Whilst Benfica boss Rui Vitória can do no wrong there is intense media speculation about the future of Jorge Jesus at Sporting Lisbon and Nuno Espírito Santo’s position at FC Porto.
Benfica’s thirty-sixth league title came courtesy of a scintillating performance against Vitória de Guimarães who had won their previous seven games and had their sights set on a third-place finish should Sporting slip up.
But the home side were in no mood to take it easy and after just eleven minutes Cervi knocked home a rebound after Jonas’ shot had been saved by Douglas.
Five minutes later it was game over as Benfica keeper Ederson chalked up an assist as he set-up Jiménez to calmly skip past Douglas with a flick over the keeper’s head and nod the ball into an empty net. Two further goals before half-time meant the Benfiquistas were on top of the world and the partying could start.
It was Pizzi who got the third, before Jonas, with an audacious chip from outside the box, made it four. Jonas added a fifth midway through the second-half from the penalty spot after Moussa Marega was adjudged to have fouled Cervi. FC Porto have once again had to settle for runners-up spot after drawing five of their last seven games.
While Porto had the best centre-back partnership and arguably the most talented individual player in the guise of Algerian dribbler extraordinaire Yacine Brahimi their failure under pressure has cost them dearly.
Their 4-1 win at home against Paços de Ferreira will have done little to pacify the fans whose displeasure is reflected in their poor gates of late. Porto have gone through five managers (excluding caretaker coaches) since the start of their last title-winning season in 2012-13; could Nuno Espírito Santo soon be joining their number? A second successive defeat for Sporting and their manager Jorge Jesus has resulted in all the Portuguese newspapers speculating on his future.
Feirense’s Nigerian international, Oghenekaro Etebo, almost gave the home side the lead but it was the visitors who found the back of the net first when Gelson converted Bas Dost’s pass after nineteen minutes.
Shortly afterwards, Tiago Silva levelled the score and the same player grabbed the winner midway through the second-half. Vaná, in the home goal, pulled off a series of fine saves to deny the Lions an equaliser.
Tondela won 2-1 at Arouca to keep alive their chance of avoiding the drop and joining Nacional in the Segunda Liga next season. Newly promoted SC Portimonense, who scrapped a hard fought 3-2 win against 10-man Olhanense, will be hoping for victory against Santa Clara in the Azores on Sunday to guarantee the Segunda Liga title.