The championship was interesting – three teams competed for the title and 9 in danger of relegation. A historic moment at the bottom end, if relegation is something to be kept in memory. Nine out of 16 league members in danger of relegation is not something to brag about, but that was the case this season – three teams directly relegated and one going to promotion/relegation post-season tournament.
UD Leiria finished last with 20 points. They earned just 1 point on the road, losing 14 away matches.
Os Belenenses was 15th, ahead of Leiria only on better goal-difference. This was the ‘historic moment’: back in 1834 Belenenses, along with Sporting, Benfica, and FC Porot co-founded the Portuguese league. They were among the ‘big’ clubs for a long time and won trophies. One of the big four… but after mid-1960s the club started to fade away and the unstoppable decline reached its logical conclusion: relegation. For the first time Belenenses was relegated. For the first time one of the original founders was relegated. And, looking at the broad picture, Belenenses is still the only one of the original big four relegated – perhaps this dubious record will be unchallenged forever.
CAF Viseu was 14th with 23 points, the third team directly relegated.
FC Penafiel, also with 23 points, was 13th on better goal-difference. They still a chance to keep their place in the top division – if winning the promotion/relegation tournament. They finished 2nd in it and according to the statistical notes, they were safe. Then the 1982-83 season started without them… Down they went after all.
GD Estoril-Praia survived – 12th with 24 points.
Amora FC was also lucky – in safety with 24 points. Better goal-difference placed them 11th.
SC Espinho – 10th with 25 points.
Boavista – 9th with 26 points. Perhaps never in big danger of relegation, but so close. Their good spell seemingly ended and they returned to ‘normal’ – closer to the bottom than to the top. Not a bad team, but…
Vitoria Setubal – 8th with 28 points. Almost perfect mid-table record – 9 wins, 10 ties, 11 losses. Typical for them, nothing new.
SC Braga – 7th with 30 points. Like Setubal, solid mid-table team, having its usual season.
Portimonense FC – 6th with 32. Now, this small club had wonderful season, finishing unusually high.
Rio Ave FC – 5th with 34 points. Like Portimonense, they had surprisingly strong year, but also like Portimonense, they did not have the team and money to stay high in the league for long.
Vitoria Guimaraes – a stand-alone team. With 38 points they were way above the bulk of the league, but also far behind the favourites. 4th place was, however, right and typical. Standing from left: Blanker,Tózé,Barrinha,Nivaldo,Ramalho,Damas.
First row: Mundinho,Ferreira da Costa,Abreu,Festas,Gregorio Freixo.
Aging former national team goalkeeper Damas was the only recognizable name. Curiously, Vitoria did not win even a single match away – their road record was 10 ties and 5 losses.
And the usual suspects battled for the title – at the end, 3 points separated the winners from the bronze medalists.
Standing from left: Gabriel, Freitas, Rodolfo, Teixeira, Romeu, Fonseca.
First row: Jaques, Albertino, Fernando, Jaime Magalhães, Costa.
FC Porto settled at 3rd place with 43 points and the best defensive record this season – they allowed only 17 goals in their net.
Benfica – 2nd with 44 points. They won the most matches – 20, but lost the most among the top teams – 6.
Sporting Lisbon clinched the tile with 46 points. Standing from left: Eurico, Jordão, Manuel Marques (enfermeiro-massagista), Meszaros, Carlos Xavier, Jaime Lopes (chefe do departamento de futebol), Virgílio, Freire, Nogueira, Esmoriz, Fidalgo, Allison, Dr. Alfaiate (médico).
First row: Ademar, Inácio, Barão, Manuel Fernandes, Bastos, Mário Jorge, Lito, Marinho, Oliveira, Marinho (treinador adjunto).
19 wins, 8 ties, and only 3 matches lost. 66-26 goal-difference. Wonderful victory. Their English coach Malcolm Allison must be credited for it.