A 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Santa Clara in the Azores last week saw Farense relegated to Portugal’s second division after just one season in the country’s topflight of national football.
Despite needing to win to cling to any hope of avoiding relegation, Farense were unable to score and saw Santa Clara, who were fighting to secure a spot in next year’s inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League, take advantage.
Santa Clara’s first goal left Jorge Costa’s men in disarray, and each subsequent goal only made it all the more obvious that relegation was to be their fate.
Farense president João Rodrigues took to the club’s social media after the match to apologise to fans.
“It is time to reflect,” he said in a very short statement.
Meanwhile, Jorge Costa’s future as Farense’s manager is still up in the air. Sports newspaper O Jogo reports that Farense’s management wants him to continue, but no announcement has been made so far.
One of the bright spots of Farense’s season was the emergence of Scotland’s Ryan Gauld as a star in the league. Aged just 25, Gauld still has time to prove he can be a big-time player for a major club. Portuguese media is reporting that he has attracted the attention of several clubs, from Algarvian rivals Portimonense to Benfica, Porto and Braga, as well as several La Liga and Premier League clubs.
By MICHAEL BRUXO
