The 2015–16 LigaPro (also known as Ledman LigaPro for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th season of Portuguese football's second-tier league, and the first season under the current LigaPro title. A total of 24 teams competed in this division, including five reserve sides from top-flight Primeira Liga teams. The season began on 7 August 2015 and concluded on 14 May 2016.
Porto B were crowned champions, becoming the first reserve team to win the second-tier championship title in Portugal. Chaves and Feirense finished in the second and third places, respectively, securing promotion to the 2016–17 Primeira Liga. Farense, Mafra, Atlético CP, Oriental and Oliveirense were relegated to the 2016–17 Campeonato de Portugal.
Teams A total of 24 teams contested the league, including 19 sides from the 2014–15 season, two teams relegated from the 2014–15 Primeira Liga (Gil Vicente and Penafiel) and three promoted from the 2014–15 Campeonato Nacional de Seniores (Mafra, Famalicão and Varzim).
Other team changes compared to the previous season included the promotion of Tondela and União da Madeira to the 2015–16 Primeira Liga, and the relegation of Marítimo B, Trofense and Beira-Mar to the 2015–16 Campeonato de Portugal.
On 19 June 2015, the LPFP announced that five teams, instead of three, would be relegated to the third tier to reduce the number of teams in the 2016–17 LigaPro season to 22.
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity2014–15 finish Académico de Viseu Viseu Estádio do Fontelo 7,744 12th Atlético CP Lisbon Estádio da Tapadinha 2,500 22nd Benfica B Lisbon Caixa Futebol Campus 2,720 6th Braga B Braga Estádio 1º de Maio 28,000 21st Chaves Chaves Estádio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira 8,870 3rd Desportivo das Aves Vila das Aves Estádio do CD Aves 5,441 18th Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão Estádio Municipal 22 de Junho 5,300 2nd (CNS) Farense Faro Estádio de São Luís 7,000 11th Feirense Santa Maria da Feira Estádio Marcolino de Castro 5,600 7th Freamunde Freamunde Complexo Desportivo do SC Freamunde 3,919 8th Gil Vicente Barcelos Estádio Cidade de Barcelos 12,046 17th (PL) Leixões Matosinhos Estádio do Mar 9,766 20th Mafra Mafra Parque Desportivo Municipal de Mafra 1,200 1st (CNS) Olhanense Olhão Estádio José Arcanjo 5,661 16th Oliveirense Oliveira de Azeméis Estádio Carlos Osório 1,435 17th Oriental Lisbon Campo Eng. Carlos Salema 1,860 15th Penafiel Penafiel Estádio Municipal 25 de Abril 5,320 18th (PL) Portimonense Portimão Estádio Municipal de Portimão 5,950 14th Porto B Porto Estádio Municipal Jorge Sampaio 8,270 13th Santa Clara Ponta Delgada Estádio de São Miguel 13,277 19th Sporting CP B Lisbon CGD Stadium Aurélio Pereira 1,180 5th Sporting da Covilhã Covilhã Estádio Municipal José dos Santos Pinto 2,055 4th Varzim Póvoa de Varzim Estádio do Varzim SC 7,280 3rd (CNS) Vitória de Guimarães B Guimarães Estádio D. Afonso Henriques 30,000 9th
Personnel and sponsors Team Head coach Kit manufacturer Sponsors Académico de Viseu Jorge Casquilha Macron Palácio do Gelo Atlético CP Nilton Terroso Givova Benfica B Hélder Cristóvão adidas Fly Emirates Braga B Abel Ferreira Macron AXA Chaves Vítor Oliveira Lacatoni Hotel Forte de São Francisco Desportivo das Aves Ulisses Morais Lacatoni WoWalBo Famalicão Daniel Ramos Lacatoni Amob Farense Antero Afonso (caretaker) Macron Couteiro Mor Feirense José Mota adidas Mestre da Cor Freamunde Carlos Brito adidas LGSP Sports Gil Vicente Nandinho Macron Barcelos / Crédito Agrícola Leixões Pedro Miguel Luanvi Mar à Mesa Mafra Jorge Paixão Lacatoni Moticristo Olhanense Cristiano Bacci Macron OLX Oliveirense Bruno Sousa (caretaker) Macron Grupo Simoldes Oriental Jorge Andrade COL Penafiel Paulo Alves Macron Restradas Portimonense José Augusto Mizuno VisitPortimão.com Porto B Luís Castro New Balance Santa Clara Carlos Pinto Nike Açoreana Seguros Sporting CP B João de Deus Macron Sporting da Covilhã Francisco Chaló Lacatoni Natura / MB Hotels Varzim Quim Berto Stadio Carnes São José Vitória de Guimarães B Vítor Campelos Nike Banco BIC
Coaching changes TeamOutgoing head coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming head coachDate of appointment Leixões Horácio Gonçalves Mutual agreement 12 May 2015Pre-season Manuel Monteiro 22 June 2015 Chaves Carlos PintoContract expired 24 May 2015 Vítor Oliveira 10 June 2015 Desportivo das Aves Emanuel Simões 24 May 2015 Carlos Pinto 22 June 2015 Santa Clara Filipe Gouveia 24 May 2015 Horácio Gonçalves 1 June 2015 Gil Vicente José Mota 26 May 2015 Nandinho 28 May 2015 Farense Abel Xavier Resigned 28 May 2015 Jorge Paixão 4 June 2015 Vitória de Guimarães B Armando Evangelista Took over Vitória's first team 15 June 2015 Vítor Campelos 18 June 2015 Santa Clara Horácio Gonçalves 7 July 2015 Filipe Gouveia 7 July 2015 Desportivo das Aves Carlos Pinto Mutual agreement 10 July 2015 Abel Xavier 10 July 2015 Freamunde Filó Resigned 16 August 2015 18th Carlos Pinto 16 August 2015 Desportivo das Aves Abel Xavier Sacked 4 September 2015 23rd Ulisses Morais 5 September 2015 Santa Clara Filipe Gouveia Signed for Académica 24 September 2015 9th Hugo Relvas (caretaker) 24 September 2015 Oliveirense Artur Marques Resigned 29 September 2015 24th Bruno Sousa (caretaker) 29 September 2015 Santa Clara Hugo Relvas (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 5 October 2015 13th Fernando Valente 5 October 2015 Varzim Quim Berto Mutual agreement 21 October 2015 19th Vitoriano Ramos (caretaker) 21 October 2015 Varzim Vitoriano Ramos (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 25 October 2015 14th Capucho 25 October 2015 Leixões Manuel Monteiro Mutual agreement 23 November 2015 22nd Pedro Miguel 25 November 2015 Farense Jorge Paixão Mutual agreement 30 November 2015 11th Antero Afonso (caretaker) 30 November 2015 Penafiel Carlos Brito Resigned 2 December 2015 18th Paulo Alves 3 December 2015 Farense Antero Afonso (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 14 December 2015 13th Horácio Gonçalves 14 December 2015 Mafra Jorge Neves Sacked 21 December 2015 21st Jorge Paixão 30 December 2015 Oliveirense Bruno Sousa (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 18 January 2016 24th João Bastos 18 January 2016 Académico de Viseu Ricardo Chéu Sacked 8 February 2016 12th Tony (caretaker) 8 February 2016 Académico de Viseu Tony (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 15 February 2016 13th Bruno Ribeiro 15 February 2016 Freamunde Carlos Pinto Sacked 17 February 2016 6th Carlos Brito 19 February 2016 Oriental João Barbosa Mutual agreement 18 February 2016 23rd João Mendes (caretaker) 19 February 2016 Oriental João Mendes (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 21 February 2016 23rd Litos 21 February 2016 Santa Clara Fernando Valente Mutual agreement 24 February 2016 22nd Carlos Pinto 24 February 2016 Atlético CP Pedro Hipólito Sacked 25 February 2016 15th Carlos Pereira (caretaker) 25 February 2016 Atlético CP Carlos Pereira (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 1 March 2016 15th Nilton Terroso 1 March 2016 Académico de Viseu Bruno Ribeiro Resigned 10 March 2016 17th Tiago Castro (caretaker) 10 March 2016 Académico de Viseu Tiago Castro (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 13 March 2016 18th Jorge Casquilha 13 March 2016 Oriental Litos Resigned 16 March 2016 23rd João Mendes (caretaker) 18 March 2016 Oriental João Mendes (caretaker) Ended caretaking role 21 March 2016 23rd Jorge Andrade 21 March 2016 Oliveirense João Bastos Mutual agreement 22 March 2016 24th Bruno Sousa (caretaker) 22 March 2016 Feirense Pepa Sacked 24 March 2016 5th José Mota 25 March 2016 Farense Horácio Gonçalves Mutual agreement 7 April 2016 19th Antero Afonso (caretaker) 7 April 2016
Season summary
League table
Positions by round
Results
Statistics
Top scorers Rank Player Team Goals 1 SimyGil Vicente 20 2 PlatinyFeirense 173 Leandro SouzaFamalicão14 André SilvaPorto B Stanley AwurumVarzim6 Alexandre GuedesDesportivo das Aves13 Paulo ClementeSanta Clara Ismael DíazPorto B PedrinhoFreamunde10 Luís BarryChaves12 Ricardo BarrosLeixões Jorge PiresPortimonense Sources: LPFP
Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthClubYoung Player of the MonthClub August André Silva Porto B Domingos Duarte Sporting CP B September October Francisco Geraldes Sporting CP B Vítor Gonçalves Gil Vicente November Pedro Rebocho Benfica B December André Silva Porto B Vítor São Bento Farense January Pedrinho Freamunde Sandro Costa Gil Vicente February Platiny Feirense Gil Dias Varzim March Pedrinho Freamunde Pedro Sá Varzim April Daniel Podence Sporting CP B Carraça Santa Clara
Attendances
# Club Average 1 Famalicão 2,808 2 Chaves 2,736 3 Vitória B 1,289 4 Varzim 1,265 5 Leixões 1,225 6 Portimonense 1,206 7 Feirense 1,048 8 Gil Vicente 978 9 Freamunde 930 10 Farense 833 11 Aves 767 12 Porto B 727 13 Viseu 707 14 Benfica B 696 15 Penafiel 575 16 Santa Clara 559 17 Olhanense 529 18 Mafra 485 19 Braga B 457 20 Oliveirense 457 21 Oriental 444 22 Covilhã 318 23 Sporting B 308 24 Atlético CP 268Source:
References