The 2017–18 LigaPro (also known as Ledman LigaPro for sponsorship reasons) was the 28th season of Portuguese football's second-tier league, and the fourth season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 20 teams competed in this division, including reserve sides from top-flight Primeira Liga teams.
Teams A total of 20 teams contested the league, including 16 sides from the 2016–17 season, two teams relegated from the 2016–17 Primeira Liga and two promoted from the 2016–17 Campeonato de Portugal.
Team changes
Promoted from 2016 to 2017 Campeonato de Portugal Oliveirense (North zone promotion group winner) Real (South zone promotion group winner)
Relegated from 2016 to 2017 Primeira Liga Arouca Nacional
Promoted to 2017–18 Primeira Liga Portimonense Desportivo das Aves
Relegated to 2017–18 Campeonato de Portugal Vizela Fafe Freamunde Olhanense
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity2016–17 finish Académica Coimbra Estádio Cidade de Coimbra 29,622 6th Académico de Viseu Viseu Estádio do Fontelo 7,744 17th Arouca Arouca Estádio Municipal de Arouca 5,000 17th (PL) Benfica B Seixal Caixa Futebol Campus 2,720 4th Braga B Braga Estádio 1º de Maio 28,000 7th Cova da Piedade Cova da Piedade Estádio Municipal José Martins Vieira 3,000 16th Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão Estádio Municipal 22 de Junho 5,300 15th Gil Vicente Barcelos Estádio Cidade de Barcelos 12,046 13th Leixões Matosinhos Estádio do Mar 9,766 18th Nacional Funchal Estádio da Madeira 5,200 18th (PL) Oliveirense Oliveira de Azeméis Estádio Municipal de Aveiro 32,830 2nd (CP) Penafiel Penafiel Estádio Municipal 25 de Abril 5,320 5th Porto B Vila Nova de Gaia Estádio Municipal Jorge Sampaio 8,270 12th Real Queluz Complexo Desportivo do Real SC 2,415 1st (CP) Santa Clara Ponta Delgada Estádio de São Miguel 13,277 10th Sporting CP B Alcochete CGD Stadium Aurélio Pereira 1,180 14th Sporting da Covilhã Covilhã Estádio Municipal José dos Santos Pinto 2,055 8th União da Madeira Funchal Centro Desportivo da Madeira 2,300 3rd Varzim Póvoa de Varzim Estádio do Varzim SC 7,280 9th Vitória de Guimarães B Guimarães Estádio D. Afonso Henriques 30,000 11th
Personnel and sponsors Team Head coach Kit manufacturer Sponsors Académica Ricardo Soares Lacatoni EFAPEL Académico de Viseu Francisco Chaló Macron Palácio do Gelo Arouca Miguel Leal Joma Construções Carlos Pinho Benfica B Hélder Cristóvão Adidas Emirates Braga B João Aroso Lacatoni Cova da Piedade João Barbosa Lacatoni Famalicão Dito Lacatoni Porminho Gil Vicente Álvaro Magalhães Macron Barcelos / Crédito Agrícola Leixões Kenedy Luanvi Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos Nacional Costinha Hummel Santander Totta Oliveirense Pedro Miguel Rakso Simoldes Penafiel António Conceição Macron Restradas Porto B José Tavares New BalanceReal SC Filipe Martins Claw Junta de Freguesia de Queluz Santa Clara Carlos Pinto Nike Açoreana Seguros Sporting CP B Luís Martins Macron NOS Sporting da Covilhã José Augusto Lacatoni Natura / MB Hotels União da Madeira José Viterbo Lacatoni Museu CR7 Varzim João Eusébio Stadio Carnes São José Vitória de Guimarães B Vítor Campelos Macron
Coaching changes TeamOutgoing head coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming head coachDate of appointmentAcadémicaCostinhaMutual Consent22 May 2017Pre-seasonIvo Vieira29 May 2017AcadémicaIvo VieiraSigned by Estoril13 November 20176thRicardo Soares14 November 2017AcadémicaRicardo SoaresMutual Consent31 March 20185thQuim Machado1 April 2018
Season summary
League table
Season statistics Top goalscorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Ricardo GomesNacional212 Carlos ViníciusReal193 Thiago SantanaSanta Clara154 Heriberto TavaresBenfica B145 MuriloNacional136 Dieguinho Cova da Piedade12 Fábio AbreuPenafiel8 Cléo Cova da Piedade11 Donald DjousséAcadémica FernandoSanta Clara Sandro LimaAcadémico Viseu Brayan RiascosOliveirense Gustavo CostaPenafiel Luther SinghBraga B
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ref Carlos Vinícius Real Leixões 4–1 (H) Gelson Dala Sporting B Santa Clara 4–3 (H) Fábio Abreu Penafiel Sporting B 4–1 (H) Luan Santos União da Madeira Académico Viseu 5–3 (H) João Félix Benfica B Famalicão 5–0 (H) Sandro Lima Académico Viseu Benfica B 5–1 (A)
Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Scoring
First goal of the season: Bilel Aouacheria, for Sporting da Covilhã vs Sporting B (6 August 2017) Biggest home win: Famalicão 6–0 Sporting B (25 November 2017) Nacional 6–0 Porto B (7 March 2018) Biggest away win: Nacional 0–4 Real (7 October 2017) Benfica B 1–5 Académico Viseu (11 February 2018) Benfica B 0–4 Académica (9 March 2018) União da Madeira 0–4 Benfica B (14 March 2018) Porto B 0–4 Braga B (29 April 2018) Highest scoring match: 9 goals Braga B 5–4 Nacional (1 October 2017) Biggest winning margin: 6 goals Famalicão 6–0 Sporting B (25 November 2017) Nacional 6–0 Porto B (7 March 2018) Most goals scored in a match by a team: 6 goals Famalicão 6–0 Sporting B (25 November 2017) Nacional 6–0 Porto B (7 March 2018)
Awards
Monthly awards Liga Portugal MonthPlayer of the MonthNameClubAugust Fede VarelaPorto BSeptember GalenoPorto BOctober/November Rui CostaFamalicãoDecember Rui CostaFamalicãoJanuary ChiquinhoAcadémicaFebruary Carlos ViníciusRealMarch Ricardo GomesNacionalApril Ricardo GomesNacional
Annual awards
Liga Portugal
Player of the Season The Player of the Season was awarded to Ricardo Gomes (Nacional).
Manager of the Season The Manager of the Season was awarded to Costinha (Nacional).
Goalkeeper of the Season The Goalkeeper of the Season was awarded to Ricardo Ribeiro (Académica).
Young Player of the Year The Young Player of the Year was awarded to Artur Abreu (Vitória de Guimarães B).
Club Fair-Play Prize The Club Fair-Play Prize was awarded to Benfica B.
Player Fair-Play Prize The Player Fair-Play Prize was awarded to Casillas (Porto).
Attendances
# Club Average 1 Académica 4,803 2 Santa Clara 2,031 3 Nacional 1,924 4 Famalicão 1,731 5 Vitória B 1,591 6 Leixões 1,272 7 Varzim 1,230 8 Arouca 992 9 Viseu 978 10 Gil Vicente 962 11 União Madeira 907 12 Penafiel 846 13 Cova da Piedade 784 14 Benfica B 594 15 Porto B 502 16 Real SC 494 17 Oliveirense 378 18 Braga B 363 19 Covilhã 358 20 Sporting B 226
Source:
References