If you haven’t been watching the Portuguese top flight lately, you’re honestly missing out on a masterclass in defensive grit. Everyone talks about the goals—and yeah, we’ll get to Pavlidis and Suárez in a second—but the primeira liga portugal table right now tells a story of teams that simply refuse to let anyone score. We are sitting halfway through the 2025–26 season, and the hierarchy is both predictable and totally bizarre.
FC Porto is currently sitting at the top of the pile with 49 points. They’ve played 17 matches and won 16 of them. That isn't a typo. They haven't lost a single game. But look closer at the goals against column: 4. Just four goals conceded in nearly 1,600 minutes of football. Diogo Costa is playing like he's from another planet, racking up 12 clean sheets already.
Why the big three aren't just coasting
Usually, by January, you’d expect the "Big Three" to be miles ahead of the pack. While Porto, Sporting CP, and Benfica are definitely the class of the field, the gap feels a lot weirder this year. Sporting is chasing hard in second with 42 points, and Benfica is right there in third with 39.
Benfica is an interesting case because they are actually unbeaten too. They have 11 wins and 6 draws. You’d think being undefeated would put you in first, but those draws are absolutely killing them in the primeira liga portugal table. José Mourinho—yeah, he’s back in Portugal managing the Eagles—has them pressing like crazy, but they’ve dropped points in some head-scratching home draws that might haunt them come May.
Sporting, the two-time defending champions, are the entertainers. They’ve banged in 47 goals, which is way more than Porto or Benfica. Luis Suárez (not that one, the one from Sporting) is a menace, but they’ve actually lost a game, which is why they’re staring at Porto’s back.
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The mid-table chaos you’re ignoring
Forget the giants for a minute. Look at Gil Vicente. They are sitting in 4th place with 28 points. For a club of their size to be ahead of SC Braga is massive. They aren't flashy. They basically just sit in a disciplined mid-block and wait for you to make a mistake.
- Gil Vicente: 28 points, only 12 goals conceded.
- SC Braga: 27 points, 31 goals scored but 18 conceded.
- Moreirense: 27 points, keeping pace with the European spots.
Braga is usually the "best of the rest," but they’ve been leaky. They score a lot, sure, but they’ve already lost four times. If you're looking for a dark horse for that final European spot, keep an eye on Vitória SC. They’re in 7th right now, but they always seem to find a second gear once the weather warms up in Guimarães.
The golden boot battle is actually insane
Vangelis Pavlidis is making Benfica fans very happy. He’s got 17 goals in 17 games. He is literally a goal-per-game striker right now. Behind him, Luis Suárez at Sporting has 15, and Samuel Aghehowa at Porto has 12.
What’s wild is the efficiency. Pavlidis has an xG (Expected Goals) of about 13.0, but he’s scored 17. That tells you he’s finishing chances that he has no business scoring. On the flip side, Luis Suárez has missed 15 "big chances" according to the stats. If he had been even slightly more clinical, Sporting might be the ones sitting at the top of the primeira liga portugal table.
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It’s not just about the strikers, though. Francisco Trincão is leading the league in assists (6) and big chances created (11). He’s basically the engine room for Sporting’s attack.
Relegation is a nightmare for AVS
Down at the bottom, things are looking pretty grim for AVS Futebol SAD. They’ve got 4 points. Total. In 17 games. They haven’t won a single match and have a goal difference of -32. Honestly, it’s hard to see them surviving unless they sign half a new team in the January window.
Tondela and Arouca are the other two currently in the danger zone. Tondela has 12 points and Arouca has 14. The "safe" zone starts around 17 points with teams like Santa Clara and Nacional, but one good weekend can change everything down there. It's a scrap.
What to watch for in the second half
We are headed for a massive showdown in the spring. Porto’s defensive record is unsustainable—or is it? No team in the history of the modern Primeira Liga has gone a full season conceding only single-digit goals. If they keep this up, we are looking at a historic title win.
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Benfica needs to turn those draws into wins. Mourinho is known for "parking the bus," but he might need to take the handbrake off if he wants to catch Porto. Sporting just needs to keep doing what they're doing and hope Porto eventually blinks.
If you’re betting on the primeira liga portugal table, don't sleep on the winter transfer window. Benfica is already rumored to be looking for a creative midfielder and a right-back to help Pavlidis. Porto, meanwhile, seems content with their squad, but an injury to Diogo Costa could derail their entire season.
Keep an eye on the goal difference too. Sporting’s +38 is the best in the league, and in Portugal, head-to-head results often matter more than total goal difference, but it's a great indicator of who is actually dominating their matches. Porto and Sporting haven't played their second-half "Clássico" yet, and that game will likely decide where the trophy ends up.
Actionable Insights for Following the League:
- Watch Porto’s first 15 minutes: They tend to score early and then lock the door. If they don't score by halftime, they look vulnerable to a draw.
- Track Pavlidis vs. Suárez: The Golden Boot race is a two-horse race, and it's driving the momentum for the top two teams.
- Monitor the 4th spot: Gil Vicente and Braga are in a straight-up dogfight for the final Europa League place.
- Check the schedule for AVS: If you're looking for an upset, don't look here. They are struggling to find even a single goal most weekends.