Portuguese football often feels like a family dinner after a tough match. Everyone loves the game, but arguments can get heated. Reinaldo Teixeira, who leads Liga Portugal, recently weighed in on this very tension. He spoke at the Portugal Football Summit, sharing his thoughts on the current mood among clubs. He nodded to comments made earlier by André Villas-Boas, president of FC Porto, largely agreeing with his view of the ongoing friction.
Villas-Boas had mentioned planting a “seed of creation” when he took his position. He even floated the idea of an “Iberian Supercup” to Pedro Proença and other big clubs in both Portugal and Spain. “Now we’re all butting heads,” Villas-Boas said, highlighting the competitive spirit. Teixeira echoed this sentiment, admitting that inside the game, everyone battles to win. He put it plainly: “We butt heads with each other, but we have to understand each other.” These clashes, he noted, can sometimes even be a way to energize the fans.
The real trick, according to Teixeira, is finding balance. He believes competition should thrive within the rules, focused on winning during the ninety minutes. However, clubs must also see each other as business partners off the field. Building a sense of shared purpose is a big challenge. The League’s role, he explained in an interview with Sérgio Krithinas, executive director of Record, is to encourage this vital dialogue.
Teixeira, who took charge in February this year, then turned his focus to the future of television rights. This is a big deal for clubs. His main goal is simple: no one should lose money in the deal. He stressed that the final value for these rights should be as high as possible. He dismissed low figures as “a shame” and high ones as “exaggerated,” but promised his full attention to getting the best outcome.
An interesting idea came up during these discussions: creating a “Liga TV” to broadcast matches directly. Teixeira clarified this isn’t the primary plan. The aim is to sell the rights, not become a broadcaster. Still, he mused, “If this is the best solution, why not? We have to think.” He added that talks with sports societies about how to structure competitions and share the money have shown a lot of agreement. A Presidents’ Summit in December aims to finalize these arrangements.
Global reach is another key piece of Teixeira’s strategy. He guarantees the League is working to make its product more attractive and famous worldwide. So far, no one they’ve spoken with has shown a lack of interest. This includes not just national and international broadcasters, but also streaming services, all of whom have been open to negotiations.
Finally, Teixeira addressed a topic that always sparks debate: selling alcoholic drinks at stadiums. He supports the idea. Measures are already underway, and it might even be possible at the League Cup’s final four event next January. His reasoning is practical: “Is it better to consume before entering and already be in a miserable state, or be inside the stadium drinking a cider?” He believes it’s possible to have drinks in stadiums, as long as there is proper security.