Next Saturday could see FC Porto back at Aliados: title maths, run-in | OneFootball

People on top of people. Flags, scarves and matching blue-and-white shirts. Cars driving around with anxious horns blaring. Next Saturday, 2 May, FC Porto could bring the pilgrimage back to Avenida dos Aliados, in the city centre, to celebrate the national title — something Porto fans have been missing since 2022. The date appeared on the horizon after Sporting’s draw in Vila das Aves, a result that left the Dragons depending only on themselves to secure the title on matchday 32 of the league.

The scenario is easy to imagine: Francesco Farioli’s team only need to beat Alverca at home to win the league for the 31st time. Whatever happens, Sporting, currently in 3rd place, and Benfica, who are 2nd, can only reach 84 points if they win all their remaining matches; FC Porto, if they beat Alverca, will reach 85.

That scenario assumes their rivals win their respective matches. If that happens, the Dragons will take the field at 8:30 pm on Saturday already knowing the result they need. However, if both draw — Sporting against Tondela on Wednesday, in the game in hand, and Benfica in Famalicão — FC Porto will only have to match that result in their home game against the Ribatejo side.

In any scenario, FC Porto will not be able to celebrate before Saturday. Even if Sporting lose in midweek, Farioli’s team will still have to wait for the outcome of Benfica’s match, scheduled for 6:30 pm on Saturday. The most that can happen is that the Dragons take the field in front of their fans with the title already secured: for that to happen, Benfica must lose in Famalicão after Sporting fail to beat Tondela at Alvalade.

FC Porto currently have 82 points. If they win the three remaining matches, they will reach 91 and equal the club’s record in a league campaign, set by Sérgio Conceição the last time the pilgrimage to the Aliados was felt under the command of the blue and whites, in 2022.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.