After the fourth place in 2022/23, which in other places would certainly dictate the exit, Amorim remained faithful to the '3-4-3', without a 'plan B', and, with the help of 29 goals and nine assists from the Swede, repeated the conquest of three years ago.

The 'leonine' formation almost won the competition before it started, when it paid a record amount of 20 million euros -- plus four for objectives -- to Coventry for Gyökeres, who fit perfectly into Sporting's tactical scheme, giving it the depth it had not had in previous years.

It cannot be said that Sporting would not be champion without the powerful 25-year-old striker, but it is indisputable that this 20th title has the Swede's name 'tattooed' on it, perhaps the most impactful player in the club since Mário Jardel, in 2001/02.

With 'so much' Gyökeres, almost all the others went to the background, also because the Swede is the most responsible for the impressive offensive record of the 'lions', who scored 96 goals, the seventh best record in the history of the competition.

The title also had, however, the mark of the 'captain' and leader Coates, of the important reinforcement Hjulmand, of the 'magic' of Pedro Gonçalves (11 goals and 12 assists), of the precious 15 goals of Paulinho or of the great second round of Trincão.

Then, Sporting also had an unexpected 'joker', in Geny Catamo, the 'boy' who decided the 'title game', with a 'bis' to Benfica, being, as a collective, always strong, cohesive and capable of reacting to the few negative moments that it was facing, especially in the 'fortress' Alvalade (17 victories, in 17 games).

Amorim rarely had to resort to the only 'plan B' he had already presented, the placement of Coates as a striker, such was the competence of the team, which added an absolute maximum of 90 points for the club -- just one point away from FC Porto's record (91 in 2021/22) -, surpassing the 86 with Jorge Jesus, in 2015/16.

In total, a record of 29 victories and only two defeats, almost in a row, in Luz (1-2, on the 11th round) and in Guimarães (2-3, on the 13th), plus three draws, in Braga (1-1, on the fourth), Vila do Conde (3-3, on the 23rd) and Dragão (0-2 to 2-2, on the 31st).

Sporting led, practically, the competition from beginning to end and, without games in arrears, was never at a point disadvantage to any team, being, episodically, surpassed by Benfica, who put up some fight, but never convinced.

After the 2022/23 title, based on a spectacular journey to the 2022 World Cup, with Enzo Fernández, the champion never showed collective quality to repeat the feat, not even when, in the first round, they won, against 10, Sporting and FC Porto.

The resounding failure in the substitutions of Gonçalo Ramos, who had no successor in Musa, Tengstedt, Arthur Cabral or Marcos Leonardo, and Grimaldo, since Jurásek and Bernat did not work out, condemned the team, which also experienced a climate of protest against the German coach Roger Schmidt from the beginning.

The 'incarnate' formation, which also failed to 'fit' the 'millionaire' reinforcement Kökçü and 'threw' Aursnes to the sides, had as its greatest highlight the 'omnipresent' João Neves, seconded by the 'magic' of the left foot of the returned Di María.

Even with a football incapable of captivating the fans, Benfica was still in the race for the 'bis' on the 23rd round (two more points than Sporting, who had a game in arrears), but then, they were incredibly thrashed in Dragão (0-5, on the 24th round), before the final farewell in Alvalade (1-2, on the 28th).

For the 'eagles', the second place was saved, the last one to access the 2024/25 'Champions', which was not difficult to hold, given FC Porto's worst season under the command of Sérgio Conceição, in the farewell through the "small door" of president Pinto da Costa.

The 'dragons' gave up six draws and six defeats, finishing with 72 points, the worst record since 2004/05, and scored only 63 goals, the minimum since 54 in 2005/06, counting only the championships with 18 clubs.

In this way, Conceição, in his seventh season at Dragão, 'repeated' the 'failure' for the first time, in an irregular journey, especially at home (four draws and two defeats), unable to be inspired by the initial 'benefits' of the discounts and in which the always tasty 5-0 to Benfica was nothing more than an isolated moment.

The 'explosion' of the young Francisco Conceição, who started as a substitute, after a 'blank' season at Ajax, and ended as an undisputed starter, was the best news for the 'dragons', who also had good performances by Wendell, Evanilson (13 goals) and Pepê, all called for the Copa América, unlike Galeno.

The collective, the whole, however, left much to be desired, with the last place on the podium -- sixth time outside the 'top 2' in the last 47 years, as in 1981/82, 2001/02, 2009/10, 2013/14 and 2015/16 -- being secured only in the last round, which the 'dragons' reached with the risk of 'falling' to 1975/76, the last fourth place.

Sporting de Braga ended up being the fourth, the 'king' of the 'small ones' for the seventh consecutive time, but, again, far from the front, from the fight for the title, 19 points behind the champion Sporting, which they did not beat, nor Benfica or FC Porto -- one point in six games.

Under the command of Artur Jorge, and over the end of Rui Duarte, when the former center-back moved to Botafogo, the 'arsenalistas' sinned especially defensively, with 50 goals conceded, the worst record since the same mark in 1998/99. Worse, only in 1969/70 (52).

On the opposite side, the Congolese Simon Banza was the highlight, with 21 goals, 14 before going to CAN, accompanied by the Spaniard Álvaro Djaló, who will leave for Athletic, and the experienced João Moutinho, very regular in his return to the Portuguese championship.

The last European place -- in the face of a Portuguese Cup final between Sporting and FC Porto - was taken by Vitória, who returned, five years later, to be fifth, with a record of points (63), in a season with five coaches, but mostly Álvaro Pacheco, with three only completing one game.

Jota Silva, who scored 11 goals and became an international 'AA', was the most exciting of the players of the Guimarães team, who promised more, when, on the 28th round, they won 2-1 in Dragão and were two points away from the third place. He did not comply in the end.

Coming from the II League, as the 2022/23 champion, Moreirense, from the debutant Rui Borges, had a very quiet season, closer to Europe than to the descent, to end in a very positive sixth place, repeating its best ever (2018/19), also with a record of points (55).

In seventh place was Arouca, who, in the seventh season in the I League, was once again in great shape, with seventh place -- was fifth in 2015/16 and 2022/23 -, with a football that enchanted, led on the field by the Spaniards Rafa Mujica, Cristo González and Jason and on the bench by Daniel Sousa, who replaced Daniel Ramos (with the team in 18th place, after 11 rounds) and will move to Braga.

The eighth was Famalicão, who repeated the classification of the last two seasons, based on the aim of the Venezuelan striker Jhonder Cádiz, who scored 15 goals.

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