The coach looks at the final game of 2022

Sporting Clube de Portugal round off 2022 with a Thursday game against FC Paços de Ferreira, on Matchday 14 of the Liga Portugal season.

Ahead of the match, coach Rúben Amorim gave a press conference at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo and, rather than taking stock of the year as a whole, he preferred to focus on the contest ahead.

"We played an excellent game last time out, but that's done now. We're feeling good, we've won six straight games and we're returning to league action, which is our priority. What we want to do is keep playing well, because that way we are closer to winning, not conceding and scoring as many goals as possible," he began by telling journalists.
 
Amorim also warned of the "uncertainties" that FC Paços de Ferreira pose, as the team in 18th place in the table and with only two points to their name.

"We know that they are not in good form, but that brings us many uncertainties. We don't know which starting XI they will have or how they will play, as they have their third coach of the season and they have already used several formations. We have tried everything to try to understand and be prepared for everything, but we have to play our game."

"We have to win games to bring our good feelings back. I think we've recovered that 'hunger' we had, and we're playing more intensely and better. Six or seven wins in a row is nothing for a team who want to get closer to the places above us," underlined Amorim, reinforcing the focus on the game.

"Our focus is to win matches, go game-by-game and then in the end we will do the maths."

Asked about Paulinho, who has scored six goals in the last four games, Amorim said that "He lives off good games and goals too. It's important to have good moments, but knowing that each game is a different story and everything changes from game to game."

"Dário Essugo has responded well, he's evolved with the work we've been doing with him and he's only 17 years old. He made his debut when we were champions, when he was very young, and today he's a completely different player. He is the most similar player we have to [João] Palhinha, with very specific characteristics, and we believe in him a lot."

Captain Sebastián Coates could reach the mark of 300 games with Sporting CP, but his coach still believes he has more to offer.

“I want to offer him congratulations on his beautiful career, but he can still improve a lot. That's what I tell him every day. Nowadays he's still considered a very young player and he can evolve a lot. He's not such a slow or static player, he can improve on the ball and we're going to demand more and more from him. I congratulate him on what he's doing, but he has only one league title, so we have to demand more from all of us and especially from the captain. We will be here to help him."

With the winter market just around the corner, Amorim fielded a question about potential interest in Pedro Porro.

"He is experiencing one of the best moments of his career and is focused on Sporting CP. He can only leave if his clause is met. My contract renewal has been done, and there is trust from the board and the coach."

"There may be some adaptations in the market. We have to know exactly what we are going to do, not only now but in the future as well. I think there is a lot of talent in the Academy in certain positions and we will have to take risks. I am focused on the youth players, such as Rodrigo [Ribeiro], who renewed this week and will start to have more of a role on our team, but it depends on him. I think he will be a great player in the future."