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footballportugal Podcast – 22/09/09

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

After our sluggish start to the season we’re now firing on all cylinders, Sporting Braga style, and dishing up the finest podcast about Portuguese football in English you could hope to listen to.

There were some big games this weekend, none more so than Braga’s 5th consecutive victory over the tetracampeões FC Porto. Permanently on-loan Portista Alan got the vital and rather fluky goal that won the game. At the bottom of the league, there was an early season relegation six-pointer which permanently-managerless Setúbal amazingly won against a Naval side whose chicotada psicológica (check the glossary) must have left a lot to be desired. The other big game, on one of Portugal’s islands, was the Madeiran derby between Nacional and Marítimo, whose manager Carlos Carvalhal must be feeling the heat after his side failed to beat a Nacional team down to ten men for the whole of the second half.

In part 2 we review Leixões’ first victory of the season against Guimarães whilst covering the young Leixões striker Tiago Cintra with plaudits; he really does look good and is Portuguese! There were two boring 1-1 draws, and we skate over them before talking about Benfica’s victory over Leiria – possibly fortuitous depending on whether you think Benfica deserved the penalty which won them the game. Here’s FIFA’s rule on “Dangerous Play”,

Playing in a dangerous manner is any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens damage or harm to someone (including the player himself). It is committed with an opponent nearby and prevents the opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury. The action becomes an offence only when an opponent or the player himself is affected.  Playing in a dangerous manner involves no physical contact between the players. If there is a physical contact, the offence becomes a careless, reckless or excessive force offence punishable with a direct free kick or penalty kick.

Finally, in Part 3 we give you an update on the new direction the ‘Apito Dourado’ (Golden Whistle) scandal has taken and we talk a little bit about next weekend’s Portuguese general elections.

Keep the comments coming, spread word of the podcast far and wide, and thanks for listening.

Steve and Phil

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footballportugal Podcast – 15/09/09

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

We return, better later than never, for a simple one part podcast which should hopefully give you all the information you need to delve into this 2009/10 Portuguese football season.

Braga maintain their 100% record with a hard fought but impressive victory away at Maritímo. Benfica are looking amazing, thrashing all comers and scoring 4 away at Belenenses at a Benfiquista packed Restello. Porto overcome a weak Leixões, Hulk returning to score a penalty but without Lucho Gonzalez, they still don’t look a cohesive unit. Rio Ave are the suprise team of the season so far, getting a good win over Nacional who seemed to be concentrating more on their Europa Cup fixture against Werder Bremem. Sporting got a good win against tricky oppoistion Paços de Ferriera, Liedson resolving once again. The two promoted teams both won, Leiria heaping the misery on Setúbal fans, their team has conceded 12 goals in 2 games and Olhanense beat Académica despite being reduced to 9 men. Guimarães recorded their first win of the season with a comfortable 3-0 victory at home to managerless Naval.

Keep your comments coming and let us know whether you agree or disagree with our opinions. Apologies for our time spent on beaches in Italy or pubs in England, but we’re back and 100% podcast-focussed, so any comments will be replied to with the greatest of promptness!

Thanks for listening,
Steve and Phil

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footballportugal Podcast – 16/03/09

Monday, March 16th, 2009

With the quality of Portuguese football being severely questioned in the wake of Sporting’s 12-1 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, we spend the first part of this week’s podcast asking how it was all possible and who was to blame. We bring you up to date on the reactions in the press and of sportinguistas, some of whom were incensed enough to send a death threat to certain people at the club. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom; both Braga and Porto demonstrated that Portuguese domestic football is alive and well, with Porto going through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Braga earning a well-deserved draw away in the first leg of their UEFA Cup last 16 tie against PSG.

In part two we focus on the Liga. Benfica’s first home defeat of the season, at the hands of Vitória de Guimarães, has more or less handed the title to Porto. Sporting are now a point ahead of Benfica but 4 points behind Porto and statistics suggest that they’ll have to make history to catch up with the Dragões. Braga drop not only points but their faith in facsimile communication and life in next season’s Liga Vitalis is increasingly becoming a possibility for Trofense and Belenenses. On top of all this, we tell you about Portugal’s B-Team, predict the winner of next weekend’s Carlsberg Cup and discuss whether Quique Flores likes to get lost on his way to Benfica’s training ground.

Keep the comments coming. We’ll be with you again next week.

Thanks for listening,

Steve and Phil

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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

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footballportugal Podcast – 27/10/08

Monday, October 27th, 2008

With Porto looking as vulnerable as they did the last time they lost the Liga here in Portugal, being deservedly beaten 2-3 at home to Leixões, it was up to Benfica and Sporting to take advantage. Benfica just about did, beating Naval 2-1 at home. However, Sporting wasted their opportunity to gain points on the Dragons, only managing a 0-0 draw against Paços de Ferreira in a boring game at Mata Real. Sitting top of the table are Nacional, who beat Setúbal 1-0 at home thanks to a Nené penalty. Phil reports on Belenenses against Vitória Guimarães, where Zé Pedro scored both goals in a 1-1 draw. The picture below shows the almost empty stadium during the game, which was played on a beautiful autumn evening. Some people just don’t know what they’re missing. So, Nacional are on equal points with Leixões whilst Benfica trail a point behind in 3rd place with 12 points. We review all of this and more in part 1 of the podcast.

Porto’s misery at the weekend only built upon the despair felt by the Portistas who witnessed their side’s first home defeat (0-1) in 20 Champions League games against Dynamo Kiev last Tuesday. Despite Porto’s failure, it was a great week for Portuguese teams in Europe, with victories for Sporting and Sporting Braga, and Benfica came home from Berlin happy to take a point which could have been three were it not for a terrible tactical decision by Quique Flores, replacing the effective Katsouranis with the ineffective Carlos Martins in the 71st minute of the 1-1 draw, inviting Hertha Berlin to score the equaliser. This will all be discussed in part 2 along with our reaction to Portsmouth’s sour grapes after being royally whipped by Braga in the UEFA Cup.

Finally, in part 3 we give an update on Vitória the eagle’s bid for freedom from the Luz, on Nacional’s old lady claque, and a blow by blow account of each stone thrown (allegedly) at Cristian Rodrigues’ car by the Porto claque Super Dragões last Saturday night.

Keep in touch! Please leave your comments; we know you’re out there and listening so please let us know what you think of the podcast or what’s happening in the Portuguese league right now. Leave your messages on the comments section of the site, or e-mail us at info@footballportugalpodcast.com

Thanks for listening!

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