‘Leões’ com melhor arranque de sempre dos últimos 20 anos

With seven games so far played this season, Sporting is flying high at the top of the I Liga table. Curiously, the team from Alvalade had also tallied 17 point at this stage of the season in the 2013/14 campaign (tem going on to lose against FC Porto 3-1). It is also not the first time that Sporting tops the table after seven games, having shared leadership with FC Porto and Benfica at this stage in 2006/07. However, it is the first time that Sporting sits in 1st with 17 points, courtesy of last weekend’s 5-1 win over Guimarães.

Speaking in an extensive interview, Sporting’s director of football, Octávio Machado, proved to be more than happy with his side’s start to the season.

“You could see right from the start of the season, with us bringing in Jorge Jesus and with the support we had in the Supercup, that we are putting different strategies in place. This season started with some rules that were approved by a majority of clubs, but which the Portuguese Football Association didn’t put into practice and that has contributed to some things which have happened to us.”

Octávio Machado went on to comment on a series incidents and matches which have gone against Sporting already this season. “When we played against Tondela and when we were comfortably ahead, Tondela scored after a foul which should have been given the other way around, an off-side position and a handball in the same play! I also recall the foul by Luisão against an Estoril player which should have been a sending off and a penalty. After that we had João Pereira sent off when he had his hands behind his back, which resulted in a penalty and a sending off. In that same match there was a clear penalty committed on Slimani, but it wasn’t given. Then on matchday three, we played Académica and a penalty was given against us and one wasn’t given for a foul on Slimani. Against Rio Ave we conceded when the player was off-side, on matchday six, Boavista-Sporting, another penalty. I think the best thing to do is for us to reflect.”