With Benfica’s 3-1 victory over Sp. Braga, and Sporting’s 2-2 draw against Porto, the ‘lions’ lost the opportunity to celebrate the championship in April.
Rúben Amorim’s team could have celebrated the championship at Dragão – if their Lisbon rivals had wavered in their reception to the Minho team and if Sporting had beaten FC Porto.
The ‘green and whites’ continue to lead the first league, with 81 points. With five more points than Benfica (with nine still to be played), only a catastrophe would prevent the ‘lions’ from winning their second championship in four years.
Still, Sporting doesn’t need to wait for the penultimate round to become champions, they can do it next weekend.
However, the Alvalade team can only win the championship on the couch. Even if they win against Portimonense (6pm on Saturday), Sporting will only become champions if, in addition to winning, Benfica slips up. The ‘eagles’ travel to Famalicão (at 8:30 pm on Sunday).
In the penultimate round, Sporting plays at Estoril’s home, on May 11, and can celebrate the championship if, after the game, they are four points ahead of Benfica. The Reds’ penultimate matchday is at home, against Arouca.
Sporting and Benfica close the championship in games with Chaves (at home) and Rio Ave (away), respectively.
In case of equality on points – and once the two teams draw in direct confrontation – the tiebreaker criterion is the goal difference. In this criterion, Sporting leads with a wide advantage (a balance of 60 goals, against 46).
Tags: Sporting depends Benfica celebrate championship Football
