The five most representative championships in Europe will start (tonight England, France and Spain, next week Italy and Germany) and with 65 Portuguese players divided between the different teams (the market is still open, so there may still be changes). The Premier League is by far the league in which the Big 5 play the most, with a total of 23, a trend that has been going on for several years and is largely due to the Portuguese contingent in Wolverhampton – there are currently eight.
This summer, two young Portuguese players left for the Premier League, young ex-Benfica player Diego Moreira, for Chelsea (he will hardly be in the main squad), and Sporting striker Chermiti, for Everton (to be made official) . Much has been said about goalkeeper Diogo Costa (FC Porto) for Manchester United, but the deal did not materialize.
Five Portuguese internationals “live” precisely in the city of Manchester. In Guardiola’s City are Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias and João Cancelo (he has been appointed by Barcelona); Ten Hag’s United plays Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.
But it is in Wolves where the Portuguese community is the largest, with a total of nine representatives: Matheus Nunes, Pedro Neto, Podence, José Sá, Nélson Semedo, Fábio Silva, Toti, Bruno Jordão and Gonçalo Guedes.
The English league kicks off tonight, with champions Manchester City traveling to Burnley (8pm, eleven). On Sunday there is a Chelsea-Liverpool game (4.30 pm, eleven), and on Monday there is a clash with many Portuguese, between Manchester United and Wolverhampton (8 pm, eleven).
Gonçalo Ramos joins PSG
France has also been the destination of several Portuguese in recent years, especially the millionaire PSG, who saw the Portuguese legion increase in this low season, with the transfer of Gonçalo Ramos – on loan until the end of the season, with a purchase option of 65 million more 15 for objectives, thus joining Danilo Pereira, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Renato Sanches.
Also notable in the French league is goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, in his 13th season with Olympique Lyon. And for the fact that at Lille, coached by Paulo Fonseca, Tiago Djaló, Tiago Santos and Ivan Cavaleiro also play.
Ligue 1 kicks off tonight (8pm, eleven), with Paulo Fonseca’s Lille traveling to Nice. PSG’s debut is tomorrow (8pm, Eleven), with a reception in Lorient.
The Spanish league was once home to illustrious Portuguese, who toured Real Madrid and Barcelona with their class. Today, neither of the two Spanish giants have any Portuguese stars, although there are calls for João Cancelo to join Barça.
The most mediator, and also the most expensive, is João Félix, who, however, seems to have his days numbered at Atlético Madrid and will most likely leave the colchoneros.
The last Portuguese international to end up in the Spanish league was striker André Silva, who was loaned by RB Leipzig to Real Sociedad until the end of the season. It is a return to La Liga after playing for Sevilla in the past.
The Spanish championship starts tonight (6.30.11 pm), with Almeria-Rayo Vallecano. Tomorrow Real Madrid will play, with a trip to Bilbao (20.30, Eleven) and Barcelona will start defending the title on Sunday in Getafe (20.30, Eleven).
Warrior at Bayern
In the German league there is a prominent Portuguese. After seven seasons with Borussia Dortmund, defender Raphäel Guerreiro moved to rival and chronically German champions, Bayern Munich, arriving at no cost.
The young Fábio Carvalho will also gain his first experiences in the Bundesliga. Having no place at Liverpool, he was loaned by RB Leipzig until the end of the season. And Tiago Tomás, after two seasons on loan from Sporting to Stuttgart, signed for Wolfsburg.
On the 18th, the start of the Bundesliga is scheduled, with a duel between Werder Bremen and champions Bayern Munich.
Like Spain, Italy became the destination of big Portuguese stars a few years ago. Today there are 10 representatives, with Rafael Leão, from AC Milan, as the largest figure. Defender Mário Rui stays with champion Napoli and the AS Roma goal coached by José Mourinho remains in the hands of Rui Patrício. Beto, the Udinese striker, was appointed to bigger clubs, but for now he is still at Udine.
The Italian league kicks off on the 19th, with champions Napoli heading to the Frosinone ground (5.30pm, Sport TV). On the 20th, there is a clash between Portuguese coaches, with Mourinho’s Roma receiving the Salernitana from Paulo Sousa.
In addition to the 65 players, four Portuguese coaches are active in the Big 5. José Mourinho remains with AS Roma and Paulo Sousa with Salernitana, Marco Silva in the English league with Fulham and Paulo Fonseca in France with Lille.
Source: DN
