The 2019–20 Taça da Liga was the thirteenth edition of the
Taça da Liga
The Taça da Liga (), known outside Portugal as Portuguese League Cup, is an annual football club competition organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP) for teams competing in the Primeira Liga and LigaPro, the top two tier ...
(also known as Allianz Cup for sponsorship reasons), a
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
league cup
In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
competition organised by the
Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional
The Liga Portugal (Portugal League), also known by its acronym LPFP, is a governing body that manages professional football club competitions in Portugal. It was founded in 1978 as Liga Portuguesa dos Clubes de Futebol Profissional and works as an ...
and contested exclusively by clubs competing in the
top two professional tiers of
Portuguese football
Association football ( pt, futebol), the most popular sport in Portugal, has a long and storied history in the country, following its introduction in 1875 in cities such as Funchal, Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra by English merchants and Portuguese ...
– the
Primeira Liga
The Primeira Liga (; English: Premier League, also written as Liga Portugal 1), also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal, ...
and the
LigaPro
The Liga Portugal 2 (), also known as Liga Portugal 2 SABSEG for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division of the Portuguese football league system. At the end of each season, the two top-finishing teams are promoted to the top-tier Prim ...
. It began on 27 July 2019 and concluded with
the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
in
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
on 25 January 2020,
between
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
and
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
.
Sporting CP
Sporting Clube de Portugal, founded Sporting Club de Portugal (), otherwise referred to as Sporting CP, often known abroad as Sporting Lisbon , is a Portuguese professional sports club based in Lisbon. It is best known for the professional foot ...
, who had won the previous two titles, were eliminated by
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
in the semi-finals. In a rematch of the
2013 final, Braga defeated
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
1–0 to earn its second title. Porto lost their fourth consecutive league cup final, after appearances in the
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, 2013, and
2019 finals.
Format
Ten teams placed 4th–15th in the
2018–19 LigaPro
The 2018–19 LigaPro (also known as Ledman LigaPro for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th season of Portuguese football's second-tier league, and the fifth season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 18 teams competed in this division, in ...
(reserve teams from Primeira Liga clubs are excluded) and the two teams promoted to the
2019–20 LigaPro
The 2019–20 LigaPro was the 30th season of Portuguese Association football, football's second-tier league, and the sixth season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 18 teams competed in this division, including reserve team, reserve sides ...
take part in the first round; one-legged ties with no
extra-time
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...
were played between twelve teams.
In the second round, the six teams advancing from the previous round are joined by the fourteen teams placed 5th–18th in the
2018–19 Primeira Liga
The 2018–19 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 85th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. Porto were the defending champions but finished behind ...
, by the three teams promoted to
2019–20 Primeira Liga
The 2019–20 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 86th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. The season started on 9 August 2019 and was finished on ...
and the team placed 3rd in the 2018–19 LigaPro. Again, one-legged ties with no extra-time were played between twenty-four teams.
The third round features the twelve teams advancing from the previous round and the four best-placed teams in the 2018–19 Primeira Liga. The sixteen teams were drawn into four groups that are contested in a single round-robin schedule, with each team playing at least one game at home.
The four group winners qualify for the knockout phase, which features single-legged ties, again with no extra-time being played. The semi-finals and final are played at a neutral venue, set to be in
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
until 2020.
Tiebreakers
In the third round, teams are ranked according to
points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If two or more teams are tied on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings:
#highest
goal difference
Goal difference, goal differential or points difference is a form of tiebreaker used to rank sport teams which finish on equal points in a league competition. Either "goal difference" or "points difference" is used, depending on whether matches ar ...
in all group matches;
#highest number of scored goals in all group matches;
#lowest average age of all players fielded in all group matches (sum of the ages of all fielded players divided by the number of fielded players).
In all other rounds, teams tied at the end of regular time contest a
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pen ...
to determine the winner. No
extra-time
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...
is played.
Teams
Thirty-four teams competing in the two professional tiers of Portuguese football for the 2019–20 season are eligible to participate in this competition. For teams that were either promoted or related, the final position in the previous league season determines in which round they enter the competition.
;Key:
*Nth: League position in the 2018–19 season
*P1: Promoted to the Primeira Liga
*P2: Promoted to the LigaPro
*R1: Relegated to the LigaPro
Schedule
First round
The twelve non-reserve teams competing in the
2019–20 LigaPro
The 2019–20 LigaPro was the 30th season of Portuguese Association football, football's second-tier league, and the sixth season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 18 teams competed in this division, including reserve team, reserve sides ...
entered the competition in this round. Twelve teams were paired against each other for six single-legged ties. The draw took place on 5 July 2019, and the matches were played on 27 and 28 July 2019. Games tied at the end of regular time were decided by a
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pen ...
with no
extra-time
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...
being played. The first team drawn in each fixture played at home.
Notes:
Second round
In the second round, the six first-round winners joined the fourteen teams ranked 5th–18th in the
2018–19 Primeira Liga
The 2018–19 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 85th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. Porto were the defending champions but finished behind ...
, the team ranked 3rd in the
2018–19 LigaPro
The 2018–19 LigaPro (also known as Ledman LigaPro for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th season of Portuguese football's second-tier league, and the fifth season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 18 teams competed in this division, in ...
and the three teams promoted to the
2018–19 Primeira Liga
The 2018–19 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 85th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. Porto were the defending champions but finished behind ...
. Twenty-four teams were paired against each other for twelve single-legged ties. The draw took place on 5 July 2019, and the matches were played on 3 and 5 August 2019. Games tied at the end of regular time were decided by a
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pen ...
with no
extra-time
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...
being played. The first team drawn in each fixture played at home.
Notes:
Third round
In the third round, the twelve second-round winners joined the four top-ranked teams from the
2018–19 Primeira Liga
The 2018–19 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 85th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. Porto were the defending champions but finished behind ...
:
Benfica (1st),
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
(2nd),
Sporting CP
Sporting Clube de Portugal, founded Sporting Club de Portugal (), otherwise referred to as Sporting CP, often known abroad as Sporting Lisbon , is a Portuguese professional sports club based in Lisbon. It is best known for the professional foot ...
(3rd) and
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
(4th). These sixteen teams were drawn into four groups of four, each group containing one of the four top-ranked Primeira Liga teams. Group matches were be played in a single round-robin schedule, ensuring that each team played at least one match at home.
For the draw, the teams were seeded into four pots based on their league position in the previous season, with the teams participating in the
2018–19 Primeira Liga
The 2018–19 Primeira Liga (also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons) was the 85th season of the Primeira Liga, the top professional league for Portuguese association football clubs. Porto were the defending champions but finished behind ...
being seeded higher regardless of any relegation. The draw took place on 3 September 2019, and the matches were played between 25 September and 21 December 2019. The fixtures and match dates were decided by an additional draw.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Knockout phase
The knockout phase was contested as a final-four tournament by the four third-round group winners in one-legged semi-finals and final. All matches were played in a single venue, decided before the competition starts. As in the first and second round, games tied at the end of regular time were decided by a
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pen ...
with no
extra-time
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...
being played.
The first semi-final was played between the winners of Groups A (
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
) and C (
Sporting CP
Sporting Clube de Portugal, founded Sporting Club de Portugal (), otherwise referred to as Sporting CP, often known abroad as Sporting Lisbon , is a Portuguese professional sports club based in Lisbon. It is best known for the professional foot ...
), while the second between Group B (
Vitória de Guimarães
Vitoria or Vitória may refer to :
People
* Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1483–1546), a Spanish Renaissance theologian
* Alberto Vitoria (1956–2010), Spanish footballer
* Rui Vitória (born 1970), Portuguese retired footballer
* Steven Vitória ...
) and D (
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
) winners. Groups A and B winners (
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
and
Vitória de Guimarães
Vitoria or Vitória may refer to :
People
* Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1483–1546), a Spanish Renaissance theologian
* Alberto Vitoria (1956–2010), Spanish footballer
* Rui Vitória (born 1970), Portuguese retired footballer
* Steven Vitória ...
, respectively) were designated as the "home" teams (for administrative purposes) in their semi-final clashes as was the winner of the first semi-final in the final. If the team that played at home in the appointed neutral stadium was still in competition, in this case
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
, they would be designated the home team regardless of which group or semi-final they played.
All matches were played at
Estádio Municipal de Braga
The Municipal Stadium of Braga ( pt, Estádio Municipal de Braga) is an all-seater football stadium located in Braga, Portugal, and the current home of Sporting Clube de Braga. It has a capacity of 30,286 spectators, making it the seventh larges ...
, in
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
, with the semi-finals played on 21 and 22 January, and the final on 25 January 2020.
Semi-finals
----
Final
References
External links
Liga Portugal official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:2019-20 Taca da Liga
Taça da Liga
Taca da Liga
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...