November to Now: The Season In Time Machine Mode

By: Greg | March 20th, 2008

fcap I figure that since I’ve been gone that the Portuguese Liga has been in dark mode to all of North America. Even though I wasn’t here diligently writing 10 cent a word bloggles, they were actually STILL playing football over on the continent that now uses my fine American currency to light cigarettes and wipe their bottoms with.

Instead of doing a weekly recap and catching up like a bazillion(how did this word not get caught by spell check?) jornadas, why don’t we just act as if I never left you? It’s sort of like when I broke up with an ex and then got together three months later. Things were said like “Oh, no, I didn’t even NOTICE any other gals while we were apart, honey!” But we know the truth. Things took place then like things took place in the Liga while I was gone, so let’s do a before and after shot, shall we?

Before Greg Left: Porto were dominating the league at the top of the table.
Now That Greg’s Back: Porto are dominating the league at the top of the table by an even bigger margin.

The only major, really newsworthy change is that Sporting have managed to plant their asses in fifth (FIFTH!) place behind Porto, Benfica, and the two Vitorias (Guimaraes and Setubal). On the flip side of that poopy development, Sporting are the only Portuguese team still alive in Europe and still capable of a “double” this year, as they’re in the finals of the Carlsberg Cup as well as the round of 16 in the UEFA Cup. I don’t know if you count off brand cups when saying a team captured a “double.” Maybe we can call it a “discount” double. Yeah, that’ll work: it’s catchy, alliterative, and condescending all at the same time (sort of like when I call my wife a ‘brainless broad’ because it sounds so much better and gets me in less trouble than ’stupid female dog’). Okay, okay, before my wife actually sees this and decides the couch is a good place for me to sleep tonight, here’s the whole table, as we stand right now:

1st – Porto — 57 **Champions League**
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2nd – Benfica — 41 **Champions League**
3rd – V.Guimarães — 41 **Champions League, Qualifiers**
4th – V.Setúbal — 37 **UEFA Cup**
5th – Sporting — 37 **UEFA Cup**
6th – Braga — 33
7th – Belenenses — 33
8th – Marítimo — 31
9th – Boavista — 31
10th – Nacional — 29
11th – E.d.Amadora — 25
12th – Académica — 23
13th – Naval — 23
14th – Leixões — 21
15th – P.Ferreira — 19 **Relegation**
16th – Leiria — 9 **Relegation**

For those who don’t know and are confused by asterisks with information in them, the top two finishers qualify for the group stages of the Champions League. Third place goes to the third round qualifiers of the Champions League. Fourth and fifth goes to the whogivesash *AHEM* UEFA Cup, as well as the winner of the newly established Carlsberg Cup. At this point in time, Sporting and V.Setubal are both qualified through league position and playing each other in the Carlsberg Cup final. If the league were to end today, the third UEFA Cup spot would go to the sixth place team (Braga).

There are no league matches this weekend due to a bunny with colored eggs and chocolate coming to town. The Carlsberg Cup final between Manchester United’s Minor League team and Jose Mourinho’s hometown team will take place this Saturday in the Algarve at 8:30 PM local time. We’ll sneak a peak at that tomorrow. Until then, Kisses ALL AROUND! Thanks again to everyone who welcomed me back so warmly, I’ve missed you like the deserts miss the rain.