From our football correspondent
Steady
Match10 Nov 2027
0-1 against Boavista , and the road stops here. Cup exits are quick deaths — no second leg, no next week, just the league from now until May.
Market15 Nov 2027
Miguel Salgado has one foot out of the doorTerms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Estoril Praia they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Squad15 Nov 2027
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Martin Turk knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Squad15 Nov 2027
The manager makes an example of Jandro Orellana
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match13 Nov 2027
1-1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.
Squad15 Nov 2027
A season average of 7.22 with 4 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad8 Nov 2027
Xeka gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad8 Nov 2027
Voices raised on the Estoril Praia training ground
Two players, one bad tackle and a session that had to be stopped. It was over in a minute; it was outside the gates in an hour.
Squad8 Nov 2027
A club that lets a breach of discipline pass invites the next one, so a week's wages have gone. The matter is closed, officially at least.
Xeka Xeka gets it from the manager
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Squad1 Nov 2027
A one-man rearguard from Martin Turk
There were 9 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad1 Nov 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Squad1 Nov 2027
13 goals and a season average of 7.27. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Match30 Oct 2027
Maritimo made Estoril Praia work for it, but the scoreboard read 2-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Squad1 Nov 2027
Wellington gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Market1 Nov 2027
Estoril Praia have made Tiago Ilori available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Squad25 Oct 2027
The manager makes an example of Rúben Vezo
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match23 Oct 2027
Chaves made Estoril Praia work for it, but the scoreboard read 2-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Squad25 Oct 2027
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Estoril Praia have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Rúben Vezo The manager makes an example of Rúben Vezo
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market18 Oct 2027
Miguel Salgado has one foot out of the doorTerms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Estoril Praia they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Squad18 Oct 2027
Joel Robles gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Match16 Oct 2027
0-1 to Benfica , and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Squad11 Oct 2027
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 9 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Squad11 Oct 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Match9 Oct 2027
Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 8 matches without defeat is a foundation Estoril Praia did not have in the autumn.
Martin Turk Martin Turk keeps Estoril Praia in it on his own
Squad11 Oct 2027
12 goals and a season average of 7.23. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Match9 Oct 2027
A 2-0 win over Sporting CP , earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
Squad11 Oct 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Gonçalo Costa commits to Estoril Praia for another 3 years.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad4 Oct 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Joel Robles commits to Estoril Praia for another 2 years.
Match2 Oct 2027
Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 7 matches without defeat is a foundation Estoril Praia did not have in the autumn.
Squad4 Oct 2027
Rafael Melo gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Squad27 Sep 2027
The match ball belongs to André Lacximicant , whose 3 goals turned a difficult afternoon into a procession.
Match25 Sep 2027
Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 6 matches without defeat is a foundation Estoril Praia did not have in the autumn.
Match25 Sep 2027
A 3-1 win over Boavista , earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
In brief
Squad
João Carvalho gets it from the manager
Squad
Xeka asks for a word with the manager
Squad
Rúben Vezo named in the team of the week
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad20 Sep 2027
3 goals in one afternoon from one man. The other players were also present, a witness confirmed.
Squad20 Sep 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Market20 Sep 2027
Miguel Salgado has one foot out of the doorTerms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Estoril Praia they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Match18 Sep 2027
Three points for Estoril Praia , 3-2 the final word against Vizela in a contest settled by the finer margins.
Squad20 Sep 2027
The manager makes an example of Aranha
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad20 Sep 2027
Xeka knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market13 Sep 2027
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Match11 Sep 2027
A 2-2 draw with Casa Pia leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
Squad13 Sep 2027
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad6 Sep 2027
Rúben Vezo gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Match4 Sep 2027
A 1-0 win over Arouca , earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
Squad6 Sep 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Maxime Pélican and Estoril Praia agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Market6 Sep 2027
“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.
Market6 Sep 2027
Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Estoril Praia will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.
Squad6 Sep 2027
The armband comes off Xeka
Estoril Praia will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.
Squad6 Sep 2027
Is this Joel Robles ’s last season?
“I will know when it is time. I am not there yet.” Joel Robles is 37, with 185 appearances behind him, and Estoril Praia will have to plan for whichever answer comes.
Market6 Sep 2027
Ítalo placed on the listEstoril Praia have made Ítalo available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.
Market6 Sep 2027
The window shut and Clau Mendes is still in the building
Estoril Praia spent a month trying to move him and nobody rang back. He trains with a squad that has told him where he stands, and both sides start counting down to the next one.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad30 Aug 2027
A one-man rearguard from Martin Turk
There were 8 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Match28 Aug 2027
4 matches without a win for Estoril Praia
The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Estoril Praia are no longer polite ones.
Squad30 Aug 2027
The manager makes an example of Joel Robles
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market30 Aug 2027
The name of Miguel Salgado has come up in conversations Estoril Praia were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Squad30 Aug 2027
The medical room confirms 43 days on the sidelines for Tiago Marques , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Match28 Aug 2027
A 2-2 draw with Porto leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market23 Aug 2027
Miguel Salgado has one foot out of the doorTerms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Estoril Praia they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Squad23 Aug 2027
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” André Lacximicant commits to Estoril Praia for another 4 years.
Squad23 Aug 2027
The manager makes an example of Ferro
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match21 Aug 2027
It finished 2-2, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
Squad23 Aug 2027
Joel Robles asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Squad23 Aug 2027
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Estoril Praia have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match14 Aug 2027
3-6 to Braga , and it was every bit as bad as the number suggests. There are defeats you argue about and defeats you apologise for; this was the second kind.
Market16 Aug 2027
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Squad16 Aug 2027
The match ball belongs to André Lacximicant , whose 3 goals turned a difficult afternoon into a procession.
Market16 Aug 2027
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
Market16 Aug 2027
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
Market16 Aug 2027
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
Squad16 Aug 2027
Felix Bacher gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad16 Aug 2027
Beaten 6 times, with 4 saves for company. Goalkeepers carry these scorelines on their record whoever actually caused them, which is the quiet injustice of the job.
Boardroom16 Aug 2027
The manager kept them in and said what needed saying. A response is expected on Saturday, and if it does not come the questions move upstairs.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad9 Aug 2027
Xeka out for 33 daysThe medical room confirms 33 days on the sidelines for Xeka , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Market9 Aug 2027
“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.
Squad9 Aug 2027
The manager makes an example of Jandro Orellana
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Xeka Xeka out for 33 days
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Boardroom2 Aug 2027
The silence upstairs is getting loud at Estoril Praia
Nobody on the board has said anything against the manager, which is the point — they have stopped saying anything for him either.
Boardroom2 Aug 2027
Estoril Praia pull $700.5K back off the tableThe money that was there in the summer is not there now. Nobody upstairs calls this a change of ambition, and everybody downstairs reads it as one.
Squad2 Aug 2027
Jandro Orellana asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad26 Jul 2027
17 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad26 Jul 2027
The manager makes an example of Clau Mendes
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market26 Jul 2027
The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Clau Mendes may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market19 Jul 2027
Campobasso are about to pick up the phoneA conversation is coming this week. Estoril Praia will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.
Market19 Jul 2027
The name of Felix Bacher keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Estoril Praia say nothing, which says plenty.
Squad19 Jul 2027
Antef Tsoungui knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
Aranha Campobasso are about to pick up the phone
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad12 Jul 2027
Xeka out for 63 daysThe medical room confirms 63 days on the sidelines for Xeka , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Market12 Jul 2027
The interest is real enough to have reached print. Estoril Praia have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.
Squad12 Jul 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Xeka Xeka out for 63 days
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad5 Jul 2027
Luís Gomes gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Market5 Jul 2027
“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.
Squad5 Jul 2027
Wellington knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market28 Jun 2027
Peixinho hands in a written request“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estoril Praia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad28 Jun 2027
47 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad28 Jun 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Peixinho Peixinho hands in a written request
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad21 Jun 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Squad21 Jun 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Market21 Jun 2027
The name of Felix Bacher keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Estoril Praia say nothing, which says plenty.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad14 Jun 2027
Xeka out for 93 daysThe medical room confirms 93 days on the sidelines for Xeka , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Market14 Jun 2027
The fee is $1.7M, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Casa Pia drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
Squad14 Jun 2027
The manager makes an example of Jandro Orellana
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Xeka Xeka out for 93 days
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market7 Jun 2027
Benfica come back empty-handedThe bid was some way short and Estoril Praia did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.
Squad7 Jun 2027
Gonçalo Costa : that is not what I was promised“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Estoril Praia have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Market7 Jun 2027
Peixinho told to find a new club“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Peixinho has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Estoril Praia .
Squad7 Jun 2027
The manager makes an example of Martin Turk
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
The terraces7 Jun 2027
Supporters make their feelings known about Felix Bacher
The speculation has reached the stands, and the stands have answered. Estoril Praia would like this settled before it becomes the only thing anybody asks about.
Squad7 Jun 2027
Antef Tsoungui knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad31 May 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Squad31 May 2027
The manager makes an example of Clau Mendes
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad31 May 2027
Aranha is out on the grass againHe came through the session, took part in everything and finished it smiling. Estoril Praia will not rush him, and he will spend the next fortnight trying to rush them.
Antef Tsoungui Antef Tsoungui says Estoril Praia went back on their word
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Boardroom24 May 2027
Continental nights are coming to Estoril Praia
Qualification is secured, and next season the big floodlit nights are continental ones. For the players it is a stage; for the accounts it is a lifeline; for the supporters it is passports.
Squad24 May 2027
Martin Turk : that is not what I was promised“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Estoril Praia have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Loan watch24 May 2027
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Estoril Praia , and 5 appearances in 40 say he has earned the hearing.
Martin Turk Martin Turk: that is not what I was promised
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad17 May 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Squad17 May 2027
124 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad17 May 2027
The manager makes an example of Luís Gomes
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Wellington Wellington says Estoril Praia went back on their word
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad10 May 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Squad10 May 2027
Ferro gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad10 May 2027
Wellington knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
Lawrence Ofori Lawrence Ofori says Estoril Praia went back on their word
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad3 May 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Squad3 May 2027
The manager makes an example of Jandro Orellana
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market3 May 2027
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Loan watch26 Apr 2027
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Estoril Praia , and 5 appearances in 36 say he has earned the hearing.
Squad26 Apr 2027
Jandro Orellana asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Squad26 Apr 2027
The manager comes out for Clau Mendes
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Clau Mendes has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Peixinho Peixinho has seen enough of Vizela
In brief
Squad
Xeka back in training
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad19 Apr 2027
Aranha gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad19 Apr 2027
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
Squad19 Apr 2027
Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Khayon Edwards has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.
Aranha Aranha gets it from the manager
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad12 Apr 2027
Wellington gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad12 Apr 2027
Antef Tsoungui asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Squad12 Apr 2027
Xeka has started doing his badges“I watch sessions differently now. I catch myself thinking about why we are doing the drill.” At 32 that is how nearly every man in a dugout started.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match3 Apr 2027
Beaten 0-3 by Vitoria Guimaraes , and beaten everywhere it matters. The inquest starts on the training pitch on Monday morning.
Squad5 Apr 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Rafa Soares and Estoril Praia agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad5 Apr 2027
Clau Mendes gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad29 Mar 2027
A season average of 7.39 with 14 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match27 Mar 2027
A 1-0 win over Pacos de Ferreira , earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
Loan watch29 Mar 2027
Peixinho wants to come home“I did not go to Vizela to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estoril Praia and fight for my place.” 5 appearances in 32 matches say the rest.
Squad29 Mar 2027
Wellington left out for the big oneA player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Wellington will call it something else in private.
Squad29 Mar 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad29 Mar 2027
A booking nobody needed, on a night the game was already won. Estoril Praia lose a player for the most avoidable reason there is.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad22 Mar 2027
A season average of 7.44 with 28 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match20 Mar 2027
No end in sight to Estoril Praia 's wait for a win
7 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Estoril Praia has to find a result from somewhere.
Squad22 Mar 2027
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 6 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Match13 Mar 2027
No end in sight to Estoril Praia 's wait for a win
6 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Estoril Praia has to find a result from somewhere.
Squad15 Mar 2027
The manager makes an example of Felix Bacher
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match13 Mar 2027
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Portimonense defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad8 Mar 2027
A season average of 7.41 with 27 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match6 Mar 2027
No end in sight to Estoril Praia 's wait for a win
5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Estoril Praia has to find a result from somewhere.
Squad8 Mar 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Joel Robles and Estoril Praia agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad8 Mar 2027
Ferro out for 26 daysThe medical room confirms 26 days on the sidelines for Ferro , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Match6 Mar 2027
0-2 to Santa Clara , and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad8 Mar 2027
Clau Mendes left out for the big oneA player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Clau Mendes will call it something else in private.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad1 Mar 2027
A season average of 7.45 with 14 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match27 Feb 2027
No end in sight to Estoril Praia 's wait for a win
4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Estoril Praia has to find a result from somewhere.
Squad1 Mar 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Loan watch1 Mar 2027
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Estoril Praia , and 4 appearances in 28 say he has earned the hearing.
Match27 Feb 2027
1-1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.
Market1 Mar 2027
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad22 Feb 2027
The manager makes an example of Joel Robles
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match20 Feb 2027
It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
Squad22 Feb 2027
Aranha asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Joel Robles The manager makes an example of Joel Robles
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad15 Feb 2027
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 6 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Loan watch15 Feb 2027
“I did not go to Arouca to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estoril Praia and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 25 matches say the rest.
Squad15 Feb 2027
Martin Turk gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Joel Robles Joel Robles keeps Estoril Praia in it on his own
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad8 Feb 2027
27 goals and a season average of 7.48. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Squad8 Feb 2027
A one-man rearguard from Joel Robles
There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad8 Feb 2027
57 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market1 Feb 2027
The bid was some way short and Estoril Praia did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.
Squad1 Feb 2027
A season average of 7.49 with 14 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match30 Jan 2027
Three points for Estoril Praia , 1-0 the final word against Rio Ave in a contest settled by the finer margins.
Loan watch1 Feb 2027
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Estoril Praia , and 4 appearances in 24 say he has earned the hearing.
Market1 Feb 2027
Casertana are about to pick up the phoneA conversation is coming this week. Estoril Praia will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.
Squad1 Feb 2027
The manager makes an example of Aranha
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad25 Jan 2027
26 goals and a season average of 7.47. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Squad25 Jan 2027
25 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Match23 Jan 2027
4 matches without a win for Estoril Praia
The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Estoril Praia are no longer polite ones.
Match23 Jan 2027
A 2-2 draw with Boavista leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
Boardroom25 Jan 2027
Wages eat 86% of everything Estoril Praia earn
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Squad25 Jan 2027
The manager makes an example of Gonçalo Costa
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Match13 Jan 2027
0-1 against Sporting CP , and the road stops here. Cup exits are quick deaths — no second leg, no next week, just the league from now until May.
Squad18 Jan 2027
A one-man rearguard from Joel Robles
There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad18 Jan 2027
A season average of 7.43 with 12 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Market18 Jan 2027
Željko Vitorović has left for Gil Vicente in a $250.0K deal. The accountants are pleased; the supporters are less certain.
Squad18 Jan 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad18 Jan 2027
The medical room confirms 20 days on the sidelines for Pedro Carvalho , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
Loan watch18 Jan 2027
“I did not go to Arouca to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estoril Praia and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 21 matches say the rest.
Market18 Jan 2027
He is 20, and nobody at Estoril Praia signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
Match16 Jan 2027
It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Match9 Jan 2027
The unbeaten run reaches 13. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Squad11 Jan 2027
25 goals and a season average of 7.46. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Market11 Jan 2027
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estoril Praia can pretend not to have heard.
Market11 Jan 2027
The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.
Squad11 Jan 2027
56 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Match9 Jan 2027
It finished 3-3, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
Squad11 Jan 2027
Joel Robles lets one through his handsA defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
Squad11 Jan 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market4 Jan 2027
The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.
Match2 Jan 2027
The unbeaten run reaches 12. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Market4 Jan 2027
Ferro hands in a written request“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estoril Praia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad4 Jan 2027
23 goals and a season average of 7.41. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Squad4 Jan 2027
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Match2 Jan 2027
Three points for Estoril Praia , 3-2 the final word against Arouca in a contest settled by the finer margins.
Squad4 Jan 2027
Joel Robles gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Market4 Jan 2027
The name of Martin Turk has come up in conversations Estoril Praia were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Squad4 Jan 2027
Joel Robles lets one through his handsA defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Match26 Dec 2026
The unbeaten run reaches 11. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Squad28 Dec 2026
21 goals and a season average of 7.36. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Squad28 Dec 2026
The medical room confirms 56 days on the sidelines for João Carvalho , and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad21 Dec 2026
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 7 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Match19 Dec 2026
The unbeaten run reaches 10. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Squad21 Dec 2026
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Joel Robles Joel Robles keeps Estoril Praia in it on his own
Squad21 Dec 2026
A season average of 7.32 with 19 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Squad21 Dec 2026
51 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Loan watch21 Dec 2026
“I did not go to Arouca to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estoril Praia and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 17 matches say the rest.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad14 Dec 2026
A one-man rearguard from Joel Robles
There were 8 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Match12 Dec 2026
The unbeaten run reaches 9. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Squad14 Dec 2026
A season average of 7.28 with 18 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Match5 Dec 2026
The unbeaten run reaches 8. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Squad7 Dec 2026
10 goals and a season average of 7.38. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Loan watch7 Dec 2026
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Estoril Praia , and 4 appearances in 16 say he has earned the hearing.
Squad7 Dec 2026
Estoril Praia will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.
Squad7 Dec 2026
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad30 Nov 2026
A season average of 7.25 with 17 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match28 Nov 2026
The unbeaten run reaches 7. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Boardroom30 Nov 2026
Wages eat 140% of everything Estoril Praia earn
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Match28 Nov 2026
A 2-2 draw with Pacos de Ferreira leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
Squad30 Nov 2026
Aranha gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
The terraces30 Nov 2026
Everybody has an opinion about Joel Robles
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Squad23 Nov 2026
A season average of 7.21 with 16 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Match21 Nov 2026
The unbeaten run reaches 6. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.
Squad23 Nov 2026
The manager makes an example of Ferro
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match21 Nov 2026
It finished 3-3, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
Loan watch23 Nov 2026
“I did not go to Arouca to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estoril Praia and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 13 matches say the rest.
Squad23 Nov 2026
One booking too many, and Felix Bacher sits out. Estoril Praia lose him for the sort of avoidable reason that makes a manager's week longer.
From our football correspondent
Triumph
Match11 Nov 2026
Famalicao are out and Estoril Praia go through, 3-1 the final word. The bracket opens up a little, and everyone allows themselves a look at it.
Match14 Nov 2026
3-0, and the margin flattered nobody — it could have carried another goal or two without complaint. Afternoons like this are why people keep coming.
Squad16 Nov 2026
3 goals in one afternoon from one man. The other players were also present, a witness confirmed.
Squad16 Nov 2026
A one-man rearguard from Martin Turk
There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad16 Nov 2026
118 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad16 Nov 2026
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad9 Nov 2026
The manager makes an example of Rafa Soares
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Loan watch9 Nov 2026
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Estoril Praia , and 4 appearances in 12 say he has earned the hearing.
Match7 Nov 2026
A 1-1 draw with Santa Clara leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
Rafa Soares The manager makes an example of Rafa Soares
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Match31 Oct 2026
A 4-2 win over Maritimo , earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
Boardroom2 Nov 2026
Wages eat 140% of everything Estoril Praia earn
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Squad2 Nov 2026
A season average of 7.24 with 8 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.
Squad2 Nov 2026
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad2 Nov 2026
Xeka loses the armbandThe captaincy has been taken off Xeka . Estoril Praia will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.
Market2 Nov 2026
“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad26 Oct 2026
The match ball belongs to André Lacximicant , whose 4 goals turned a difficult afternoon into a procession.
Match24 Oct 2026
Rarely has this fixture seen a display like it: 5-0 against Chaves , and it could have been more.
Squad26 Oct 2026
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match17 Oct 2026
0-1 to Benfica , and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad19 Oct 2026
The manager makes an example of Gonçalo Costa
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad19 Oct 2026
Antef Tsoungui knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match10 Oct 2026
Beaten 0-2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Squad12 Oct 2026
The manager makes an example of Jandro Orellana
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad12 Oct 2026
Nodar Lominadze asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Market12 Oct 2026
Contract settled, hands shaken, no fee changing hands. Diogo Dias leaves Estoril Praia the quiet way, and the wage bill breathes a little easier.
Market12 Oct 2026
No fee, no negotiation, no argument: Júlio Gil moves on to another club with his contract settled and the wage bill a little lighter.
Market12 Oct 2026
No fee, no negotiation, no argument: Gabriel Tavares moves on to another club with his contract settled and the wage bill a little lighter.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Boardroom5 Oct 2026
165% of the income goes out in wages at Estoril Praia
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Squad5 Oct 2026
Clau Mendes gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Match3 Oct 2026
1-1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.
Squad5 Oct 2026
Joel Robles has company in his positionThe competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Joel Robles keeps the shirt for now, at Estoril Praia 's convenience rather than his own.
Squad5 Oct 2026
The shirt belongs to Rafa Soares now
At 31 he has made the position his own, and the man he took it from has to find something to say about it. Estoril Praia have a decision that made itself.
Squad5 Oct 2026
Jandro Orellana asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Market5 Oct 2026
The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Serif Berbic arrives at Estoril Praia with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.
Market5 Oct 2026
No fee, no negotiation, no argument: João Costa moves on to another club with his contract settled and the wage bill a little lighter.
Market5 Oct 2026
No fee, no negotiation, no argument: Diogo Grima moves on to another club with his contract settled and the wage bill a little lighter.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad28 Sep 2026
The match ball belongs to André Lacximicant , whose 4 goals turned a difficult afternoon into a procession.
Match26 Sep 2026
Rarely has this fixture seen a display like it: 4-1 against Boavista , and it could have been more.
Squad28 Sep 2026
A one-man rearguard from Joel Robles
There were 8 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad28 Sep 2026
The manager makes an example of Ferro
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Loan watch28 Sep 2026
“I did not go to Arouca to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estoril Praia and fight for my place.” 0 appearances in 5 matches say the rest.
The terraces28 Sep 2026
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
Squad28 Sep 2026
João Carvalho has company in his positionThe competition arrived without a word said to him about it. João Carvalho keeps the shirt for now, at Estoril Praia 's convenience rather than his own.
Market28 Sep 2026
No fee and no drama: João Pinto has signed at Estoril Praia , and the wage bill is the only line that moved.
The terraces28 Sep 2026
Column inches are not points, but a footballer whose name keeps appearing for the right reasons is a footballer whose price has just gone up.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match19 Sep 2026
4 matches without a win for Estoril Praia
The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Estoril Praia are no longer polite ones.
Match19 Sep 2026
1-2 to Vizela , and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad21 Sep 2026
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad14 Sep 2026
Clau Mendes : that is not what I was promised“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Estoril Praia have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Market14 Sep 2026
Gil Vicente come back empty-handedThe bid was some way short and Estoril Praia did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.
Squad14 Sep 2026
The manager makes an example of Ricard Sánchez
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Clau Mendes Clau Mendes: that is not what I was promised
Match12 Sep 2026
It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
The terraces14 Sep 2026
The spotlight tightens on Joel Robles
Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.
Squad14 Sep 2026
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Estoril Praia have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market7 Sep 2026
Júlio Gil hands in a written request“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estoril Praia can pretend not to have heard.
Match5 Sep 2026
1-2 to Arouca , and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad7 Sep 2026
Rafa Soares gets it from the manager“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Júlio Gil Júlio Gil hands in a written request
Squad7 Sep 2026
A new face in his position, and Jordan Holsgrove suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Estoril Praia have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
Market7 Sep 2026
The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Rafa Soares arrives at Estoril Praia with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.
Market7 Sep 2026
The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Maxime Pélican arrives at Estoril Praia with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad31 Aug 2026
A one-man rearguard from Joel Robles
There were 9 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Market31 Aug 2026
Diogo Dias hands in a written request“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estoril Praia can pretend not to have heard.
Squad31 Aug 2026
The manager makes an example of Ferro
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match29 Aug 2026
It finished 2-2, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.
Market31 Aug 2026
Gil Vicente are about to pick up the phoneA conversation is coming this week. Estoril Praia will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.
Market31 Aug 2026
The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Ferro may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.
From our football correspondent
Upbeat
Match22 Aug 2026
Rarely has this fixture seen a display like it: 4-1 against Gil Vicente , and it could have been more.
Squad24 Aug 2026
A one-man rearguard from Joel Robles
There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Market24 Aug 2026
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Squad24 Aug 2026
The manager makes an example of Joel Robles
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market24 Aug 2026
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Estoril Praia has been clear about where Fernando Medrano stands, which is more than many ever get.
Market24 Aug 2026
“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.
Squad24 Aug 2026
The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.
Squad24 Aug 2026
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Estoril Praia have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Market24 Aug 2026
The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Clau Mendes arrives at Estoril Praia with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match15 Aug 2026
A 1-4 beating by Braga was the sort of result that empties a stadium long before the final whistle.
Market17 Aug 2026
The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.
Diogo Dias Estoril Praia turn down Pacos de Ferreira for Diogo Dias
Market17 Aug 2026
Philippe Lanquetin has left for Maritimo in a $700.0K deal. The accountants are pleased; the supporters are less certain.
Squad17 Aug 2026
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Boardroom17 Aug 2026
Nobody left the Estoril Praia dressing room in a hurry
The door stayed shut a long time after the final whistle. What was said in there is between them; whether it worked is between them and Saturday.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market10 Aug 2026
The interest is real enough to have reached print. Estoril Praia have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.
Squad10 Aug 2026
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Yanis Begraoui commits to Estoril Praia for another 4 years.
Squad10 Aug 2026
The manager makes an example of Felix Bacher
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Market10 Aug 2026
The clock runs on Joel Robles 's contract
24 months left and silence from upstairs — no offer, no talks, nothing for his people to answer. Clubs that let a calendar do their negotiating usually end up negotiating with the calendar.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Yanis Begraoui asks for a word with the manager“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Market10 Aug 2026
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Estoril Praia has been clear about where Bernardo Lourenço stands, which is more than many ever get.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad3 Aug 2026
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” João Carvalho commits to Estoril Praia for another 4 years.
Market3 Aug 2026
49 months to run and not a word offered. A club that lets the calendar negotiate for it usually ends up losing to the calendar.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Yanis Begraoui knocks on the manager's door“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estoril Praia , and both men came out saying it was fine.
Market3 Aug 2026
“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Philippe Lanquetin has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Estoril Praia .
Market3 Aug 2026
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Xeka handed the armbandThe captaincy goes to Xeka . It is not a job that wins matches, but a dressing room always notices who is given it.