The Sporting CP coach summed up a great 2020/21 season

At the end of the 5-1 victory against CS Marítimo that concluded Sporting Clube de Portugal's season, coach Rúben Amorim analysed the game and the 2020/2021 season for his team of champions.

"It was a game that we wanted to win. We wanted to sign off with a good showing after the defeat in the previous game. Pedro Gonçalves won the award for top scorer and João Pereira ended his career on the pitch. He had an excellent career and gave us a lot. We ended things in the best way," he told journalists at the Auditorio Artur Agostinho.

After guaranteeing that "next season has been planned for some time" and that Sporting CP "have a clear idea of what they want", Amorim commented on the possibility of some of his players being called up by Portugal coach Fernando Santos for the European Championships this summer, starting with Pedro Gonçalves.

"He deserves to be in there and so do others at Sporting CP. The choice is up to the coach, who will choose well. If Sporting CP players are picked, I will be very happy. If they are not picked, I will also be happy, because they will have great careers and won't be worn out."

Looking ahead to 2021/2022, the coach defined the first objective for his squad: to win the Supertaça.

"There is the Supertaça to win and from there we will go game-by-game, again. We will not have as much time to prepare for our games next season. We will have difficult competitions to play in. I don't want to set big goals for us. We will want to win every game. We are candidates to win the Supertaça and we will work with that in mind first."

"It is important to maintain our unity because it is one of the great strengths of Sporting CP, but we know that it comes from winning. There are three possible results that you can have. Everyone has to think that the team as a whole is the most important thing and we will pay a lot of attention to who we bring in to identify with this idea. They have to believe that they can be starters and if that happens the whole team will be motivated", he added.

Going back to João Pereira, Amorim wished success to his former teammate and player in his future endeavours.

"It was special to witness the end of his career, because I have known João since I was a kid. I played with him at junior level, we had holidays together and our families know each other well. It was strange to have João Pereira call me 'coach' and speak to me formally."

"He will not be part of my coaching staff. He will forge his own career and he will find his own coaching staff. I already have my team. He will follow his own path and we are here to help him in this transition, which is difficult. We will help João with his new life and he will be very happy."

Finally, Amorim was asked to choose three words to define the campaign.

"Effort, Dedication and Devotion, and then the fourth, which is Glory. The team are the manifestation of those words. I thank my players and the staff, who did an incredible job. In a month's time it will start all over again, and no one will be thinking about this title. I think that's a good thing; it's the way that things are at a big club."

Os Leões beat CS Marítimo 5-1 on Matchday 34

Sporting Clube de Portugal's spectacular 2020/21 season came to a close on Wednesday night at the Estádio José Alvalade, where they beat CS Marítimo 5-1 in another outstanding performance. The night could scarcely have been better: a comprehensive victory, the league's top goalscorer award going to Pedro Gonçalves and André Paulo and Tomás Silva making the respective appearances required to receive Liga NOS winners medals.

For the final game of the campaign, Sporting CP changed up the starting XI: Luís Maximiano, Luís Neto, Vitorino Antunes and Jovane Cabral took the places of Antonio Adán, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes and Nuno Santos, respectively, and Tiago Tomás, returning from injury, was back on the bench. After João Pereira had taken the captain's armband on the previous matchday, this time around it was Antunes' turn to skipper the team.

Present on the pitch before the game were the Liga NOS and Taça da Liga trophies won by Sporting CP this season - a physical representation of a year that will go down in club history.

The team were not holding back when the game began, and just two minutes had elapsed when Antunes struck a rocket of a shot against the CS Marítimo bar. Shortly after, in the seventh minute, the opening goal arrived: Antunes set Jovane Cabral free down the left and he, in turn, served up a ball to Pedro Gonçalves in the heart of the box to finish.

Following a Paulinho shot wide, two rapidfire goals came the home side's way. The first was, once again, from Pedro Gonçalves (making him Liga NOS' outright top scorer), as he got to the rebound off a strike off the post by Daniel Bragança. The second, just moments later, came about after a mixup for the opposition: Karo played back for goalkeeper Charles, who missed the ball and it ran on into the net, putting Sporting CP 3-0 up.

Paulinho had another opportunity to score in the first half, but Charles was able to block, whilst the visitors had a goal rightly ruled out for offside.

Coach Rúben Amorim brought on João Palhinha for the second half, taking off Daniel Bragança, whilst in the 59th minute there was an emotional moment for all involved: João Pereira was subbed off amidst a round of applause, as the right back concluded the final game of his career.

Half an hour from time, off a stellar assist from Jovane Cabral, Pedro Gonçalves rounded off his hat-trick and grabbed his 23rd goal in Liga NOS this term, taking the score to 4-0.

There was time for two debuts as well, as Luís Maximiano and Matheus Nunes made way for goalkeeper André Paulo and midfielder Tomás Silva. Their participation meant that they were officially classed as league winners, and were rewarded for the help they have provided for the first team this season in training.

Another mistake by Charles left the ball for Gonzalo Plata to score Sporting CP's final goal of the season, and whilst Beltrame would get a consolation goal before the end, Sporting CP ran out 5-1 winners in a brilliant end to the campaign.

Sporting CP: Luís Maximiano [GK] (André Paulo [GK], 66'), Luís Neto, Sebastián Coates, Matheus Reis, João Pereira (Gonzalo Plata, 59'), Matheus Nunes (Tomás Silva, 66'), Daniel Bragança (João Palhinha, 45'), Vitorino Antunes [C], Pedro Gonçalves, Jovane Cabral and Paulinho (Tiago Tomás, 76').

The Sporting CP coach felt his side were more than deserved winners against CD Nacional

After the final whistle in Saturday's game against CD Nacional, Sporting Clube de Portugal coach Rúben Amorim reflected on a 2-0 victory that he felt his side completely deserved.

"We produced a lot for a team who scored just two goals. We had opportunities to score more and CD Nacional had almost no chances", he said.

"The game was stopped many times and there were many fouls, but they were almost always against us. This time wasting created some anxiety amongst the team, but it was another day of suffering for Sportinguistas that ended well."

Amorim added that the introduction of Jovane Cabral 'unlocked' the game, allowing the team their breakthrough.

"The sending off of a CD Nacional player meant that there was less one man on the pitch, but it did not change the characteristics of the game and Sporting CP continued on top of things, trying to score. Jovane came in strong, holding the ball up. I have lost count of the number of games that players who have come off the bench have been decisive. That is their role; both Jovane and the rest of the team should be congratulated."

The coach also explained his decision to include Daniel Bragança in midfield, in the position usually occupied by João Mário.

"It was a tactical choice. João Mário has been playing and has had a great season, but I thought that the characteristics Bragança has were better for this game. CD Nacional would almost always be defending and Bragança provides a lot of speed on the ball. I thought that we would not need João Mário to slow down the game so much, but rather a player that varied things up. I think Bragança had a great game", he told journalists, before addressing the inevitable questions about title candidacy.

"I want the players to think that we can drop points at any ground. We have a 6-point lead and 12 points in play. As for the support of the fans, the team are grateful for it. The great biggest success of the coaching staff and these players was changing the dynamic of the club. It is very difficult to do this in one year, I am lucky to have a group of players who are at the level required of Sporting CP. I congratulate them, but there is still a long way to go."

2-0 win over CD Nacional maintains Sporting CP's advantage at the top

Sporting CP beat CD Nacional 2-0 in a Saturday night Liga NOS fixture, with goals from Zouhair Feddal and Jovane Cabral in the second half. The game was a meeting between the side top of the league table and the bottom-placed team in the division, with the home side eventually claiming the triumph at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Coach Rúben Amorim returned to the dugout after serving a suspension, and brought in goalkeeper Luís Maximiano for the starting XI due to a sanction for Antonio Adán. Maximiano thus made his first league appearance of the season, and was deputised by youngster André Paulo on the bench.

Fighting for survival, CD Nacional went on the attack early, and tested the Sporting CP shot stopper with an effort that he kept out.
 
Following that brief scare, Sporting CP took over. Pedro Porro found Paulinho in the area, with the striker having his header saved by António Filipe - the CD Nacional goalkeeper who also denied Pedro Gonçalves immediately afterwards off a powerful shot.
 
A controversial decision saw a goal disallowed for offside on 35 minutes, but Os Leões continued searching for an opener. They had two further opportunities afterwards, including a scramble inside the area and a Paulinho shot against the post. However, the score remained goalless at half time.

Upon the return from the interval, CD Nacional had another early chance that Maximiano met, but the momentum failed to turn in their favour. Sporting CP quickly snuffed out their threat, and Nuno Santos and Pedro Porro both nearly broke the deadlock.
 
A numerical advantage went the team's way on 67 minutes, as Ibrahim Alhassan was shown a red card, and Sporting CP upped the pressure thereafter. Jovane Cabral and Gonzalo Plata were brought on, and an onslaught followed against a side looking to defend with their lives; Paulinho nearly struck in but was denied by a top class save from António Filipe.
 
In the final ten minutes, they finally got the goal that they deserved. Off a corner, Jovane Cabral set up Zouhair Feddal for the defender to head into the net, making it 1-0.
 
A second goal arrived in stoppage time from the penalty spot, when Jovane Cabral was brought down inside the box. He dusted himself off to take it, and capped the victory with a successful conversion.

A 2-0 win keeps Sporting CP six points clear of nearest rivals FC Porto, and maintains a record-breaking run of 30 league games unbeaten. Os Leões will be back in action on Wednesday in Vila do Conde against Rio Ave FC.

Sporting CP: Maximiano (GK), Zouhair Feddal, Sebastián Coates [C], Luís Neto, Pedro Porro (Gonzalo Plata, 73’), Daniel Bragança (Matheus Reis, 85’), João Palhinha (Jovane Cabral, 62’), Nuno Mendes (Matheus Nunes, 85’), Nuno Santos, Pedro Gonçalves and Paulinho.

The coach gave merit to his side's resilience in victory over SC Braga

After the full time whistle in Sporting Clube de Portugal's 0-1 win away to SC Braga, coach Rúben Amorim expressed his pride in his players -who battled against a numerical disadvantage when Gonçalo Inácio was sent off in the 18th minute.

"You have to give credit to the players. It was a very tough game against an excellent team. We were able to suffer," he said.

"We are good at defending in a lower block. Up to the 20-minute mark it was an even game. From then on, there was no game. There was one team attacking,  and another defending and trying to break out. We ended up scoring, we won and we have to keep going."

For Amorim, his absence from the dugout due to suspension had no influence on the game or the result.

"I have been suspended for other games. The team are doing well and the coaching staff know what to do. As we saw today, we have several leaders."

"This was another victory, and there is still a long way to go. We could lose at home to CD Nacional, just like we could lose at another ground. This was a normal game and Sporting CP’s third win over SC Braga this year, but we have to be aware that we can win at any ground and that we can lose at any ground."

On the changes he made at halftime, taking off Nuno Santos and Paulinho to replace them with Luís Neto and Matheus Nunes, he commented that "Neto is a very strong player, used to playing with the other centre backs. He is very aggressive and we have trained many times with ten men. We have to improve our offensive side with one player less. With Matheus [Nunes], it was like at the Dragão against FC Porto or SC Braga at Alvalade. He defends well and has the ability to go forward. It ended up working."
Sporting CP will have a change of goalkeeper against CD Nacional, with Antonio Adán having been shown a fifth yellow card of the season, and Amorim addressed the preparation required.

"We have to have our feet firmly on the ground. We can lose points in any game and that has to be in our heads. We have to prepare Max [Luís Maximiano], because Adán picked up a fifth yellow - I can't remember a goalkeeper receiving five yellow cards before. Max has a lot of talent, and this is how the players grow," he added.

"Our focus is on CD Nacional, and on recovering and preparing the players. Having these examples from these past few weeks, it would be a mistake for us not to go game by game. If we were three points from clinching the title, we would be candidates -because we always go out to win.

"We cannot ride this rollercoaster of emotions. I understand the supporters, but it is up to me to maintain my discernment at this point with a young group. This was a good victory, playing with a man down at an important stage of the season," he said.

Finally, Rúben Amorim explained the substitutions he made at halftime, taking out Nuno Santos and Paulinho to replace Luís Neto and Matheus Nunes. "Neto is a very strong player used to playing with the other central players. (...) He is very aggressive and we have trained many times with one less. We have to improve the offensive part with one less. Matheus [Nunes] was like in Dragão or Braga in Alvalade. He defends well and has the capacity to go forward. It ended up working, "he said.

A Matheus Nunes goal in the 81st minute earns victory over SC Braga

Sporting Clube de Portugal overcame a stiff challenge on Matchday 29 of the Liga NOS season, beating SC Braga 0-1 despite playing for over 70 minutes with ten men. The only goal of the match was scored by second half substitute Matheus Nunes, 9 minutes from time.

The game was a meeting between the teams first and fourth in the league, held on a sodden pitch at the Estádio Municipal de Braga due to torrential rain in the warmup.
Coach Rúben Amorim, still suspended by the Portuguese football federation, changed two players in his starting XI: Zouhair Feddal and Nuno Santos came in for Matheus Reis and Tiago Tomás.

SC Braga started out as the slightly more offensive side, but the game quickly stabilised. Sporting CP enjoyed their usual possession game, building play through their centre backs, while the home side used high and aggressive pressure, as well as some dangerous crosses.

A Nuno Mendes delivery into the area caused problems for SC Braga, who cleared through defender Raul Silva, and a Pedro Porro corner flicked on by Paulinho was inches away from being turned in by Pedro Gonçalves.

For the hosts, Abel Ruiz went through on goal, with Antonio Adán smothering the threat. Castro would also strike wide soon after.

Sporting CP suffered a heavy blow in the 18th minute: Gonçalo Inácio, who had already been shown a yellow card after ten minutes, was booked for the second time, being sent off. With more than 70 minutes remaining, the team were reduced to ten men, and adjusted with Nuno Mendes switching to centre back and Nuno Santos occupying his place.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, it was Sporting CP who were strongest in front of goal immediately afterwards. Pedro Porro tried to surprise goalkeeper Matheus from distance, shooting wide.

However, as Sporting CP played deeper due to their lack of numbers, SC Braga began to attack more frequently. Fransérgio's header and Galeno's shot were both kept out by Adán, and Sebastián Coates was also very important in cutting out other opportunities.

The game went into halftime goalless, and Rúben Amorim made two reshuffles for Os Leões, taking off Nuno Santos and Paulinho for Luís Neto and Matheus Nunes -Nuno Mendes returning to his original position.

After a first 15 minutes without major incidents, Coates fell in the SC Braga box and appealed for a penalty kick, which was waved away. At the other end, Galeno's header was met with a magnificent intervention by Adán.

Tiago Tomás and Matheus Reis were introduced for Pedro Gonçalves and João Mário in further modifications, and after SC Braga threatened with an Al Musrati shot wide on 68 minutes, a Horta shot into the side netting and a Fransérgio drive that Adán saved, the game went into the final 10 minutes.

It was then that the key moment of the night arrived: Pedro Porro hit a direct free kick low to Matheus Nunes, unmarked on the right. The Sporting CP midfielder, inside the opposition area, shot hard at the near post and beat Matheus, breaking the deadlock.

From there, they resolutely defended SC Braga attempts to level, and held on through to the final whistle.

Sporting CP remain leaders of Liga NOS, and face CD Nacional on the next matchday of the season.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Zouhair Feddal, Pedro Porro, João Palhinha, João Mário (Matheus Reis, 64'), Nuno Mendes (Gonzalo Plata, 90+1'), Pedro Gonçalves (Tiago Tomás, 64'), Nuno Santos (Luís Neto, 45') and Paulinho (Matheus Nunes, 45').

Sunday night's big game is previewed by the Sporting CP coach

Sporting Clube de Portugal will travel to fourth placed SC Braga this Sunday, on Matchday 29 of the Liga NOS season. Ahead of the game, in his pre-match press conference, coach Rúben Amorim said that he envisions a tough contest.

"It will be a difficult game against an excellent team, who have experience, who are still in the fight for the title, and who play very well. They have a formation that adapts to how we play, because they use a 4-4-2, but [Wenderson] Galeno is the fifth man in the wing", he explained.

"We know SC Braga well and they know us, so the game could be decided by a detail. We are working on this. We will be prepared: We know SC Braga's quality, but we are also aware of ours and we are going to play for the win".

Despite the importance of the game, Amorim says that it is "not decisive" and holds the same importance as always.

Sporting CP remain Liga NOS leaders with 70 points, four more than the team in second place, and remain undefeated in the competition. Despite their draw at home against Belenenses SAD (2-2) in midweek, their coach is convinced of the way forward.

"We are creating more chances and we have to shoot better on goal, but we are also giving opposing teams fewer opportunities. It is up to me to make sure that we continue on that path. When the results don't come, people have their doubts, but that's part of the game. You have good phases and others that are less good, and we have to face things naturally".

"Last time out, we were losing in the 82nd minute, we scored, we went to get the ball out of the net, tried our best, scored our second and once again ran to the halfway line. That to me is a sign of the team's vitality. They did their best and that is why the players are not responsible for the dropped points. I am very proud of them and we are on the right track," he stressed.

Asked about the side he will pick against SC Braga, Amorim talked about some of his players individually

"Paulinho is doing his job well, and is the best Portuguese striker around. Bruno Tabata will not travel to Braga due to injury, but  Zouhair Feddal is fit and part of the squad, after missing the last two games."

"We already have our starting XI decided, and the team are prepared. Whoever is chosen will be ready to have a great game in Braga."

A hard-fought draw against Belenenses SAD underlined the squad's belief

Rúben Amorim had no doubt that Sporting CP “deserved more” from their Wednesday night match against Belenenses SAD, in which they came back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2.

“It is much easier for me to deal with these moments when the players give everything until the end, and that was what happened. We hadn't managed to score goals, but we believed until the end, which was why the draw was a reward for the team's belief”, said the Sporting CP coach in his post-match press conference, reminding journalists that "We had a lot of shots, compared to just two for Belenenses SAD."

“We had several situations in which we could have scored, and we didn't manage to. We allowed them two shots and conceded two goals, so we always had to go after the result. It should be noted that, on a day in which everything went wrong, we still managed to maintain our unbeaten record”, added Amorim, underlining that “Sporting CP were clearly the better side, so we have to look ahead from now.”

Confident and focused only on the next game, he believes his team are ready for both the game against SC Braga and the remainder of the Liga NOS season.

“We knew it was going to be difficult until the end. Now I am only thinking about SC Braga. The season will be tough until the end; there will be teams dropping points and we have to go game-by-game. We are a difficult team to beat. We can lose points in any game, but we can also win anywhere. This is what football is all about, and we have to be prepared for it."

Os Leões dominate, but require a late comeback against Belenense SAD

Sporting Clube de Portugal fought back from two goals down to salvage a draw against Belenenses SAD on Wednesday night, on Matchday 28 of the Liga NOS season. A goal from captain Sebastián Coates and an injury time penalty converted by Jovane Cabral kept Os Leões unbeaten in league action this season, extending their best ever run for a single campaign.

Coach Rúben Amorim made only a single change from Friday's 0-1 win away to SC Farense, replacing Daniel Bragança with Tiago Tomás. Sporting CP lined up with Antonio Adán, Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates, Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro, João Mário, João Palhinha, Nuno Mendes, Paulinho and Pedro Gonçalves in their starting XI.

The team began the game well, controlling possession, but it was Belenenses SAD who took an early lead in the 13th minute, as Cassierra converted their first and only shot of the first half.

Sporting CP, on the other hand, had several opportunities on goal, through João Palhinha (twice), Tiago Tomás (twice), Pedro Gonçalves and Paulinho. The clearest of the chances to level befell João Mário, who stepped up to take a penalty kick that was saved by Belenenses SAD goalkeeper Kritciuk saved.

Having trailed at the halftime break, Os Leões brought on Nuno Santos for Tiago Tomás for the second period to bolster their attacking output.

The script for the second half was similar to that of the first, with complete control by Sporting CP and a goal against the run of play by the visiting side in the early going.

That goal came in the 54th minute, from a backpass to goalkeeper Antonio Adán. The goalkeeper controlled the ball but, under pressure by Cassierra, hesitated to play it clear, allowing the Colombian striker to sneak in and take the score to 0-2.

A major reshuffle was made shortly afterwards, as Pedro Porro, João Palhinha and João Mário made way for Bruno Tabata, Daniel Bragança and Jovane Cabral.

The 0-2 deficit continued into the final ten minutes, until Sporting CP finally found their opening. Nuno Santos sent in a cross, and Coates rose to convert, giving his team a lifeline.

Only half of the task had been completed, and deep into stoppage time Os Leões were facing a first league loss off the season. That was until another long ball found its way into the area, where Cabral headed across. Contact with the arm of Tiago Esgaio led to the referee blowing his whistle and awarding a second penalty of the game, and an opportunity to equalise in the dying moments.

Cabral this time took on responsibility, and beat Kritciuk from the penalty spot to complete the comeback.

Although Sporting CP had the better of the play, and controlled the game, the end result allowed for a point and another display of resilience. Next up is an away trip to play SC Braga on Sunday.

A record-breaking win was analysed by the Sporting CP coach

Following the final whistle in the 0-1 win over SC Farense, Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim answered questions from journalists in the press room at the Estádio São Luís.
The win marked a new record in club history, as they have now gone 27 consecutive matchdays unbeaten in Liga NOS competition.

"It's good, especially at a time in which people are talking about a crisis, to break a club's all-time record. Reaching that milestone and moving past the 26 matchdays the previous team to hold the record achieved is down to the players," said the coach.

As for the game itself, Amorim commented that "We were able to hold up when it was time to struggle. We scored our goal, but we weren't able to kill the game off. We suffered at the end and, as usual, our anxiety grew, but I think it was a fair result. SC Farense had their opportunities and so did we. It was an even game and a good game, but we were worthy winners."

Asked what the "biggest challenge" he will have to face in the near future, Amorim stated "choosing the best XI for the game against Belenenses SAD."

"That is the only objective and there is nothing else on our minds. The focus is on Belenenses SAD and a game that will be, like every match, very difficult. We will give everyone the opportunity to train and show their worth, and we will pick the best players for the task. This is the big challenge for the coaching staff."

Amorim is serving a suspension and was unable to assume his position in the dugout, a situation that he says adds to the tension of the task at hand.

"It makes me more anxious and nervous, because I can't talk to the players," he commented, before explaining the tactical change he made from the game against FC Famalicão.

"We knew that the pitch here is small, and that we were going to have a lot of second balls to win. We wanted more people in the midfield in order to keep the ball. SC Farense left us with an extra player in midfield, instead of just Tiago Tomás, to have this possession.

"At times we enjoyed success. Whenever we managed to get more time on the ball and vary the play, we created danger. We had phases in which, by changing up the midfield, we managed to create the space to play -which was the idea. At times we managed it, and other times we didn't. We won, and that is the most important thing."

Regarding the rather open final minutes, he offered up several possible explanations.

"Here or there, the team showed some inexperience. It's normal, and the players will grow. I don't know if it had to do with us taking off João Mário, who was playing a good game, but the game started to break up. SC Farense also pressed up on us, and anxiety at the end of a game is normal anyway. On Wednesday against Belenenses SAD there will be anxiety once again. We are prepared for that, and that’s what we are working for," he added.

"Whatever the outcome [today], we would be a side capable of beating Belenenses SAD. We are not going to hide that there is an idea in Sportinguistas about the title, as it has been many years since the last time the club won it. The fans have to be able to suffer and think like the team are: Game by game. We only want to beat Belenenses SAD, and then we will see."