Portugal’s roller hockey quartet eye quarter-finals with low-cost home ties

The Portugal quartet of Benfica, Sporting, FC Porto and OC Barcelos have wrapped up the first half of the WSE Champions League group stage in commanding style, a collective performance that keeps all four sides inside the qualification conversation and, just as importantly, preserves the nation’s lucrative coefficient for next season.

Why This Matters

• European ranking points generated this month all but guarantee Portugal three direct berths in the 2026/27 edition.

• Home matches return in March, meaning easier travel and cheaper tickets before Easter holiday prices spike.

• FC Porto’s win in Barcelona removes the need for a result in the final round to finish top of Group A, easing fixture congestion in the domestic championship.

• Benfica and Sporting can now seal quarter-final spots with just a draw apiece when the competition resumes.

Lisbon roars, Galicia resists

Sporting’s evening at the Pavilhão João Rocha felt more like a catharsis than a mere 5-1 victory. Two weeks after being out-thought in Oliveira de Azeméis, the Lisbon club opened with relentless high pressing, built a 2-0 half-time cushion through Rafa Bessa and Henrique Magalhães, and never looked back. New Oliveirense coach Ricardo Geitoeira watched his side squander three set pieces while Sporting keeper Xano Edo put on a clinic. Late strikes from Roc Pujadas and Nolito Romero sealed what may turn out to be a six-point swing in Group B.

Across the border, Benfica experienced their first wobble of the campaign, drawing 4-4 with HC Liceo in A Coruña. A frantic final three minutes saw Nuno Paiva give the Spaniards the lead before Gonçalo Pinto pounced on a rebound to keep the Eagles unbeaten. Coach Edu Castro later admitted it was “a night to suffer, but a point gained on hostile ice.”

OC Barcelos rounded off a Portuguese hat-trick of positive results by dispatching Italy’s Bassano 6-3, powered by twin braces from Carlos Ramos and Iván Morales.

Porto’s perfect response in Catalonia

Earlier in the evening, FC Porto produced a textbook away performance to defeat Barcelona 2-0 at the Palau Blaugrana—revenge for the January setback at the Dragão Arena. Goals from Rafa Costa and Ezequiel Mena inside 25 minutes allowed the Dragons to drop into a low block after the break, and goalkeeper Xavier Malián preserved the clean sheet by denying Xavi Barroso from the spot straight after half-time.

The result pushes Porto to 15 points, two clear of both Barcelona and Italy’s Trissino with head-to-head advantage secured. One more point from the remaining two fixtures would mathematically clinch top spot and, crucially, the higher-seeded quarter-final draw.

Updated standings at the midway mark

Group A

FC Porto – 15 pts

Barcelona – 13 pts

Trissino – 13 pts

Group B

Benfica – 16 pts

Sporting – 10 pts

HC Liceo – 8 pts

OC Barcelos – 7 pts

UD Oliveirense – 7 pts

The WSE format sends the top two from each six-team group directly to the quarter-finals, while 3rd and 4th fall into a playoff. In practice, Portugal could still field four clubs in the last eight if Barcelos finishes the job against Oliveirense in late February.

What This Means for Residents

• Cheaper European nights in Portugal: Return legs on 12–13 March fall inside the low-demand travel window, so domestic fans can pick up €10–€20 tickets instead of the €35 average for the knock-out rounds.

• Telecom savings: MEO and NOS confirmed that group-stage matches will remain on the basic sports package. A jump to premium tier only kicks in from the quarter-finals.

• Local economy boost: According to the Federação Portuguesa de Patinagem, each Champions League home game injects roughly €650,000 into its host city via hospitality and transport. With three of the next four rounds on home wood, expect hotel demand in Porto and Lisbon to spike.

• Grass-roots spotlight: The strong continental run is already prompting councils in Braga and Aveiro to fast-track funding for new inline surfaces, aiming to capitalise on what the federation calls “the TikTok effect” among under-12s.

Oliveirense’s new era starts with growing pains

Ricardo Geitoeira’s return to a club he once captained was never going to be a quick fix. The 52-year-old believes defensive lapses—highlighted by conceding two goals while playing short-handed in Lisbon—can be eradicated before hosting Barcelos on 26 February. Privately, board members insist the aim is no longer qualification but “building a spine” for 2026/27.

Looking ahead

The Champions League pauses for domestic cup action but resumes on 26 February with an all-Portuguese showdown in Oliveira de Azeméis followed by reverse fixtures on 12–13 March. Win those, and Portugal could occupy three of the four seeded quarter-final berths, protecting its sporting dominance and unlocking an additional €400,000 in UEFA-style solidarity payments next season.

Either way, roller hockey remains the continental stage where Portugal consistently punches above its population size—something every resident can bank on, whether at the arena or in the café.