After having alternated three national champion titles (2017/18, 2019/20 and 2021/22) with as many second places (2018/19, 2020/21 and 2022/23), the 'blue and whites' finished in last place on the podium for the first time since the arrival of the former Portuguese international, who is the coach with the most matches, victories and trophies in the club.

FC Porto fell far short of the 31st title, with 72 points, 18 less than the national champion Sporting and eight less than Benfica, second, settling for direct entry into the group stage of the Europa League, after four consecutive appearances in the Champions League.

Present in the 'top 2' in the last seven seasons, the 'dragons' now culminated on the podium for the 13th time, and fifth in the 21st century, in 90 participations in the elite, holding the worst point and goal-scoring record (63 goals scored) since 2013/14, the last edition with 16 teams.

Sérgio Conceição's team entered unconvincingly and 'snatched' eight points in long periods of stoppage time in the early rounds, between three out of five tangential wins and a controversial draw at home to Arouca (1-1, in the fourth), which came in the 90th+19th minute.

The shared leadership with Sporting would be broken on the seventh round, when Benfica capitalized on about 80 minutes against 10 players, due to the expulsion of Fábio Cardoso, to win the classic at Luz (1-0), after having already defeated FC Porto in the Super Cup (2-0).

The 'dragons' widened the distances and doubts in the home defeat to Estoril Praia (0-1, in the 10th), 'executioner' in the League Cup, but would still 'cancel' a six-point deficit before going to Alvalade, where they definitively dropped to third place (2-0, in the 13th).

The draw in Bessa with Boavista (1-1, in the 16th) would precede a change from '4-4-2' to '4-3-3' in the transition to 2024, improving a dynamic still thirsty for Otávio, transferred in August to the Saudi Al Nassr.

If the reinforcement Nico González and the returned Francisco Conceição established themselves in the 'eleven', Pepê drifted from the wings to the 'core' and provided some of the 12 goals of Evanilson, who compensated for the loss of Taremi, author of six, after having been 'top scorer' of the previous I League.

Sinning by irregularity, FC Porto never went beyond three consecutive victories, suffered seven more slips and had nine expulsions, seeming to accuse the reflexes of a hectic election campaign, which led to the expressive victory of the former 'blue and white' coach André Villas-Boas over Pinto da Costa, president for 42 years and 15 terms, on April 27.

The 'dragons' have since limited themselves to confirming third place with a victory in Braga (0-1, in the last round) and will try for the only trophy of 2023/24 on Sunday, when they fight for the third consecutive conquest of the Portuguese Cup against Sporting, in Jamor.