If the Portuguese League were an episode of Batman Porto would be Catwoman, Benfica would be Batman and Sporting would be Robin.
Porto are always sleek, attractive, and have the classiest strip, while Benfica think they’re the star of the show but are surviving on the glory of past performances.
In contrast to the classy blacks of the Cat and the Bat Sporting stand out like a sore thumb in their green and white. They also spend most of the time looking like inadequate fannies.
So, let’s beat our way through the host of baddies that was the 20th round of fixtures in the Liga Sagres.
KERSMASH!! Benfica beat Leixões 2-1, courtesy of an Elvis own goal (uh huh) and a Nuno Gomes header. Leixões finally drop out of the top four after managing two wins in their last 11 games.
DIRIGIBLE!! Paços Ferreira flew out of the bottom two with a 2-0 win over relegation bed-sharers Rio Ave.
MARKRAMPRAKASH!! One for Nene and two for Mateus as Nacional saw off Académica 3-1. The islanders now find themselves in fourth place.
FLUFFLE!! Porto and Sporting played out a drab 0-0 draw. Porto stay top, Sporting look out of the title race in third.
GASP!! Belenenses lost 1-2 at home to Naval after a 92nd minute goal from Gilmar. Consequently the little club from Lisbon find themselves stuck to the bottom of the league.
STULTIFY!! Trofense 1 – 1 Estrela Amdora. Someone called Charles scored, but I’m not going to tell you for which team.
HAMMERTIME!! Marítimo shattered the craniums of Setúbal by dropping a 5-1 shaped anvil on their terrible heads. Baba scored four goals to send his tally for the season flying to 10 and keep Marítimo in the hunt for European football.
BOFFO!! Braga slipped one in early to beat Guimarães by a solitary goal. It leaves them tied with Nacional and Leixões on 35 points and will maintain their momentum as they prepare for next week’s UEFA cup trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
The top
Porto – 42
Benfica – 40
Sporting – 38
Nacional - 35
Leixões – 35