Football Season Guide

José Peseiro is the new man in charge, replacing Paulo Fonseca that went to Shaktar Donetsk. The bare minimum that board and fans are going to ask the former FC Porto’s manager is to keep the statute of SC Braga as the “fourth big” team from Portugal. If possible, get into the first three places of the table taking advantage of an eventual bad year of one of the classic big three. But, at least, to get the fourth place by a considerable margin and always be the bossing team when not playing any of the Big-3. It seems impossible that the star of last year Rafa will continue in the team. Whether for another Portuguese side or to anther league in Europe, it is almost certain that the bright young attacking midfielder will not be with Arsenalistas this season. And also central defender Willy Boly has been linked with a move to FC Porto. Both players should be leaving in the days following the Supertaça match against Benfica. Apart from this two, holding midfielder Luiz Carlos already left to sign a big money contract in Saudi Arabia. Finally, Vukcevic had a very good debut season in League and Sporting is a long time interested team. All these departures seem to have been taken care of: Luis Aguiar is coming back to Braga after some years and might assuming a bossing role in the midfield. Young talented left-footed Argentinean Tomás Martínez has the creativity to stand up as reference in Portuguese league in the years to come, but it remains uncertain that he will manage to impress right from the start or if he will need some time to get used to the European football tempo and tactics. Marko Bakic impressed as a Belenenses player (loaned by Fiorentina), and is expected to be an important unit in the attacking midfield. Rozic arrives probably to replace Boly in the squad, although the French place in the starting eleven might be given to Ricardo Ferreira, at least in the beginning of the season.