The 2021-22 Primeira Liga season has given fans quite a bit to talk about, and the next weekend promises to keep supporters waiting for more due to the International Break.
Benfica, Porto, and Sporting will continue to exercise their dominance over the rest of the league, but The Eagles' unbeaten run has started to catch the eye of football fans abroad, mainly due to their impressive display against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. Speaking of which, Porto will go back home to lick their wounds after being dismantled by Liverpool in the continental competition, while Sporting try to recover from a narrow and heart-breaking loss to Borussia Dortmund in spite of Erling Haaland's absence.
Here are some of the details you need to know prior to the start of the weekend's games in the Primeira Liga.
Primeira Liga standings after Matchday 7
Benfica are one of the three unbeaten teams in the tournament, but they are the only one in the league with a perfect record of seven wins. Porto and Sporting are four points behind after each team drew two games, while Estoril and Braga are further behind completing the top five teams.
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Top games to watch
Porto vs Paços de Ferreira - The Dragons really need to work extra time to recover from a disappointing outing against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, and what better way to do so than going out there to beat Paços de Ferreira, who are currently ranked eighth in the Portuguese top-flight. Winning this game could be crucial for Sergio Conceicao's men, especially after being beaten by the Reds in such dramatic fashion. Any other result would seriously hinder the team's chances of success across all comps, especially in the domestic competition.
Arouca vs Sporting CP - The defending champions return to action looking for their third win in a row in the Portuguese league. Both of their previous victories came with a one-nil score, and their chances of beating Arouca with a wider gap may rely on what they can do without Pedro Goncalves, who has been listed as doubtful due to a foot injury. Arouca have only been able to win one game this season, while their defensive prowess has been anything but impressive. Nevertheless, the Lions will need to be wary of their chances and try to keep up the pace in the Primeira Liga if they want to revalidate their title.
Benfica vs Portimonense - The Eagles enter this game after beating Barcelona with a shocking three-nil result, and they will try to keep that momentum going when they host Portimonense, a team currently ranked sixth and with a pretty decent defensive record. It will not be a walk in the park for Jorge Jesús' men, but that win against Barcelona last Wednesday could be the only fuel they need to give their fans another stellar performance.
Primeira Liga - Who's in and who's out for Matchday 8
Benfica - Injured: Haris Seferovic. Suspended: Adel Taarabt.
Porto - Injured: Agustín Marchesin.
Sporting - Injured: Goncalo Inacio, Pedro Goncalves.
Sporting Braga - Injured: André Castro, Nuno Sequeira, David Carmo.
