When the Primeria Liga resumed action just a few weeks ago, all eyes were firmly on the interesting battle for the coveted league title between "Big Three" sides Porto and Benfica. The duo were virtually neck-and-neck, with reigning champs Benfica sitting on top of the table, but only just by a whisker. Now, in the span of a handful of rounds, a huge gap has opened between the two sides and there are concerns that the title race could be over just as soon as things were really starting to get heated up.
Here's all you need to know ahead of matchday 30 in the Primeira Liga.
Match of the round: Benfica - Boavista
Visiting side Boavista may sit in ninth spot ahead of their trip to Benfica's home ground, but this game perhaps couldn't come at a better time for them. For of the two sides, it is Boavista with the better record over their past five matches, with wins in their three most recent games since the Primeira Liga resumed action at the start of last month.
Benfica, by contrast, have shockingly won just one of their last five league matches and come into this game having lost two in a row. Prior to this bad run of form, the reigning champions had last lost back-to-back games in February, when they were beaten by Porto and Braga, which ended an impressive 16-match winning streak Bruno Lage's side had strung together to position themselves on top of the league table.
Current Boavista boss Daniel Ramos has only beaten Benfica once in nine prior attempts, while Boavista have only won three times on Benfica's home turf in their club history, while drawing seven times and losing on 12 occasions. Will this be the game in which he and the team end their frustrating run against the Lisbon giants who are in a state of flummox at the moment?
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Talking points ahead of matchday 30
Benfica have yet to really soar since return to action post COVID-19 pause
Suffice it to say, the Eagles have not seemed like themselves since the Primeira Liga resumed action following the COVID-19 induced interruption. They have lost their last two games, and that included shipping four at home to Santa Clara for the first time since 1997. As a result, coach Bruno Lage opted to resign after a dismal run of form that saw the team pick up just two wins from their last ten league matches.
So now the question is, with interim boss Nélson Veríssimo in charge as he tries to steer the wobbly ship, will Benfica be able to close the rapidly widening gap between themselves and Porto? As things stand, last season's title winners are six points behind the league leaders. That wasn't the case just two rounds ago, and any further slip-ups could effectively mean that a title race that started off as a closely contested affair will have quickly fizzled out just as it was really starting to get interesting for Primeira Liga observers.
Team news ahead of matchday 30 - Who's definitely out, in doubt, and suspended?
Here are the key players who are definitely missing due to injury, suspension, or could be in doubt due to fitness or other issues and thus could miss out for their respective sides heading into matchday 30:
Benfica: Adel Taarabt (ankle injury)
Porto: Iván Marcano (knee injury), Zé Luís (muscular issues)
Sporting CP: Luciano Vietto (shoulder injury), Luiz Phellype (knee injury)
Matchday 30 listings
Below are the nine fixtures set to take place on matchday 30:
Friday, July 3rd:
11:15 PST/14:15 EST/18:15 GMT/20:15 CET - Santa Clara vs Marítimo
USA: No channel available for this match
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV3, Sport TV1
UK: No channel available for this match
Saturday, July 4th:
09:00 PST/12:00 EST/16:00 GMT/18:00 CET - Vitória Setúbal vs Paços de Ferreira
USA: No channel available for this match
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV3, Sport TV1
UK: No channel available for this match
11:15 PST/14:15 EST/18:15 GMT/20:15 CET - Portimonense vs Vitória Guimarães
USA: FuboTV, GolTV Espanol, GOLTV, Fanatiz USA
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV3, Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV1
UK:No channel available for this match
13:15 PST/16:15 EST/20:15 GMT/22:15 CET - Benfica vs Boavista
USA: FuboTV, GolTV Espanol, Fanatiz USA, GOLTV, Benfica TV INT.
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: Benfica TV INT.
Portugal: Sport TV+, Sport TV LIVE, Benfica TV
UK: Benfica TV INT., FreeSports TV UK
13:30 PST/16:30 EST/20:30 GMT/22:30 CET - Sporting Braga vs Desportivo Aves
USA: No channel available for this match
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV3, Sport TV1
UK: No channel available for this match
Sunday, July 5th:
09:00 PST/12:00 EST/16:00 GMT/18:00 CET - Gil Vicente vs Rio Ave
USA: No channel available for this match
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV3, Sport TV1
UK: No channel available for this match
11:15 PST/14:15 EST/18:15 GMT/20:15 CET - Tondela vs Famalicão
USA: FuboTV, GolTV Espanol, GOLTV, Fanatiz USA
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV3, Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV1
UK: No channel available for this match
13:30 PST/16:30 EST/20:30 GMT/22:30 CET - Porto vs Belenenses
USA: FuboTV, GolTV Espanol, GOLTV, Fanatiz USA
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV3, Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV1
UK: No channel available for this match
Monday, July 6th:
13:00 PST/16:00 EST/20:00 GMT/22:00 CET - Moreirense vs Sporting CP
USA: FuboTV, GolTV Espanol, GOLTV, Fanatiz USA
Australia: No channel available for this match
Canada: No channel available for this match
Portugal: Sport TV3, Sport TV LIVE, Sport TV1
UK: FreeSports TV UK
If you do not live in the US, Australia, Canada, Portugal, or the UK, or live in a CET/GMT/EST/PST timezone, please check the schedule below for geo-targeted kick-off times and live broadcast listings for each of the Primeira Liga matchday 30 fixtures:
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