Football Season Guide

Last season’s champion of Segunda Liga, Paços de Ferreira immediately came back to the top flight just one year after relegation with a dominant performance that allowed Castores to end 20 points above the 3rd place, mostly based on a solid defence. Coach Filó is the new man in the dugout, replacing Vítor Oliveira who moved elsewhere. Filó is relatively inexperienced at this level, but his spell with Sporting da Covilhã last year was promising. There are a few known faces that will assure top flight pedigree and experience to this side. Baixinho, André Micael and Bruno Telles in defence, and André Leão, Luiz Carlos and Pedrinho in midfield are all frequent costumers of Primeira Liga. Options in attack are many and with quality. Winger Sodiq Fatai and striker Douglas Tanque were the main reason Paços kept scoring goals aplenty last season even after the midseason departure of Luiz Phellype to Sporting. Getúlio arrives from Brazilian Série A and is a great talent with tendency for inconsistency and motivation issues. Dadashov is a relatively big name arriving at Castores from Wolves. Hélder Ferreira seems to have chosen the ideal club to get more game time and confirm all his potential. The inexperience of coach Filó may be an issue. It seems that centre-half position could use a more definite talent to add on the “just” competent Baixinho and Micael. Will Maracás do the job?