Going into every season, Porto and Benfica are without a doubt title contenders before they even set foot on the pitch for their first official match. From the mass amounts of support off the pitch, to the well known players they are able to bring into the squad, these two Portuguese giants are not only battling it out now, but they have done so for years.
The Lisbon side still holds the record number of Portuguese League titles with 32, but during the Pinto da Costa regime, Porto has done a good job in closing the gap. 26 league titles for the Dragoes may seem dull compared to Benfica's 32, but make no mistake about it, Porto has very well dominated the domestic league for quite sometime.
With five matches remaining, Porto has a chance to add to their title count, but a four point deficit to their rivals has them needing some help down the stretch. Benfica will travel to the Estadio do Dragao next month, which could really make things interesting heading into the final match of the season, but it still remains to be seen how the standings will look when that match kicks off.
A congested schedule will have Benfica fans slightly worried, but Jorge Jesus has done a fairly good job up until now rotating the squad. The Aguias not only have five matches remaining in the league, but they are also still involved in the Portuguese Cup, as well as the Europa League, where they will take on Newcastle United in the second leg of the quarter-finals. All these matches could not only cause tired legs, but they could also bring injuries during an extremely busy time of the year.
Three of Benfica's remaining five matches are at the Estadio da Luz where they have done very well during the current campaign. With 12 matches played on their home turf, the Aguias have managed 10 victories and two draws, one against Porto and the other against Braga.
As for their direct competitors, they will only have the chance to play in front of their fans on two more occasions this season. Later this month they will host Vitoria de Setubal, and their final home match will be that highly anticipated match against Benfica. Could Benfica find themselves celebrating the Portuguese title at the Estadio do Dragao, just like Porto did at the Estadio da Luz not too long ago?
Benfica clearly has the advantage at the moment, but it would not be anything new if they were to somehow make these final five matches interesting. Being able to claim the title at the Estadio do Dragao would be in some ways revenge, after the Porto players did so two years ago in the Portuguese capital.
The advantage for Porto at the moment is that their schedule is not as congested, given the fact that they are only involved in the Portuguese League Cup. Braga will be their opponent in the final, which will take place Sunday, April 14th at the Estadio Cidade de Coimbra. After that, Porto has one concern; making up ground to their biggest rival.
Benfica's Remaining League Schedule
Sporting (Home)
Maritimo (Away)
Estoril (Home)
Porto (Away)
Moreirense (Home)
Porto's Remaining League Schedule
Moreirense (Away)
V. Setubal (Home)
Nacional (Away)
Benfica (Home)
Pacos de Ferreira (Away)
Looking at both their domestic schedules, and factoring in the fact that if Benfica gets past Newcastle on Thursday they will add on two more matches, how will that affect the Lisbon side? Will Benfica be able to manage their squad properly, giving them an opportunity to at least reclaim the Portuguese title, or will it all fall apart in the end?
