Portugal: Weekly Round-Up

Simão said that Benfica will always be in his heart, but if the truth be told, he’s been trying to leave the club for at least two seasons, first Liverpool and then Valência being favourites to sign him. Once again, it’s dosh that does the talking; Simão will earn twice what he was getting at Benfica. The crunch catalyst for him actually moving now, however, may well have been his own personal nightmare: the prospect of having to wear Benfica’s shocking new pink away strip every other week …

Simão joined Benfica in 2001 from Barcelona after learning his trade with Lisbon rivals Sporting, and he’s been very good value. He cost 12 million euros, and in his 113 Liga games he scored 75 goals, 94 in all competitions, although the majority of them were from free-kicks or penalties. He was voted Player of the Year 2006/07 by the Liga coaches, and his influence, or lack of it, was immediately felt in Benfica’s lame performance at the weekend against African giants Al-Ahly; Benfica went down 1-2 against the side coached by the former Luz-man Manuel José. The Pinks’ goal was scored by Nuno Assis in his first game back after suspension for doping, but he isn’t a strong enough player to kill the saudades Benfiquistas will be feeling for Simão this season. Nor will the latest signings, American Freddy Adu and Argentinian Angel di Maria, be likely to fill the experienced former captain’s boots; they are after all only 19.

The sale of Simão has made it possible for Benfica to more than balance the books for the summer. Sports daily O Jogo reported that the club has taken 23 million euros from sales with an outlay of 17.5 (including 9 for Paraguayan Óscar Cardozo). Rivals for the title Sporting and FC Porto have done even better. Sporting have spent 6.5 million for, among others, Vukcevic from Lokomotiv and Purovic from Red Star, and have taken 29 million, Nani (Manchester United 25.5) and Ricardo (Bétis, 2) the main money-makers. But FC Porto are the champions so far in terms of cash rolling in: Anderson (Manchester United, 31.5) and Pepe (Real Madrid, 30) have helped swell takings to 69 million, while just 13 million has left the coffers, Ernesto Farias (River Plate, 4) and Stepanov (Trabzonspor, 3.5) costing the most.

However relatively little the Big Three have spent on reinforcements, in contrast, two of the clubs that might be the most likely to challenge for the top spots, Sporting Braga and Vitória de Guimarães, have spent next to nothing: Braga have recruited 11 players on a free transfer and one on loan. Vitória have signed 11 on frees and two on loan. Such is the financial logic of the Portuguese Liga.

Sporting Braga had a good pre-season run in Holland, winning six out of six, but then returned home to be beaten 0-1 by local rivals Gil Vicente of the Liga de Honra (second tier). It was FC Porto that showed the best form of the week. In a triangular tournament to celebrate Italian side Atalanta’s 100th anniversary, Os Dragões beat first Red Star 1-0 (with a spectacular overhead kick by Adriano) and then the hosts by the same score (Lisandro López). The common factor to both games? Deadly crosses from Ricardo Quaresma. Porto then made the short trip across town to comfortably beat Boavista 3-0 in front of just 3,000 at the 30,000-seater Bessa, the goals coming from Tarik (2) and Hélder Postiga, both seemingly on their way out of the Dragão. Boavista, with grave financial difficulties, have signed some promising new players on the cheap, but it will take time for them to get working together as a team. A disappointing Sporting could only draw 1-1 at home to Spanish side Recreativo de Huelva in the official presentation of the squad to the fans. Paraguayan midfielder Carlos Paredes got Sporting’s goal and failed to celebrate it; a piece of body language revealing that he is less than happy at the club, perhaps?