Islam Slimani after his side's 2-0 win against FC Porto

Islam Slimani stole the show against FC Porto this Saturday night with two goals to move Sporting back to the top of Liga NOS.

Speaking with radio journalists at the final whistle, the big Algerian was keen to point out the influence of Jorge Jesus: "It was an important win for us, because now we are two points clear at the top of the league. It was a hard match, but we did what we had to do to win. We have shown the quality of this team match after match and we believe in the work we are doing. The coach has done a good job and he has brought a lot to the team."

Sporting leading Liga NOS after convincing display against FC Porto

There is no disputing the facts: in four matches this season against either Benfica or FC Porto, Sporting has won all four. Just as impressive as the wins is the goal difference in clashes with the other two members of Portugal's 'Big 3': 8-1 in favour of the team from Alvalade. In the two Liga NOS wins (3-0 in Estádio da Luz and 2-0 against FC Porto in Alvalade), Sporting's opponents had no more than one single chance on goal during both matches.

With Matheus making the first official senior start of his career and Bryan Ruiz playing off Slimani up front, Sporting began on an offensive footing and soon began threatening the visitors' goal. After a series of corners, João Mário put low shot wide of the post, before Bryan Ruiz and Matheus also failed to find the target from range.

On-way traffic towards the FC Porto goal continued and in the 27th minute justice was done to the scores when Slimani rose highest to convert from a Jefferson free-kick deep down the left flank.

Five tminues later Adrien tested Casillas with a stinging effort, before FC Porto had their only chance of the evening after, breaking away against the run of play. However, Rui Patrício wasn't about to be unfairly beaten and the Alvalade shotstopper denied Aboubakar one-on-one of what looked to be a certain goal.

After a more or less balanced spell after the break, Sporting again began to dominate. Dropping back and happily letting FC Porto hold down possession and push their lines higher, Jorge Jesus' charges began to create chances from speedy counter-attacks and penetrating balls over the top. The tactic worked wondered and four minutes after hour mark Slimani looked to have scored his second of the evening after doing everything right and keeping his effort down, but the Algerian's powerful header ended bouncing up onto the crossbar. From the follow up Bryan Ruiz drove a half-volley towards goal that Casillas turned around the post, before Adrien smashed a low drive against the woodwork from range.

Despite holding down possession, FC Porto were simply unable to create anything going forward and Sporting's second goal was hardly a surprise, when Slimani hooked on to a good pass from Bryan Ruiz to send Alvalade into delirium and move Sporting back to the top of Liga NOS.

Jorge Jesus shares his thoughts ahead of Saturday's FC Porto showdown

Jorge Jesus is expecting a balanced evening of football when his side hosts FC Porto this Saturday, with the Liga NOS top spot up for grabs.

“The stadium selling out is normal right now for how we are playing and for this kind of match. The fans and the players have been sharing a lot of emotion this season and you need that at a club like Sporting. The fans will show again tomorrow what they can do", opened the Sporting coach in his habitual pre-match press conference.

“FC Porto are a great side with quality players, but Sporting are a quality side as well and it will be like it usually is when we take on a big side. What I want is for our quality to make the difference against FC Porto", added Jesus, continuing: "I don't know what the coach on the other side is thinking, but I have to try and guess. I don't think them being in first now will change much for how FC Porto will organise in attack or defence, because it is a team with a fixed style that you can't just change."

Asked to comment on previous episodes between the two Portuguese giants, as well as his previous run-ins with the FC Porto coach, Jesus preferred to focus on the football: "The most important thing in the match is the players and the collective and individual quality of both sides. The match is here and now and I will acknowledge my colleague like I would any other. I wouldn't say that the fans add more pressure, because the season has its ups and downs anyway and the players are always under that kind of pressure. You can't really say that there is a favorite, because such a thing only exists when there is a big difference between."

Responding on a question on FC Porto's current occupation of 1st place in Liga NOS and how is influences his side, Jesus went on: “In practice it is a little bit harder for the team in second, because when you are in front the team behind you has to make up ground. The team chasing first place is Sporting. We said for several weeks that we wanted to defend first place and now we want to chase it down again. We started this season with a lot of emotion and belief that it would be a better season than the last one. We know you can't just turn up and wins come naturally, but the fact is that we have won a trophy and we are fighting to be top of the league."

Sporting-FC Porto will kick off at 20h45 on Saturday, in Estádio José Alvalade.

Hugo Miguel named for Liga NOS matchday 15

Hugo Miguel, 38, from the Lisbon Football Association, has been named to take charge of Liga NOS matchday 15 between Sporting and FC Porto.

Hernâni Fernandes and Bruno Trindade will act as linesmen.

This season Hugo Miguel has already officiated over Sporting's win over Rio Ave on Liga NOS matchday 4.

Sporting-FC Porto will get underway at 20h45 on Saturday the 2nd of January, in Estádio José Alvalade.

First team injury news

- Tobias Figueiredo: twist to the right knee. In treatment;

- William Carvalho: myalgia in the left thigh. In treatment;

- Bruno Paulista: muscle injury in right thigh. Conditional training;

- Bryan Ruiz: shock to left knee. In treatment.

Jorge Jesus on his side's League Cup win against Paços de Ferreira

"Our objective was to win our first game in the League Cup, keeping in mind that we are just back from the holiday season", said Jorge Jesus in the final whistle on Tuesday.

"Yesterday I had a few doubts about what team I would put out. We have been working really hard in training, but the lads have responded well. We took on a hard team that we didn't beat in the league, but we won 3-1 and we could have scored more", continued the Sporting coach, adding: "Some of the players did really well and João Mário was good too."

Jorge Jesus also spoke about how the treatment room is looking ahead of the hosting of FC Porto on Saturday: "We will see about William. He picked up an injury in training and I am not sure he will recover in time. Teo is out too. A game against FC Porto is always really big regardless of how the league table looks. This is the first time Sporting will play without being in first, but of course we want to win."

João Mário on his side's 3-1 win against Paços de Ferreira

João Mário came off the bench to put in a solid second-half in his side's 3-1 League Cup win this Tuesday.

“We started well and we scored, but we let in a goal before the break. In the second-half we took the lead again and we could have won by more, but we were a bit sloppy in front of goal. It was a good win in a competition that we want to do well in", said the Portuguese international at the final whistle.

Sporting in the driving seat in the League Cup

Jorge Jesus had already made it clear in his pre-match press conference that his side would be looking for an extended run in the League Cup, while keeping in mind the January 2nd league encounter with FC Porto. As expected, the Sporting boss rang the changes to his side and it was the inclusion of Gelson Martins and Matheus Pereira that proved the difference on the night, in an impressive 3-1 win over Paços de Ferreira.

Although Paços fought hard to smoother out Sporting's attacks early on, there was little the visitors could do out wide. Montero picked up possession and fed back to Jefferson and the Brazilian obliged with a cross that Gelson guided towards Aquiliani for the Italian to open the scoring from the edge of the box after 8 minutes. Next try his luck from range was Arien, but the Alvalade skipper's effort was kept out by Defendi. Barnes made the most of a loose ball to send a shot toward's Marcelo's goal, but it was all one-way traffic as the half progressed. Matheus picked out André Matrins in the 37th minute, but the midfielder's effort when isolated in front of goal lacked pace and was stopped by Defendi.

Sporting looked certain to take a lead in at the break, but a seemingly harmless free-kick saw Marcelo tricked by a shot by Christian to level the score at half-time in what was miles away from being a true reflection of the action so far.

The break worked wonders for Jesus' side, who immediately created two chances for Montero (shot over the bar, 46’) and André Martins (header defended by Defendi, 48’). However, the third attempt proved the trick, when Matheus found Jefferson charging forward. The Brazilian's initial cross took a deflection, but Gelson was on hand to collect and put Sporting back into a deserved lead. Christian tried to get Paços back into it with a shot from range, but Sporting were looking far to long and another goal was inevitable.

Paulo Oliveira popped up in the area and put a header just wide eight minutes after the hour mark, before Bryan Ruiz finished off the result after being picked out by another deadly pass from Mathes. Slimani hit the post twice in the dying stages (82’ and 90+2’), but it made little difference to a convincing victory that sees Sporting close 2016 on a high.

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol SAD

SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL, Futebol SAD, under the terms of art. 248.º, n.º 1 of the Market Securities Code, announces the following:

1) A contract with NOS LUSOMUNDO AUDIOVISUAIS, S.A. for the concession of the following rights:

(i) Television broadcasting and multimedia for matches played at home by Sporting SAD's senior first team and the use of static advertising in Estádio José Alvalade for a period of 10 sports seasons beginning on the 1st of July 2018;

(ii) Transmission and distribution of the Sporting TV channel for a period of 12 sports seasons, beginning on the 1st of July 2017;

(iii) The right to be the team's main sponsor for a period of 12 and a half sports seasons, beginning on the 1st of January 2016.

2) With PPTV – Publicidade de Portugal e Televisão, S.A. an addition to the annual contract, revising the amounts paid for television broadcasting and multimedia for matches played at home by Sporting SAD's senior first team and the ue of static publicity in Estádio José Alvalade for the 2015-2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons.

The financial considerations resulting from these contracts, including the 2015-2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-18 seasons, total €515,000,000.

Lisbon, 29th of December 2015

Jorge Jesus ahead of League Cup encounter with Paços de Ferreira

Jorge Jesus spoke with Sporting TV ahead of the League Cup encounter with Paços de Ferreira, setting out his stall for what he sees as another opportunity to bring silverware to Alvalade.

“I am expecting a hard game against an opponent that has proven difficult in the league. We are coming into this game after the holiday season and neither team will be at their best, but we will use the game to give some of the lads a run out and to contribute to the competitiveness of the squad. Some players who have played a lot in the league could be picked, but we have an important game coming up do we will be mixing up ideas a bit. Both Matheus and Gelson have been important for balancing out the squad. We will go into the League Cup with the objective of winning it. My objective is to overcome the idea that Sporting doesn't win this kind of competition, which is what I was brought in for."

“Paços de Ferreira is one of those teams that isn't playing for the top places, but that has the quality to fight for a place in the Europa League. They have had a good start to the season and they will cause problems for us. They are one of those sides who put everything into the cup competitions and their coach will use his best team", added the Sporting coach, continuing: “The squad have come back in good form after the break and we have been pushing hard in training these last two days. We haven't got any medical problems except the ones we had with Teo, Tobias, Bruno Paulista and Mané, who was injured with the national team and hasn't recovered yet. William has a bit of a problem which isn't serious, but he won't be in the squad."

Jesus went on to reflect on seeing 8,000 fans turn out to see his squad train on the 26th of December, as well as on his time so far at the Sporting helm: "Only a lot of passion and faith brings that many fans out and the fact that so many were young people is promising for the future. The team has to fight to bring back the prestige of this club and that is what the president and board are working to do. It has been great here so far and I wasn't expecting us to be where we are right now. We were at the top of the league for a long time and I wasn't expecting that, because Benfica and FC Porto are really strong. It is all credit to the work we have been putting in, just like we did in the Europa League to come back from a bad start. The players deserve the credit, because they have shown that they believe they can win the league. We are on the right track, we have won back some of our pride and we are feeling what it is to be Sporting."

Sporting-Paços de Ferreira will kick-off at 20h00 on Tuesday, in Estádio José Alvalade.