First Division. No matter how good generation Portugal had – or did not have – the championship was always a matter of 2-3 teams competing at the top, leaving all others far behind. Nothing new this season...
O Elvas – hopeless outsiders and last with 14 points. But lucky – the decision to increase the league saved them well deserved relegation.
Farense - 15th with 21 points. Also saved from relegation because of the enlargement of the league.
Salgueiros – 14th with 24 points. In the relegation zone as well and also saved from going down.
Rio Ave - 13th with 25 points, but in danger of relegation. Under normal circumstances, they should have been in danger – going to the promotion/relegation tournament with the 3 second-place teams in the Second Division zones. But those weaker than Rio Ave and normally directly relegated were saved and Rio Ave was not. Weird and unfair – luckily, Rio Ave managed to win the promotion/relegation tournament and stay in the league.
Maritimo (Funchal) - 12th with 25 points. Rules were entirely against poor Rio Ave this season: Maritimo took the safe 12th position not even on better goal-difference – their record was worse than Rio Ave's. But rules stipulated head-to-head record to be considered first in case of teams with same points. And Maritimo escaped trouble.
Portimonense - 11th with 26 points.
Academica (Coimbra) - 10th with 26 points.
Sporting (Braga) - 9th with 26 points.
Boavista - 8th with 27 points.
Varzim - 7th with 29 points. Strong season for them, even unusually strong season.
Belenenses - 6th with 30 points. A good chance for revival, if possible – because of the strong Portuguese international record Belenenses got a UEFA Cup spot.
Chaves - 5th with 33 points. Going to play in the UEFA Cup as well.
Sporting (Lisbon) - 4th with 38 points. Stronger than most of the league, but no match to the leading teams. Standing from left: Venâncio, Oceano, Duílio, Gabriel, Meade, Damas.
First row: Fernando Mendes, Zinho, Manuel Fernandes (cap), Negrete, Mário.
Vitoria (Guimaraes) - 3rd with 41 points. Battling with Sporting only, but bronze medals were great. Also UEFA Cup participant.
FC Porto – excellent season, as the title of the poster shows. May be the European campaign took its toll on the boys and they failed to win the championship. 2nd with 46 points. They had the best goal-difference: +45 and also scored most goals and shared the best defensive record: 67-22.
Benfica won yet another title. They had strong opponent, but luck had little to do with their victory: 20 wins, 9 ties, only 1 lost match (FC Porto lost 3), 51-23 goal-difference, 49 points.
