FC Porto FC Porto Futebol Clube do Porto, (), commonly known as FC Porto or simply Porto, is a Portuguese sports club based in Porto. It is best known for the professional football team playing in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football. Founded on 28 September 1893, Porto is one of the "Big Three" (Portuguese: "Os Três Grandes") teams in Portugal – together with Lisbon-based rivals Benfica and Sporting CP – that have appeared in every season of the Primeira Liga since its establishment in 1934. They are nicknamed "Dragões" (Dragons), for the mythical creature atop the club's crest,
1996–97 S.L. Benfica season while the results in Europe were looking accordingly. In late October, Benfica visited Sporting for the Derby de Lisboa, losing one-nil and dropping down one position. A week later, with a further two more points dropped, Porto opened a three-point gap at the front. By the time the Clássico arrived, the distance was already five points. Losing 1–2 to Porto, increased it to eight. Affected by the defeat, Benfica lost for a second time on a row, with the priority changing from battling Porto in the title race, to defending the second place from Sporting. Autuori was sacked immediately, and