Wikiwand AI

2020–21 Primeira Liga

87th season of top-tier Portuguese football From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2020–21 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 87th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. The season started later than usual, on 18 September 2020, due to the delayed end of the previous season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it concluded on 19 May 2021.

Season2020–21
Dates18 September 2020 – 19 May 2021
ChampionsSporting CP
19th title
Quick facts Season, Dates ...
Primeira Liga
Season2020–21
Dates18 September 2020 – 19 May 2021
ChampionsSporting CP
19th title
RelegatedRio Ave
Farense
Nacional
Champions LeagueSporting CP
Porto
Benfica
Europa LeagueBraga
Europa Conference LeaguePaços de Ferreira
Santa Clara
Matches306
Goals739 (2.42 per match)
Best playerSebastián Coates (Sporting CP)
Top goalscorerPedro Gonçalves
(23 goals)
Best goalkeeperAntonio Adán (19 clean sheets)
Biggest home winSporting CP 4–0 Tondela
(1 November 2020)
Santa Clara 5–1 Nacional
(11 April 2021)
Porto 5–1 Farense
(10 May 2021)
Porto 4–0 Belenenses SAD
(19 May 2021)
Sporting CP 5–1 Marítimo
(19 May 2021)
Santa Clara 4–0 Farense
(19 May 2021)
Biggest away winBoavista 0–5 Porto
(26 September 2020)
Paços de Ferreira 0–5 Benfica
(10 April 2021)
Highest scoringPorto 4–3 Tondela
(5 December 2020)
Benfica 4–3 Sporting CP
(15 May 2021)
Longest winning run7 matches
Porto
Longest unbeaten run32 matches (record)
Sporting CP
Longest winless run10 matches
Nacional
Longest losing run10 matches
Nacional
Highest attendance932
Santa Clara 1–2 Sporting CP
(24 October 2020)[note 1]
Lowest attendance0[note 2]
Close

This was the fourth Primeira Liga season to use video assistant referee (VAR). As was the case at the end of the previous season, there were limited or no attendance in the stadiums besides each team's staff and personnel.

Porto were the defending champions. Nacional and Farense were promoted from the second-tier 2019–20 LigaPro by decision of the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, after the suspension of the 2019–20 LigaPro due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. They replaced Desportivo das Aves and Vitória de Setúbal, who were relegated to the 2020–21 Campeonato de Portugal.

On 11 May 2021, Sporting CP secured a 19th title after a 1–0 home win against Boavista, their first title since the 2001–02 season. It was also the first title since that season not being won by either Benfica or Porto.[1]

Since Portugal ascended from seventh to sixth place in the UEFA association coefficient rankings at the end of 2019–20 season, the three best-ranked teams could qualify for the UEFA Champions League (the champions and runners-up entered directly into the group stage, and the third placed team entered the third qualifying round). The fourth and fifth-placed teams would qualified respectively to the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off and third qualifying rounds.[2]

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, since March 2020, in contrast with various European leagues, the Primeira Liga began playing matches behind closed doors. On 13 September, Sporting confirmed that three players had tested positive for coronavirus, leading their pre-season match against Napoli to be cancelled due to the orders of the Portuguese Ministry of Health.[3] The following day, Sporting confirmed that four players and a member of their staff had tested positive for coronavirus.[4] Meanwhile, Gil Vicente confirmed that fifteen players had tested positive for coronavirus, leading also their pre-season match against Vitória de Guimarães to be cancelled.[5] Three days later, Sporting confirmed that their manager Ruben Amorim and another player tested positive for coronavirus, with both going into self-isolation.[6] On 17 September, it was announced that the Gil Vicente and Sporting fixture on matchday 1 would be postponed, following direct orders from the Portuguese Ministry of Health, after it was confirmed that Gil Vicente had four more positive cases of coronavirus.[7]

On 3 October, Santa Clara faced Gil Vicente on matchday 3 at the Estádio de São Miguel, in Ponta Delgada, Azores, in a match, which was the first one to allow spectators in Portugal, with the stadium being limited to 10% of its capacity (1,000 spectators).[8] Ten days later, it was announced that Paços de Ferreira's manager Pepa had tested positive for COVID-19, leading him and his staff being placed in quarantine as a preventive measure, forcing him to miss Paços de Ferreira's match against Santa Clara on October 18 at matchday 4.[9]

On matchday 5, played between 23 and 26 October, there were three matches in which spectatores were allowed: Tondela against Portimonense at Estádio João Cardoso, Santa Clara against Sporting at the Estádio de São Miguel (with spectators being allowed for the second consecutive match) and Farense against Rio Ave at Estádio Algarve, where Farense played their first three home matches, instead of their regular home stadium Estádio de São Luís, due to a turf change. Like the match against Gil Vicente, Santa Clara match was played with the stadium capacity limited to 10%,[10] as the other two matches were limited to 15% (approximately 750 and 4,500 spectators in Estádio João Cardoso and Estádio Algarve, respectively).[11]

Santa Clara announced on February 20 that spectators will be allowed in Estádio de São Miguel, for the third time this season, in the match against Paços de Ferreira on matchday 21, played one week later on 27 February. This time, one third of the stadium's maximum capacity was allowed.[12]

Teams

Eighteen teams competed in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season and two teams promoted from the LigaPro. Nacional and Farense were promoted on 5 May 2020 by decision of the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, after the suspension of the 2019–20 LigaPro due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. This decision was made based on UEFA's recommendations, focusing on sporting merit, as these teams were in first and second place of the LigaPro, respectively, at the time of cancellation.[13]

Nacional came back to the top division one season after being relegated, while Farense secured their return after an 18-year absence. They replaced Desportivo das Aves and Vitória de Setúbal, who were relegated after three and sixteen seasons in the top flight, respectively.

Stadia and locations

Location of teams in 2020–21 Primeira Liga (Madeira)
Location of teams in 2020–21 Primeira Liga (Azores)

Personnel and sponsors

Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
Team Outgoing manager Manager Date of vacancy Pos in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Ref.
Santa Clara Portugal João Henriques Mutual consent 24 July 2020 Pre-season Portugal Daniel Ramos 28 July 2020 [15]
Vitória de Guimarães Portugal Ivo Vieira 24 July 2020 Portugal Tiago Mendes 28 July 2020 [16]
Boavista Portugal Daniel Ramos 25 July 2020 Portugal Vasco Seabra 30 July 2020 [17]
Rio Ave Portugal Carlos Carvalhal 25 July 2020 Portugal Mário Silva 30 July 2020 [18]
Marítimo Portugal José Gomes Signed for Almería 27 July 2020 Angola Lito Vidigal 30 July 2020 [19]
Braga Portugal Artur Jorge End of caretaker role 28 July 2020 Portugal Carlos Carvalhal 28 July 2020 [20]
Benfica Portugal Nélson Veríssimo 1 August 2020 Portugal Jorge Jesus 3 August 2020 [21][22]
Tondela Spain Natxo González Mutual Consent 5 August 2020 Spain Pako Ayestarán 9 August 2020 [23]
Vitória de Guimarães Portugal Tiago Mendes 8 October 2020 11th Portugal João Henriques 13 October 2020 [24]
Moreirense Portugal Ricardo Soares Resigned 9 November 2020 9th Portugal César Peixoto 10 November 2020 [25]
Gil Vicente Portugal Rui Almeida Sacked 11 November 2020 17th Portugal Ricardo Soares 13 November 2020 [26]
Marítimo Angola Lito Vidigal 4 December 2020 Brazil Milton Mendes 5 December 2020 [27]
Boavista Portugal Vasco Seabra 8 December 2020 15th Portugal Daniel Gonçalves (Caretaker) 8 December 2020 [28]
Portugal Daniel Gonçalves (Caretaker) End of caretaker role 13 December 2020 Portugal Jesualdo Ferreira 13 December 2020 [29]
Rio Ave Portugal Mário Silva Sacked 30 December 2020 13th Portugal Pedro Cunha (Caretaker) 30 December 2020 [30]
Moreirense Portugal César Peixoto Resigned 2 January 2021 8th Portugal Leandro Mendes (Caretaker) 2 January 2021 [31]
Portugal Leandro Mendes (Caretaker) End of caretaker role 5 January 2021 Portugal Vasco Seabra 5 January 2021 [32]
Rio Ave Portugal Pedro Cunha (Caretaker) 29 January 2021 10th Portugal Miguel Cardoso 29 January 2021 [33]
Famalicão Portugal João Pedro Sousa Sacked 31 January 2021 16th Portugal Silas 1 February 2021 [34]
Farense Portugal Sérgio Vieira Mutual Consent 1 February 2021 17th Portugal Jorge Costa 4 February 2021 [35]
Famalicão Portugal Silas 8 March 2021 Portugal Ivo Vieira 8 March 2021 [36][37]
Marítimo Brazil Milton Mendes Resigned 5 March 2021 18th Spain Julio Velázquez 11 March 2021 [38][39]
Nacional Portugal Luís Freire Sacked 21 March 2021 17th Portugal Manuel Machado 22 March 2021 [40]
Vitória de Guimarães Portugal João Henriques 5 April 2021 6th Portugal Bino (Caretaker) 5 April 2021 [41]
Portugal Bino (Caretaker) End of caretaker role 13 May 2021 8th Portugal Moreno (Caretaker) 13 May 2021 [42]
Close

League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Sporting CP (C) 34 26 7 1 65 20 +45 85 Qualification for the Champions League group stage
2 Porto 34 24 8 2 74 29 +45 80
3 Benfica 34 23 7 4 69 27 +42 76 Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
4 Braga 34 19 7 8 53 33 +20 64 Qualification for the Europa League group stage[a]
5 Paços de Ferreira 34 15 8 11 40 41 −1 53 Qualification for the Europa Conference League third qualifying round[a]
6 Santa Clara 34 13 7 14 44 36 +8 46 Qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round[a]
7 Vitória de Guimarães 34 12 7 15 37 44 −7 43[b]
8 Moreirense 34 10 13 11 37 43 −6 43[b]
9 Famalicão 34 10 10 14 40 48 −8 40[c]
10 B-SAD 34 9 13 12 25 35 −10 40[c]
11 Gil Vicente 34 11 6 17 33 42 −9 39
12 Tondela 34 10 6 18 36 57 −21 36[d]
13 Boavista 34 8 12 14 39 49 −10 36[d]
14 Portimonense 34 9 8 17 34 41 −7 35[e]
15 Marítimo 34 10 5 19 27 47 −20 35[e]
16 Rio Ave (R) 34 7 13 14 25 40 −15 34 Qualification for the Relegation play-offs
17 Farense (R) 34 7 10 17 31 48 −17 31 Relegation to Liga Portugal 2
18 Nacional (R) 34 6 7 21 30 59 −29 25
Close
Source: Liga Portugal
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head away goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Matches won; 7) Goals scored; 8) Play-off.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Braga qualified for the Europa League group stage by winning the 2020–21 Taça de Portugal. Since they would have qualified for the Europa Conference League third qualifying round by finishing fourth, the berth was awarded to the fifth-placed team (Paços de Ferreira), and the Europa Conference League second qualifying round berth reserved to the fifth-placed team was awarded to the sixth-placed team (Santa Clara).
  2. Vitória de Guimarães are ranked ahead of Moreirense on head-to-head points: Vitória de Guimarães 4, Moreirense 1.
  3. Famalicão are ranked ahead of Belenenses SAD on head-to-head points: Famalicão 4, Belenenses SAD 1.
  4. Tondela are ranked ahead of Boavista on head-to-head points: Tondela 4, Boavista 1.
  5. Portimonense are ranked ahead of Marítimo on head-to-head points: Portimonense 4, Marítimo 1.

Relegation play-offs

The relegation play-offs took place on 26 and 30 May 2021.

All times are WEST (UTC+1).

More information Team 1, Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score ...
Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Rio Ave 0–5 Arouca 0–3 0–2
Close
More information Arouca, 3–0 ...
Arouca3–0Rio Ave
Report
Close
More information Rio Ave, 0–2 ...
Close
Attendance: 0
Referee: Hugo Miguel

Arouca won 5–0 on aggregate and were promoted to 2021–22 Primeira Liga; Rio Ave were relegated to 2021–22 Liga Portugal 2.

Results

More information Home \ Away, BEL ...
Home \ Away BEL BEN BOA BRA FAM FAR GIL MAR MOR NAC PAC PTM POR RAV STA SPO TON VSC
Belenenses SAD — 0–3 0–2 2–1 1–2 1–1 2–1 2–0 0–0 2–1 0–2 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–2 1–2 2–0 1–1
Benfica 2–0 — 2–0 2–3 2–0 3–2 1–2 1–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 4–3 2–0 0–0
Boavista 0–0 3–0 — 1–4 3–0 0–1 1–2 0–1 1–0 0–1 2–0 1–0 0–5 3–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–1
Braga 1–1 0–2 2–1 — 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 2–2 3–0 0–1 0–1 4–2 3–0
Famalicão 0–0 1–5 2–2 2–2 — 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–2 3–0 2–0 0–1 1–4 1–1 1–0 2–2 2–2 0–1
Farense 0–1 0–0 3–1 1–2 3–3 — 3–1 2–1 1–2 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–2
Gil Vicente 0–0 0–2 1–2 1–1 0–3 0–0 — 0–1 1–2 2–0 1–2 1–0 0–2 2–0 1–0 1–2 1–1 1–2
Marítimo 1–0 1–2 0–0 1–0 0–4 1–0 0–1 — 0–2 0–0 0–3 1–2 1–2 1–0 1–2 0–2 2–1 0–0
Moreirense 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 3–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 — 2–2 0–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–3 2–2
Nacional 0–0 1–3 3–3 1–2 2–1 2–3 2–1 1–2 0–1 — 1–1 1–5 0–1 1–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–0
Paços de Ferreira 1–0 0–5 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–0 2–1 — 0–0 3–2 2–0 2–1 0–2 2–1 2–1
Portimonense 1–0 1–5 1–2 0–0 0–0 2–0 4–1 0–0 1–2 1–0 1–1 — 1–2 0–0 1–2 0–2 3–0 3–0
Porto 4–0 1–1 2–2 3–1 3–2 5–1 1–0 2–3 3–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 — 2–0 2–1 0–0 4–3 1–0
Rio Ave 0–0 0–3 0–0 0–0 0–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 2–0 0–0 1–1 3–0 0–3 — 1–2 0–2 2–1 0–0
Santa Clara 2–0 1–1 3–3 0–1 1–2 4–0 0–0 2–0 0–0 5–1 3–0 2–0 0–1 1–0 — 1–2 1–1 0–4
Sporting CP 2–2 1–0 1–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 3–1 5–1 2–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–1 — 4–0 1–0
Tondela 1–3 0–2 3–1 0–4 1–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 0–0 2–1 2–3 1–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–1 — 0–2
Vitória de Guimarães 0–1 1–3 2–1 0–1 1–2 2–2 2–4 1–0 2–0 3–1 1–0 1–0 2–3 1–3 1–0 0–4 1–2 —
Close
Source: Liga Portugal
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.

More information Team ╲ Round, Sporting CP ...
Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
Sporting CP3322211111111111111111111111111111
Porto2153344433322322222233222222222222
Benfica1211123322233234444444433333333333
Braga1417126432244444443333322344444444444
Paços de Ferreira81215131485566666555555555555555555555
Santa Clara54346598777771187778878777677878876
Vitória de Guimarães1315115767655555666666666666766666667
Moreirense47911591114131181010778887787888888787788
Famalicão1867991210101181214161315161717181616171714141415131214131099
Belenenses SAD61088151413138101412141711141313131010121010131312111011991010
Gil Vicente1581012131617121215111112161718121416141516131110101012131311121111
Tondela1214171612151211151416131591291011111291011129121199910111212
Boavista7161417171315161616171717181815181817171814151715151415161616161513
Portimonense111316141617181517181816181213131515121313111213129910111012131414
Marítimo1794711111417181310888910111215181718161818161616151214141315
Rio Ave9111315876999131591010121410991199911111314141515151616
Farense16181818181816181417151813151617161614151415181516171717171717171717
Nacional105610101087101299111414119910111213141617181818181818181818
Close
Leader and Champions League group stage
Champions League group stage
Champions League third qualifying round
Europa League group stage
Europa Conference League third qualifying round
Europa Conference League second qualifying round
Relegation Play-off
Relegation to Liga Portugal 2
Source: Liga Portugal (in Portuguese)

Statistics

Top goalscorers

More information Rank, Player ...
RankPlayerClubGoals[43]
1 Portugal Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP 23
2 Switzerland Haris Seferovic Benfica 22
3 Iran Mehdi Taremi Porto 16
4 Spain Mario González Tondela 15
5 Brazil Carlos Santa Clara 14
6 Portugal Sérgio Oliveira Porto 13
7 Guinea-Bissau Beto Portimonense 11
8 Colombia Mateo Cassierra Belenenses SAD 10
Close

Hat-tricks

More information Player, For ...
Player For Against Result Date
Spain Mario González Tondela Moreirense 3–2 (A) 17 April 2021
Portugal Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP Marítimo 5–1 (H) 19 May 2021
Close
Notes

(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Top assists

More information Rank, Player ...
RankPlayerClubAssists[44]
1 Iran Mehdi Taremi Porto 11
2 Uruguay Darwin Núñez Benfica 10
3 Brazil Everton Benfica 9
Spain Álex Grimaldo Benfica
5 Brazil Otávio Porto 8
6 Mexico Jesús Corona Porto 7
Honduras Alberth Elis Boavista
Scotland Ryan Gauld Farense
Close

Clean sheets

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 Spain Antonio Adán Sporting CP 19
2 Argentina Agustín Marchesín Porto 16
3 Poland Paweł Kieszek Rio Ave 11
Russia Stanislav Kritsyuk Belenenses SAD
5 Iran Amir Abedzadeh Marítimo 10
Portugal Bruno Varela Vitória de Guimarães
Brazil Denis Gil Vicente
8 Brazil Matheus Braga 9
Brazil Jordi Paços de Ferreira
Brazil Léo Jardim Boavista
Brazil Luiz Júnior Famalicão
Brazil Samuel Portugal Portimonense
Portugal Marco Pereira Santa Clara
Close

Discipline

Player

Club

Awards

Monthly awards

For the 2020–21 season, there were seven monthly awards in the Primeira Liga: best player, goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, forward, manager and goal of the month.[45][46]

More information Month, Player of the Month ...
Month Player of the Month Goalkeeper of the Month Defender of the Month Midfielder of the Month Forward of the Month Manager of the Month Goal of the Month
Player Club Player Club Player Club Player Club Player Club Manager Club Player Club
September/October Portugal Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP Portugal Bruno Varela Vitória de Guimarães Portugal Pepe Porto Portugal Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP Brazil Thiago Santana Santa Clara Portugal Jorge Jesus Benfica Portugal Bruno Jordão Famalicão
November Brazil Matheus Braga Spain Pedro Porro Sporting CP Brazil Rodrigo Pinho Marítimo Portugal Pepa Paços de Ferreira Colombia Luis Díaz Porto
December Portugal Sérgio Oliveira Porto Spain Antonio Adán Sporting CP Portugal Sérgio Oliveira Porto Iran Mehdi Taremi Porto Portugal Sérgio Conceição Porto Portugal Iuri Medeiros Braga
January Iran Mehdi Taremi Porto Portugal Bruno Costa Paços de Ferreira Portugal Pepa Paços de Ferreira Spain Pedro Porro Sporting CP
February Libya Ali Al Musrati Braga Uruguay Sebastián Coates Sporting CP Libya Ali Al Musrati Braga Portugal Ruben Amorim Sporting CP Scotland Ryan Gauld Farense
March Switzerland Haris Seferovic Benfica Brazil Helton Leite Benfica Portugal Sérgio Oliveira Porto Switzerland Haris Seferovic Benfica Portugal Jorge Jesus Benfica Guinea-Bissau Beto Portimonense
April Uruguay Sebastián Coates Sporting CP Spain Antonio Adán Sporting CP Portugal Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP Spain Mario González Tondela Portugal Ruben Amorim Sporting CP Portugal André Almeida Vitória de Guimarães
Close

Annual awards

Annual awards were announced on 8 July 2021.[47]

More information Award, Winner ...
Award Winner Club
Player of the Season Uruguay Sebastián Coates Sporting CP
Manager of the Season Portugal Ruben Amorim
Goal of the Season Guinea-Bissau Beto Portimonense
Young Player of the Season Portugal Pedro Gonçalves Sporting CP
Top scorer
Neno Fair-Play Prize Colombia Luiz Díaz Porto
Club Fair-Play Prize Moreirense
Close
Team of the Year[48]
More information Team of the Year ...
Team of the Year
Goalkeeper Spain Antonio Adán (Sporting CP)
Defence Spain Pedro Porro (Sporting CP) Portugal Pepe (Porto) Uruguay Sebastián Coates (Sporting CP) Portugal Nuno Mendes (Sporting CP)
Midfield Portugal João Palhinha (Sporting CP) Portugal Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting CP) Portugal Sérgio Oliveira (Porto)
Attack Brazil Carlos (Santa Clara) Switzerland Haris Seferovic (Benfica) Iran Mehdi Taremi (Porto)
Close

Number of teams by district

Notes

  1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, the matches that were not played behind closed doors, were allowed to be played with limited attendance.
  2. All league matches played were played behind closed doors without any spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, with the exception being four Santa Clara's home matches, Tondela against Portimonense and Farense against Rio Ave

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks