2020–21 Primeira Liga

The 2020–21 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) is the 87th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. The season started later than usual, on 18 September 2020, due to the delayed end of the previous season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is scheduled to conclude on 16 May 2021.

Primeira Liga
Season2020–21
Dates18 September 2020 – 16 May 2021
Matches played142
Goals scored339 (2.39 per match)
Top goalscorerPedro Gonçalves
(12 goals)
Biggest home winSporting 4–0 Tondela
(1 November 2020)
Biggest away winBoavista 0–5 Porto
(26 September 2020)
Highest scoringPorto 4–3 Tondela
(5 December 2020)
Longest winning run6 matches
Braga and Porto
Longest unbeaten run16 matches
Sporting
Longest winless run6 matches
Farense
Longest losing run4 matches
Gil Vicente
Highest attendance837
Santa Clara 0–0 Gil Vicente
(3 October 2020)[note 1]
Lowest attendance0[note 2]
All statistics correct as of 8 November 2020.

This is the second Primeira Liga season to use video assistant referee (VAR). As was the case at the end of the previous season, there will be limited or no attendance in the stadiums besides each team's staff and personnel.

Porto are the defending champions, having won their 29th league title in the previous season.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, since March 2020, in contrast with various European leagues, the Primeira Liga began playing matches behind closed doors. On 13 September, Sporting CP confirmed that three players had tested positive for coronavirus, leading their pre-season match against Napoli to be cancelled due to the orders of the Portuguese Ministry of Health.[1] The following day, Sporting confirmed that four players and a member of their staff had tested positive for coronavirus.[2] Meanwhile, Gil Vicente confirmed that fifteen players had tested positive for coronavirus, leading also their pre-season match against Vitória de Guimarães to be cancelled.[3] Three days later, Sporting confirmed that their manager Ruben Amorim and another player tested positive for coronavirus, with both going into self-isolation.[4] On 17 September, it was announced that the Gil Vicente and Sporting fixture on matchday 1 would be postponed, following direct orders from the Portuguese Ministry of Health, after it was confirmed that Gil Vicente had four more positive cases of coronavirus.[5]

On 3 October, Santa Clara faced Gil Vicente in matchday 5 at the Estádio de São Miguel, in Ponta Delgada, Azores, in a match, which was the first one to allow spectators in Portugal, with the stadium being limited to 10% of its capacity (1,000 spectators).[6] Ten days later, it was announced that Paços de Ferreira's Pepa had tested positive for COVID-19, leading him and his staff being placed in quarantine as a preventive measure, forcing him to miss Paços de Ferreira's match against Santa Clara on October 18 at matchday 4.[7]

Teams

Eighteen teams compete in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season and two teams promoted from the LigaPro. Nacional and Farense were promoted on 5 May 2020 by decision of the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, after the suspension of the 2019–20 LigaPro due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. This decision was made based on UEFA's recommendations, focusing on sporting merit, as these teams were in first and second place of the LigaPro, respectively, at the time of cancellation.[8]

Nacional came back to the top division one season after being relegated, while Farense secured their return after a 18-year absence. They replaced Desportivo das Aves and Vitória de Setúbal, who were relegated after three and sixteen seasons in the top flight, respectively.

Stadia and locations
Location of teams in 2020–21 Primeira Liga (Mainland)
Location of teams in 2020–21 Primeira Liga (Madeira)
Location of teams in 2020–21 Primeira Liga (Azores)
Team Location Stadium Capacity [9] 2019–20
Belenenses SAD Oeiras Estádio Nacional 37,593 15th
Benfica Lisbon Estádio da Luz 64,642 2nd
Boavista Porto Estádio do Bessa 28,263 12th
Braga Braga Estádio Municipal de Braga 30,286 3rd
Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão Estádio Municipal 22 de Junho 5,307 6th
Farense Faro Estádio de São Luís 7,000 2nd (LP)
Gil Vicente Barcelos Estádio Cidade de Barcelos 12,504 10th
Marítimo Funchal Estádio do Marítimo 10,932 11th
Nacional Funchal Estádio da Madeira 5,132 1st (LP)
Moreirense Moreira de Cónegos Parque de Jogos Comendador
Joaquim de Almeida Freitas		 6,153 8th
Paços de Ferreira Paços de Ferreira Estádio Capital do Móvel 9,076 13th
Portimonense Portimão Estádio Municipal de Portimão 6,204 17th
Porto Porto Estádio do Dragão 50,033 1st
Rio Ave Vila do Conde Estádio dos Arcos 9,065 5th
Santa Clara Ponta Delgada Estádio de São Miguel 13,277 9th
Sporting CP Lisbon Estádio José Alvalade 50,095 4th
Tondela Tondela Estádio João Cardoso 5,000 14th
Vitória de Guimarães Guimarães Estádio D. Afonso Henriques 30,000 7th

    Personnel and sponsors
    Team Manager Captain Kit
    Manufacturer    		 Main Sponsor
    Belenenses SAD Petit Silvestre Varela Lacatoni Kia Motors
    Benfica Jorge Jesus Jardel Adidas Emirates
    Boavista Jesualdo Ferreira Javi García Kelme VITO Tools
    Braga Carlos Carvalhal Fransérgio Hummel Betano
    Famalicão Jorge Silas Gustavo Assunção Macron Porminho
    Farense Jorge Costa Cássio Scheid Adidas Bostik
    Gil Vicente Ricardo Soares Rúben Fernandes Lacatoni Las Kasas
    Marítimo Milton Mendes Edgar Costa Nike Betano
    Nacional Luís Freire Rúben Micael Hummel Santander
    Moreirense Vasco Seabra João Aurélio CDT
    Paços de Ferreira Pepa Marcelo Joma Aldro Energy
    Portimonense Paulo Sérgio Dener Mizuno Ceremony
    Porto Sérgio Conceição Pepe New Balance MEO
    Rio Ave Miguel Cardoso Tarantini Nike MEO
    Santa Clara Daniel Ramos Osama Rashid Kelme Santander
    Sporting CP Rúben Amorim Sebastián Coates Macron NOS
    Tondela Pako Ayestarán Ricardo Alves CDT Cabriz
    Vitória de Guimarães João Henriques André André Macron

    Managerial changes
    Team Outgoing manager Manager Date of vacancy Pos in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Ref.
    Santa Clara João Henriques Mutual consent 24 July 2020 Pre-season Daniel Ramos 28 July 2020 [10]
    Vitória de Guimarães Ivo Vieira 24 July 2020 Tiago Mendes 28 July 2020 [11]
    Boavista Daniel Ramos 25 July 2020 Vasco Seabra 30 July 2020 [12]
    Rio Ave Carlos Carvalhal 25 July 2020 Mário Silva 30 July 2020 [13]
    Marítimo José Gomes Signed for Almería 27 July 2020 Lito Vidigal 30 July 2020 [14]
    Braga Artur Jorge End of caretaker role 28 July 2020 Carlos Carvalhal 28 July 2020 [15]
    Benfica Nélson Veríssimo 1 August 2020 Jorge Jesus 3 August 2020 [16][17]
    Tondela Natxo González Mutual Consent 5 August 2020 Pako Ayestarán 9 August 2020 [18]
    Vitória de Guimarães Tiago Mendes 8 October 2020 10th João Henriques 13 October 2020 [19]

    Season summary

    League table
    Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
    1 Sporting CP 16 13 3 0 34 9 +25 42 Qualification to Champions League group stage
    2 Porto 17 12 3 2 39 17 +22 39
    3 Braga 17 12 0 5 30 16 +14 36 Qualification to Champions League third qualifying round
    4 Benfica 16 10 3 3 30 16 +14 33 Qualification to Europa Conference League play-off round
    5 Paços de Ferreira 16 9 4 3 24 13 +11 31 Qualification to Europa Conference League second qualifying round
    6 Vitória de Guimarães 15 9 2 4 20 13 +7 29
    7 Santa Clara 17 6 4 7 18 20 −2 22
    8 Moreirense 17 5 6 6 15 21 −6 21
    9 Tondela 16 5 3 8 15 25 −10 18
    10 Marítimo 16 5 2 9 16 22 −6 17
    11 Nacional 16 4 5 7 15 21 −6 17
    12 Belenenses SAD 17 3 7 7 8 14 −6 16
    13 Rio Ave 16 3 6 7 11 20 −9 15
    14 Portimonense 17 4 3 10 14 23 −9 15
    15 Boavista 16 2 8 6 16 27 −11 14
    16 Famalicão 17 3 5 9 17 30 −13 14 Qualification to Relegation Play-off
    17 Farense 16 3 4 9 16 23 −7 13 Relegation to Liga Portugal 2
    18 Gil Vicente 16 3 4 9 11 19 −8 13
    Updated to match(es) played on 4 February 2021. Source: Liga Portugal
    Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head away goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Matches won; 7) Goals scored; 8) Play-off.

    Positions by round

    The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.

    Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
    Sporting CP33222111111111111
    Porto21533444333223222
    Braga1517126432244444443
    Benfica1211123322233234
    Paços de Ferreira91515131281056666555
    Vitória de Guimarães13149576865555666
    Santa Clara54346568771077987
    Moreirense477959111313119108778
    Tondela1212171615161214161417131311129
    Marítimo16947911141518127898910
    Nacional85688105710138911141411
    Rio Ave1111131510779991316101010
    Belenenses SAD66810141213128101412151711
    Portimonense101316141617181717181815161213
    Famalicão1810111211149101181214171315
    Gil Vicente14810111315171112151111121516
    Boavista71614171713151615161617181818
    Farense17181818181816181417151814161718
    Leader and UEFA Champions League group stage
    UEFA Champions League group stage
    Champions League third qualifying round
    Europa Conference League third qualifying round
    Europa Conference League second qualifying round
    Relegation to Relegation Play-off
    Relegation to Liga Portugal 2
    Updated to match(es) played on 30 January 2021. Source: Liga Portugal (in Portuguese)

    Results
    Home \ Away BEL BEN BOA BRA FAM FAR GIL MAR MOR NAC PAC PTM POR RAV STA SPO TON VSC
    Belenenses SAD — 2–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 0–2 0–0 0–0 1–2 2–0
    Benfica 2–0 — 2–3 3–2 2–0 1–1 2–1 2–1 a a 2–0
    Boavista 0–0 3–0 — 1–4 0–5 1–1 0–2 0–1
    Braga — 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 3–0 0–1 a
    Famalicão 1–5 2–2 — 0–1 2–1 0–2 1–4 1–1 2–2 0–1
    Farense 3–1 3–3 — 3–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 a 0–1 0–1 1–1
    Gil Vicente 0–0 0–2 1–2 — 0–1 1–0 2–0 1–1 1–2
    Marítimo 1–0 1–2 0–0 — 0–0 0–3 1–2 2–1
    Moreirense 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 2–1 — 0–1 2–2 1–0 2–2
    Nacional 0–0 3–3 2–1 2–1 a 0–1 — 1–1 1–3 0–2 2–0
    Paços de Ferreira 1–1 2–0 2–0 — 3–2 2–0 2–1 0–2
    Portimonense 1–0 1–2 0–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 — 1–2 0–2
    Porto 1–1 a 3–1 1–0 2–3 3–0 2–0 3–1 — 2–0 a 4–3
    Rio Ave 0–3 0–0 1–3 2–0 3–0 — 1–2 0–0
    Santa Clara 2–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–0 0–1 — 1–2 0–4
    Sporting CP 1–0 2–0 1–0 3–1 2–1 2–2 1–1 — 4–0
    Tondela 3–1 0–4 1–0 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 — 0–2
    Vitória de Guimarães 0–1 0–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 1–0 2–3 0–4 —
    Updated to match(es) played on 4 February 2021. Source: Liga Portugal
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
    For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

    Statistics
    As of 17 January 2021

    Top goalscorers
    RankPlayerClubGoals
    1 Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP 12
    2 Sérgio Oliveira Porto 7
    Rodrigo Pinho Marítimo
    Thiago Santana Santa Clara
    Mehdi Taremi Porto
    Haris Seferović Benfica
    7 Moussa Marega Porto 6
    Luca Waldschmidt Benfica
    9 André André Vitória de Guimarães 5
    Mario González Tondela
    Ricardo Horta Braga
    Douglas Tanque Paços de Ferreira

    Top assists
    RankPlayerClubAssists
    1 Darwin Núñez Benfica 6
    2 Jesús Corona Porto 4
    Luis Díaz Porto
    Ryan Gauld Farense
    Otávio Porto
    Sérgio Oliveira Porto
    Nuno Santos Sporting CP
    Álex Grimaldo Benfica
    9 Crysan Santa Clara 3
    Paulinho Braga
    Angel Gomes Boavista
    Ricardo Quaresma Vitória de Guimarães
    Haris Seferović Benfica
    Rafa Silva Benfica
    Everton Benfica
    Cláudio Winck Marítimo

    Clean sheets
    Rank Player Club Clean sheets
    1 Antonio Adán Sporting CP 4
    Pawel Kieszek Rio Ave
    3 André Moreira Belenenses SAD 3
    Marco Pereira Santa Clara
    Bruno Varela Vitória de Guimarães
    Odysseas Vlachodimos Benfica
    Daniel Guimarães Nacional
    Matheus Lima Braga
    Amir Abedzadeh Marítimo

    Player
    • Most yellow cards: 4[20]
      • 8 players
    • Most red cards: 1[21]
      • 9 players

    Club

    Number of teams by district
    Rank District Football Associations Number Teams
    1 Braga5Braga, Famalicão, Gil Vicente, Moreirense and Vitória de Guimarães
    2 Porto4Boavista, Paços de Ferreira, Porto and Rio Ave
    3 Lisbon3Belenenses SAD, Benfica and Sporting CP
    4 Faro2Farense and Portimonense
    FunchalMarítimo and Nacional
    5 Ponta Delgada1Santa Clara
    ViseuTondela

    Notes
    1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, only 10% capacity of the Estádio de São Miguel was allowed.
    2. All league matches played were played behind closed doors without any spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, with the exception being the match between Gil Vicente and Santa Clara, which allowed 1,000 spectators.

    References
    1. https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/desporto/1583027/casos-de-covid-19-obrigam-sporting-a-cancelar-jogo-com-o-napoli
    2. https://tribunaexpresso.pt/sporting/2020-09-14-Ha-mais-cinco-casos-de-covid-19-no-Sporting.-Ja-sao-sete-os-jogadores-infetados
    3. http://www.publico.pt/2020/09/13/desporto/noticia/gil-vicente-15-casos-covid19-1931458/amp
    4. http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/sporting/amp/noticia-record-ruben-amorim-testa-positivo-a-covid-19
    5. https://www.observador.pt/2020/09/17/sporting-gil-vicente-tera-sido-adiado-leoes-tem-10-infetados-equipa-de-barcelos-tem-15-casos-decisao-foi-tomada-pela-ars-norte/amp/
    6. https://zap.aeiou.pt/publico-voltou-estadios-acores-350948
    7. https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/p--ferreira/detalhe/pepa-infetado-com-covid-19
    8. "Direção da Liga Portugal em reunião extraordinária" [LPFP board extraordinary meeting]. LPFP (in Portuguese). 5 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
    9. "Liga NOS stats". LPFP. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
    10. "Oficial: Daniel Ramos é o novo treinador do Santa Clara" [Official: Daniel Ramos is the new manager of Santa clara]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
    11. "Oficial: Tiago é o novo treinador do Vitória de Guimarães" [Official: Tiago is the new manager of Vitória de Guimarães]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
    12. "Oficial: Vasco Seabra é treinador do Boavista" [Official: Carlos Carvalhal is manager of Boavista]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
    13. "Mário Silva é o sucessor de Carlos Carvalhal no Rio Ave" [Mário Silva is the successor of Carlos Carvalhal at Rio Ave]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
    14. "Lito Vidigal sucede a José Gomes no Marítimo" [Lito Vidigal succeeds José Gomes at Marítimo]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
    15. "Oficial: Carlos Carvalhal é o novo treinador do Braga" [Official: Carlos Carvalhal is the new manager of Braga]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
    16. "Benfica oficializa contratação de Jorge Jesus com comunicado enviado à CMVM" [Benfica confirms signing of Jorge Jesus in statement sent to the CMVM]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 17 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
    17. "Tudo concluído: Jorge Jesus assina depois do dérbi" [Deal closed: Jorge Jesus signs after derby]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 25 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
    18. "Pako Ayestarán vai suceder a Natxo González no comando do Tondela". Record (in Portuguese). 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
    19. Andrade, Tomaz; Casaca, Manuel (8 October 2020). "Tiago deixa comando técnico do Vitória: números de um curto percurso" [Tiago leaves helm of Vitória: numbers of a short spell]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 10 October 2020.
    20. "Primeira Liga Player Stats – Yellow Cards". Zero Zero. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
    21. "Primeira Liga Player Stats – Red Cards". Zero Zero. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
    22. "Primeira Liga Club Stats – Yellow Cards". Zero Zero. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
    23. "Primeira Liga Club Stats – Red Cards". Zero Zero. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
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