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footballportugal Podcast – 29/03/10

Monday, March 29th, 2010

It’s the season-deciding podcast in two parts!

In the first part we discuss the sell-out at the Estádio da Luz last weekend between Benfica and Braga. In a nervy game which failed to reflect the strengths of either side, Benfica scraped a 1-0 victory to go six points clear at the top of the table. Elsewhere, Izmailov writes his letter of apology to Costinha but isn’t allowed to play in Sporting’s 3-2 away defeat at the hands of Marítimo, “super” Simana Pongolle scoring an own goal with practically his first touch of the ball.

In part two we discuss the Football Federation’s decision to  reduce the bans imposed by the Liga on Hulk and Sapunaru to three and four games, respectively. FC Porto will now seek compensation for the loss of the players over the three-month period they were prevented from playing. We also have a round-up of the rest of the weekend’s action.

We’ll be back next week with more football talk from Portugal. Please keep your comments coming, and thanks for listening.

Steve and Phil

footballportugal Podcast – 01/02/10

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Scandal and controversy are the main themes of this week’s podcast, with phone taps, bribes, prostitutes, punch-ups and mass brawls taking the headlines in the Portuguese football newspapers.

But we’ve still got some football to report and report it we shall! In part 1 we give the once over on another Braga win which was blessed with as much good fortune as it was stoic defending. Porto’s new signing Rúben Micael makes an impressive debut at his old club Nacional but in their 0-4 they had a bit of help from the referee. Benfica impressed at home to Guimarães, especially Carlos Martins, who must’ve eaten three Shredded Wheat for breakfast that morning.

In part 2 we talk about Braga allegedly attempting to bribe Leixões; Hulk and Sapunaru going ape in the Benfica tunnel and getting caught on camera; Pinto da Costa getting his phone tapped and calling Sporting’s kit man “a retard”; and Sá Pinto choosing a well placed punch on Liedson’s face over a career as Director of Football for Sporting,

Please keep your comments coming. Say anything you like, but just let us know that you’re listening and hopefully that you appreciate what we’re doing. 

Thanks for listening,

Steve and Phil

footballportugal Podcast – 01/06/09

Monday, June 1st, 2009

In our last Podcast of the season, we cast an eye over this year’s Taça de Portugal Final, won … perhaps inevitably … by FC Porto over first-timers Paços de Ferreira. A single, early goal by Lisandro López, possibly his last for Porto, gave Porto the 6th dobradinha (‘double’) in their history. Phil describes a bit of the atmosphere surrounding the Big Day, and we talk about the controversy regarding the use of the National Stadium (Jamor) for the Final. Elsewhere in the first part, there’s mention of an eerie mist and a tasty but tooth-ruining pão com chouriço.

In the second part, we reveal the listeners’ Top Five Players of the Year (thanks to all those who sent in their votes!) and give our own ideas on Best Players, Best Coach, Best Club … and Worst Hair, among other prestigious awards (trophies delivered to footballportugal Podcast Towers under armed police escort).

And so we leave you for the summer. We’ll be back in late August, at least in written form (here and at www.footballportugal.com.pt), with the podcasts to be resumed in mid-September.

Hope you’ll join us then.

Have a great summer! (… and for those of you in the southern hemisphere … as good a winter as possible …)

Steve and Phil

footballportugal Podcast – 02/03/09

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

Portuguese teams had mixed fortunes in Europe last week. Porto impressed, with Christian Rodriguez and Hulk playing out of their skins against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League. Porto should’ve won the game by a fistful of goals but instead came away with a 2-2 draw, a result they may come to regret by the end of the second leg. On the other hand, Sporting suffered their worst home defeat and the heaviest European home game defeat for any Portuguese team on Wednesday when they were esmagados by Bayern Munich 5-0. The result left the ultras claque of Sporting, Juve Leo, singing for Paulo Bento to make good use of … er … someone’s excited manhood. In the aftermath of these big European fixtures, the Porto v Sporting clássico was something of a disappointment, ending 0-0 and with little to show except some ugly fouls and angry words between the players.

The one team who did profit from this result were Benfica, who beat Leixões 2-1 in a dramatic game at the Luz. We report on this and the 104th Benfica Gala, which took place last Saturday at the Casino Estoril. It’s a happy return for Carlos Carvalhal as his new team, Maritimo, beat his old team, Vitoria de Setubal, 5-1, helped by a Babá hat trick.

Keep the comments coming, let us know who won the BES league if possible and below you should find a picture of Senhora Steve in a close embrace with Dirk Kuyt.

Thanks for listening,

Steve and Phil

footballportugal Podcast – 23/02/09

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

We’re both beginning to believe here at footballportugal that this 2008/09 season of the Portuguese Liga has to be one of the most exciting and competitive for many years. Porto have extended their lead at the top of the table to 4 points over Benfica and Sporting, but their place at the top of the table is by no means secure, the sports papers in Portugal accusing the Dragões of over-reliance on the as-ever excellent Hulk, who put in another superb display against Paços de Ferreira. The Lisbon derby saw Sporting deservedly beat Benfica 3-2, Liedson the man of the match, but all of the Leões played well and they must be hoping for a good result at home against Bayern Munich in the Champions League this Wednesday. One team that is proving themselves in Europe is Sporting Braga, whose 3-0 demolition of Standard Liege left Phil running to the bookies, eager to place £5 of his hard earned cash on the Arsenalistas to win the UEFA Cup. Braga suffered from tired legs the following weekend but still managed to grind out a 1-2 away win against Naval.

In part 2 we report on the problems at Vitória de Guimarães, whose likeable manager, Manuel Cajuda, seems to be under pressure following the 0-1 home defeat to plucky Trofense. One manager whose time is up is Marítimo’s Brazilian Lori Sandri, who, despite guiding the Madeiran team to just outside the UEFA qualification places, is not deemed good enough by the Marítimo president following his team’s 3-1 defeat at Academica.

Along with the reviews of the rest of the weekend’s games, we touch on the main topic of conversation in Portuguese football right now: Liedson’s probable Portuguese naturalisation and the subsequent availability for the Portuguese national team. Will the Brazilian be able to resolve Carlos Queiros’ striker headaches?

Please keep the comments coming, especially your opinions regarding Liedson … and any corrections regarding who Paulo Bento played for in Spain will be gratefully accepted.

Thanks for listening,

Steve and Phil