and thought the referee was one of the better ones.

Dave I usually have minimal to say about you but dude you are way off this planet.

It is the Portuguese Super Cup.. very few people give a crap any way.. in any colour..

I was upset over the weekend by Sporting losing and Benfica coming to a draw against the worst team in a crap league.. this trophy ain't worth the poop.. not to mention the other stupid trophy they have played in.

Since they did away with the Cup Winners Cup it is worthless any of those Portuguese Nut Tickling Trophies, or Super Vag Fightfests are.......

WORTHLESS.

So for you to get your panties all crunchy over nothing.. proves that you don't have a grip on reality. The real stuff happened on the weekend.

Forget about which dick you suck whether it is red, green, or blue.. if you are too wrapped up then you don't have a clue.

Wow I have the dopest rhymes.. lol
I should pimp out Jay- Z or as I like to call him.. Lay- Z.. as in lazy mofo...lol

I cheer all the pork chop teams and J. Baptiste said it the best with his balanced report.. there is rampant bollocks from probably the worst referee's in the sport.. but if Porto didn't do what they did.. we would barely have a spot in Europe.. alongside the english and spanish that spend a big dollar because they know they can get dollars... and the Italians that would sell their mommas to the nearest pimp for a win in Snoria A.

Funny how the Italian's putting everyone to sleep and cheating has cost them money.. nobody wants to watch Snoria A as the Premier League is signing Billion Dollar Deals.. coincidenence.. I think not..

Here is the equation:

A: Less Cheating + B: Less Douche Bag Players = Profits & TV Deals

Unfortunately FIFA hasn't got the memo yet because Italy has a few World Cups none of which they won without a large chunk of A & B...

So I praise Porto, Sporting, and Benfica for their trophies over the years and expect many more in every shade of colour and size.

Being a PT Benfica fan I am not happy that Sporting is not doing well.. I don't like the fact that instead of nurturing players.. they are ruining them.. the same can be said at a few clubs.. but Sporting's failures upset me.. because I am a PT Sporting Fan.. and Porto not doing well has been good but only because it is there turn to sit with no animosity.

So all this incestual kissing and mollestation of a sibling or close relatives does not turn me on, especially as it does some of you.. who concentrate more on the colour of underoos than you do at the facts of the big thing over you.

Dave if you were half awake you would have realized that the Ref on the weekend, who is consistently off I might add.. and missed many calls including 3 penalty shots and gave many unwarranted cards and some obscure fouls.. was none other than a Porto Ref.. that is his hometown and association.

Benfica should've had an earlier penalty shot than the one they had.. and Setubal who was playing a game of attack and tackle the first guy with his ears defense.. should've been running high yellows by the first half.. and would've been forced to play real football..

Any moron with any coloured glasses saw that.. except for you. I am not saying that you are a Moron.. but we have to make further inquiries.. an investigation is warranted by your actions.

But if it makes you feel better we have the moron Reffing the weekend game handling your case.. so the death penalty is your only concern. He will forego all lesser charges until you get freedom or the chair.

Personally I love a good BBQ and even though I like you.. I am voting for some high voltage.. I have a new camera I want to test with a quick release, and high shutter speed.

Anyone have some original texas BBQ sauce..?

I hear it is the best for Pork Chop's..lol

Kidding...

Why don't we all agree to elevate not only the liga but also the fans who follow it.

We have a very attrative game that unlike the Italian's that can be sold as a sleep remedy.. has a lot of potential.. all we need to rid of is the lousy officiating and we will be top 3 in Europe and the world for leagues.. a lot of interest in the Liga from all over the world because of the Portuguese National Team.. we could definitely cash in on that as a country and league.. if we were smart about it..


Oooops I talked about smart and the FPF in the same sentence..lol that is an oxy-moron...lol

moron being the fed..lol

for the porto fans the motto is " let them talk now, and cry later" . They have been crying for 15 years because were better. We know porto is better so dont resort to their level.
Let them talk about pinto paying refs because they do it to make themselves feel better. it doesnt take our trophies away from us. Benfica fans always say they have the best team then they lose and their excuse is that pinto pays refs... its getting old.
Pinto is a businessman and even if he does it he doesnt get caught. Which makes him clever. Maybe these benfica fans have a short memory but they are in a financial crisis haha. Along with performing disastrous these last 20 years they have so much debt that they are expecting to sell di maria, cardozo, saviola to make up for it. Money doesnt grow on trees like benfica fans think.

ok david i think your blind b/c every1 knows that porto are cheating fags, and every1 but you think that it was a good red card b/c pereira clearly jumped like 50 feet in the air and lunged at rameries. but its ok david go beet off to your mother

You always go to that. Nothing was OFFICIALLY proven to show corruption. I love how some Benfica fans go after Porto with this nonsense just because they feel threatened. Porto is better then, now, and way in to the future and you just can't admit it. Now for the second time in the last two matches Benfica's games have been made considerably easier, whether it be a last minute penalty that Cardozo MISSED or a 7 minute in RED CARD. Plus RED cards for the bench for both games. Let's see what happens next game. Believe me if Porto are PROVEN corrupt, then there is no doubt that Benfica trumps them in that category. Don't paint yourselves as innocent little bystanders. Cheats.

I just saw that highlight, that sporting player jumped in the air and did a double leg drop kick on that guy's leg. That's a crazy challenge and I'll be surprised if they don't fine that guy.

remember ur a porto fan go on youtube and check out pinto da costa on the phone planning to pay refs it deserved a red so y are u talking without pinto da costa there would be no porto actually there would be no cheating refs

A dangerous foul is still a foul if it comes at the start of the game or at the end of the game. The time of the infraction has nothing to do with the severity of the foul. Keep on pulling for Sporting. They could not win this game with twenty men on the field. You Porto fans are really funny with accusations of cheating. Look at the you tube videos of Pinto and bribes. Your team has been caught red handed and has been a laughing stock of Europe for quite some time now. Please do not call me a tunnel vision Benfica fan because I do not support Benfica.