Title race in Portugal has Porto and Villas-Boas leading mentor Mourinho at unbeaten Benfica
GENEVA: Porto holding off Benfica in the Portuguese title race is a rivalry between André Villas-Boas and his one-time mentor José Mourinho. Porto have been revived in two years with Villas-Boas as president of his boyhood club that he coached to a league, cup and Europa League treble at age 33 in 2011. With four rounds left, Porto are seven points clear of Mourinho’s Benfica which are unbeaten in the domestic league yet could finish third, because Sporting are one point back with a game extra to play. Portugal is among the intriguing title races in Europe outside the big five soccer nations heading into the final stretch. Scotland has a tight three-way race with long-time leader Hearts seeking a first title for 66 years ahead of Rangers and Celtic. The remarkable run of newly promoted Thun could on Saturday seal a first Swiss title in the club’s 128-year history. The Turkish league looks set to elude Fenerbahce for a 12th straight year if Galatasaray avoid defeat in their Istanbul derby game on Sunday. Galatasaray lead by four points with four rounds left. Villas-Boas and Mourinho The precocious ability of André Villas-Boas saw him join José Mourinho’s coaching staff at age 24 at Porto — winning the UEFA Cup and Champions League in back-to-back seasons — then follow him to Chelsea and Inter Milan. Villas-Boas took his own coaching career on a similar path — Porto, then Chelsea, later Tottenham, Zenit St.
