The Portuguese League has an unfamiliar look about it at the turn of the year. There are perhaps not too many fans who would have placed money on Braga heading the likes of Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting Lisbon at the half-way mark of the season.

Their excellent record of only a single defeat and a lead courtesy of their 2-0 defeat of nearest rivals Benfica in November sees them head a list of strong challengers. Their sole honour has been a Portuguese Cup win way back in 1966 but this could their best year yet in the Portuguese league. Benfica do hold a massive advantage in goal difference but the loss to Braga leaves them in second place albeit on the same points.

FC Porto are in third place and are the nearest and probably only other challenger with fourth-placed Nacional lying nine points behind the leaders.

The battle at the wrong end of the table is much closer with, from the bottom, Olhanense, Belenenses, Leixoes and Vitoria Setubal all within a single point of each other. With the national team having qualified for the World Cup finals albeit it unconvincingly through the play-offs, the incentive for players to perform is clear as a place in the final 22 could depend on their domestic form, for them and their club.