FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting have eight games in a period of 30 days, until new stop imposed by the appointments of the selections. Rui Borges is currently the one who is most pressured.
© Getty Images
05/10/2026
by
A competitive break imposed by the appointments of the selections comes to an end by tomorrow, Tuesday, and the activity of the clubs prepares to return to normality... quickly. After all, Sporting takes action already on Friday, while FC Porto plays Saturday and Benfica the next day.
Francesco Farioli, Marco Silva and Rui Borges are thus ‘together’ at a time of great importance of the season, since the calendar promises to tighten, very much, from now on.
In November there will be a new break for the selection games, which further compresses the commitments of clubs that, like the big three, still have international competitions in which they have the clear ambition to get as far as possible.
In all, FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting will have eight games each until the new break for selections, in a high-requisite calendar, and there are two aspects to take into account. None of them take action in the 3rd Portuguese Cup qualifier, which relieves the load of games, while the League Cup will allow the rotation of the teams and the betting on the less used players.
Sporting starts with Borges pressed
If winning in Braga is traditionally complicated, the challenge gains even greater dimension for Rui Borges, who needs to respond to the tie given in the last journey, before Arouca. The position in the technical command may be in danger, so this period assumes particular importance for the Lion coach.
The walk begins in Minho, with the visit to SC Braga (9 October), followed by the trip to France to face the Lens (13 October), for the Champions League. Then the lions return to Alvalade to receive the LASK (October 21) before facing the Academic of Viseu (25 October), also at home.
Following the meeting with the Marítimo (27 October), for the League Cup, again in Alvalade, before a trip to the site of Casa Pia (30 October).
As early as November, Sporting travels to London, England, to measure forces with Shakhtar Donetsk (3 November), who plays at Stamford Bridge, home borrowed by Chelsea, in the Champions League, before closing this series of games with the reception to Moreirense (7 November) in Alvalade.
FC Porto in high voltage
FC Porto will also have a more thorny mission to return to the competition, moving to Madeira already on Saturday, to measure forces with the Maritime, before heading to Spain to face the Real Betis (14 October), in the Champions League.
Following the return to the Dragon Stadium, porters receive the PSV (20 October) before visiting Gil Vicente (24 October). In the middle, there is also a commitment to the League Cup, before the Academic of Viseu (28 October), and a reception to Estoril (31 October).
FC Porto kicks off November with another European match, in front of Napoli (4 November) at the Dragon, with the visit to Vitoria SC (8 November) reserved for the last game before the new break for the selections.
Benfica also in the same line as rivals
The eagles return to active on Sunday, with a reception to the Victoria SC (11 October), before the European duel with the Celtic (15 October) in the Light. Then the eagles travel to Cyprus to face Omonia (October 22nd), before flying again, this time to the Azores, where they will face Santa Clara (October 26th).
Four days later, there is a new engagement at home, in front of Gil Vicente (October 29), for the League Cup. November begins with the reception to Alverca (2 November), following the European meeting with Lech Poznan (5 November), before the trip to the Amadora Star site (8 November), which closes this sequence.