Football Season Guide

Saved by the gong. Tondela avoided relegation on a dramatic last round against Chaves and had a performance that was worth all season. It was strange to see Beirões struggling until so late as they always seemed to have enough quality to have an easier ride. After three memorable years at Tondela, Pepa left and was replaced by the Spanish Natxo Gonzales, former Deportivo and Alaves. It’s always a gamble to bring someone not used to the idiosyncrasies of Portuguese football, as previous experiences proved. The departure of Tomané will unquestionably be the biggest thing happening this summer and, if Tondela will be successful this season, they will need a decent replacement for the striker who was by far last season’s standout. Some other references left as well, like defenders Joãozinho, Bruno and Ricardo Costa, but some other icons like goalkeeper Cláudio Ramos, skillful António Xavier and unpredictable Murillo certainly keep the team from falling apart while some unknown names are getting used to a new reality. Unless these debutants in Primeira League bring something outstanding, this squad is considerably more fragile than the last one. Some second line players like Pité or Jaquité may need to step up into more relevant roles this year.