Alex Gonçalves

INCREDIBLE!! SCU Torreense are Portuguese Cup champions!! They do the unthinkable, beating Sporting in the final to become the first EVER second division side to win Portugal's biggest cup competition! They will enter the group stage of the Europa League, at Benfica's expense!

🚨 Francesco Farioli tells me there is "no doubt" he's staying at Porto despite links with several top clubs. Relationship with Andre Villas-Boas key to Farioli's decision. Full interview this Thursday on Market Madness.🎙️

This was quality from Braga last week - they tease us that João Moutinho is 'hanging up his boots' - before revealing that the story continues! The 39-year old Portuguese legend extends his stay at Braga.

@fmeetsdata How much money do Torreense get for reaching the Europa League league phase?

🇵🇹 Torreense winning 🏆 Taça de Portugal may not be a bad thing for Portugal's coefficient at all. ✅ We project 5/5 Portuguese teams in league stages in 26/27, as both 🇵🇹 Benfica and 🇵🇹 Braga are seeded all the way in qualifiers! Had 🇵🇹 Famalicao entered the qualifiers, they'd be unseeded in 🟢 UECL PO, with a high risk of going out there. With 🇵🇹 Benfica in 🟠 UEL, and Braga in 🟢 UECL qualifiers, that risk is significantly lower. Plus, 🇵🇹 Braga will likely be among Top 5 favorites to win 🏆 UECL, so their point-winning potential in that competition is HUGE. Big enough to make up for 🇵🇹 Torreense's low point expectation in 🟠 UEL. Only once had Portugal had a club in 🟢 UECL group/league stage, and that omission has hurt them significantly in coefficient ranking. So if 🇵🇹 Benfica and 🇵🇹 Braga do their job in summer qualifiers and don't make an epic blunder there, Portugal is a serious contender to attack 🇫🇷 France on #5 in country ranking next season! 👉 Probability analysis and projected paths for ALL 237 TEAMS currently sitting on a European place in all 54 UEFA members available in our 🕹️ Simulator

@fcp1992 Yep, sounds like they've got everything in place to compete in Europe. They've learned from the problems Aves and Moreirense have previously encountered.

@Aljeeves @Aljeeves will they play in Europe? Did they register and or do you think the league will let them go remember in 2018 the league didn’t let AVS go or they didn’t register one of the two

INCREDIBLE!! SCU Torreense are Portuguese Cup champions!! They do the unthinkable, beating Sporting in the final to become the first EVER second division side to win Portugal's biggest cup competition! They will enter the group stage of the Europa League, at Benfica's expense!

@SimbaWalker6x @fcp1992 @fmeetsdata It's fairly standard practice across European leagues that the cup winner goes directly into the Europa! It's just unusual that it's a team of the stature of Torreense that manage it.

@fcp1992 @Aljeeves @fmeetsdata Very true. Liga never ceases to amaze me.

Look at the teams Torreense could play in the Europa League next season, while being a second division side! Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiakos, Marseille, Bournemouth, Sunderland... What an unexpected adventure awaiting the town of Torres Vedras! Image from @fmeetsdata

@joaozinhoSLB @fcp1992 @SimbaWalker6x @fmeetsdata I'm much more optimistic. Benfica will still get to the Europa League, Braga, as long as they don't get screwed by the draw, should get to the Conference League and do very well in it. 5 teams in the league phase - which doesn't happen very often! Torreense is then a free hit.

@fcp1992 @SimbaWalker6x @Aljeeves @fmeetsdata Were completely cooked if they go,our coefficient will SUFFER

@SimbaWalker6x They'll have to confirm it but they were taking steps to make sure they could be in Europe after what happened to the likes of Aves and Moreirense previously.

@Aljeeves Is Torrense even registered?

Torreense win the Portuguese Cup from the second division and qualify DIRECTLY for the Europa League league phase, ahead of Benfica! Benfica go from Europa League league phase to Europa League qualifiers. Braga go from Europa League qualifiers to Conference League qualifiers.

Second division Torreense on the brink of winning the Portuguese Cup! They lead Sporting 2-1 with under 10 minutes to go, and are on the verge of becoming the first EVER second tier side to win the Portuguese Cup. This would also qualify them for next season's Europa League!

This belongs to all of us.

Portugal's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup! No Mateus Fernandes, no Palhinha, no Alberto Costa, no Paulinho who's tearing it up in Mexico. Some debatable decisions, but one thing is sure; this is a squad stacked with quality. Cast your eyes over the upcoming world champions:

🚨EXCL: Raul Jimenez has said there is a 'possibility' he could return to Wolves. There have been early talks between the club and player about a potential deal for the striker who is out of contract in the summer. Story w/ @lukew_powell #wwfc expressandstar.com/sport/football…

FT: Freiburg 3-1 Braga (agg. 4-3). Argh, what a shame. A red card for Braga in the 7th minute somewhat ruined this as a tie, and Braga fall at the semifinals. One of those days, just a shame it would happen today. Take nothing away from them though, what a campaign from Braga.

@santobacalhau These guys are used to making offside decisions and tracking both the passer and the defensive line/attacker at the same time, I think they're more than capable of noticing when a goalkeeper comes off their line, particularly when it's as obvious as that.

@Aljeeves Like I already said here in the comments, the goal-line refs are only watching the goal line that’s a real fact and it’s their job but they’re not paying attention to when the player takes the penalty, the goalkeeper can move forward however he wants as soon as the ball is kicked

Unai Emery lambasting the officiating vs Nottingham Forest is a good time to recall what happened when his Sevilla side beat Benfica in the Europa League final in 2014. Look at Sevilla goalkeeper Beto for the penalty shootout. He didn't complain much then

@santobacalhau Sure, but there are two officials on the line just there to watch the goalkeeper on his line, is VAR really needed?

@Aljeeves The difference is there was no VAR back then

High praise from Unai Emery for Portuguese referee João Pinheiro after the Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa game, saying he was "fantastic" and "10/10" all game. For the Portuguese VAR, not so much!

FT Braga 2-1 Freiburg. Advantage Braga in the battle for a place in the Europa League final thanks to a last minute winner. Goals from Tiknaz and Dorgeles. A word on João Moutinho though, aged 39, a top class 90 minute display and integral to Braga clinching victory!