Who wins the Portuguese Cup 2018/2019?
Portuguese Cup 2018/19
Portuguese Cup, also known as Taça de Portugal is an annual football competition and the premier knockout tournament in Portuguese football. The competition is open to professional and amateur clubs from the top-four league divisions. The winner of the competition gets a direct spot in the group stages of the UEFA Europa League in the following season unless they qualify for the Champions League from their league position. The cup competition was first held in 1938 and in the 2018/19 season it will be the 79th season of the cup competition. Last season, 153 teams participated in the tournament and Desportivo das Aves came out winning their first ever Portuguese Cup after they defeated Sporting CP in the finals.
The most successful club in the tournament is Benfica. They have played in the final of the tournament 36 times and came out victorious in 26 of them. Porto and Sporting CP both have won the title 16 times.
The favorites to win the cup in the upcoming season of 2018/19 are:
FC Porto:
It seemed like FC Porto’s dominance in Portugal has ended but they turned things around last season as they won the league with a 7-point gap. They could've also won the cup last season but lost to Sporting CP in the semi-finals in tie-breakers. In the summer’s transfer window Porto must keep their main squad and strengthen their depth if they want to succeed again next season. And if they are capable to do so, the Portuguese cup could come in their hands again for the first time since 2011.
S.L. Benfica:
Benfica has had a disappointing spell in the last season. After a double-winning campaign, they must be very disappointed with a 2nd place finish in the league and a 5th round exit in the cup. They have a stable squad with a good balance of experience and youth but they still need to upgrade their team if they want to be back at the top. They are the most successful club in the tournament and certainly one of the favorites to win back the cup in the upcoming season.
Sporting Clube de Portugal:
Sporting CP came very close last season to win the cup for the 17th time in their history. The club is famous for having one of the best youth systems in the world. Two of the greatest footballers ever Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo were created by Sporting. They have a good squad for the upcoming season and with a few upgrades they can play in the finals again and could end up winning it this time.