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.

Jorge Jesus on his side's first domestic defeat of the season

“That is football for you. The first time União had a chance they scored", opened Jorge Jesus in a post-match press conference this Sunday.

Reflecting on his side's first defeat of the season after an impressive run of 13 unbeaten outings, the Alvalade coach added: "It wasn't even from a shot, it was form a header. The story of the game is that one team did what they had to do when they good. Sporting kept them pegged back and they scored from their first cross. The União keeper was also really good and he took two or three goals off us. We were the team that ran and battled, but we didn't score. The draw wouldn't have been good, but the loss is a mot worse. We were not expecting it."

“What can I say to my players? I can't criticise anything. We worked, we played well, we created chances. We just couldn't make the most of our chances. Some of it was due to their goalkeeper and that doesn't happen all the time. We were on top of them for 95 minutes and they scored from their first chance, but that it what makes football different. I have nothing to say about my players or about the referees. They all did what they were supposed to."

Jorge Jesus on this Sunday's trip to Madeira

Sporting will face União in Madeira this Sunday, on Liga NOS matchday 14, with Jorge Jesus' side on the verge of topping the table going into the Christmas break.

“The year hasn't finished yet. We are in first because of our quality and the truth is that we are having a really good start to the season, which gives us confidence. When I arrived here it was with the goal of being where we are now, but maybe not as good as we are now. I wasn't sure we would be so far ahead and this is a new experience for the team. What I want now is for the team to show the capacity to defend first place, affirmed Jorge Jesus in his pre-match press conference.

Before catching the short flight to Madeira, the Alvalade boss highlighted the difficulties of taking on União: "Every game in Madeira, against whoever, is difficult. União showed that in their last game against our rival, as well as with Braga. They will be organised in defence and we will have to find a way to create space. It won't be easily. We feel good about what we did in the Cup and if we play like we did against Braga it will make things much easier in Braga.

Asked if he is expecting the return of Carrillo for Christmas, Jorge Jesus instead preferred to focus on a different sector of his squad: "Carrillo? This is Christmas time, but I don't think Santa will give me that. Let's see what he does give me. A coach is never 100% happy and that is how I am as well. If I could have another player, then maybe it would be in defence."

Jorge Jesus with the press ahead of tomorrow's visit to Braga

Jorge Jesus was with the press in the Estádio José Alvalade Auditorium this Tuesday afternoon to speak about this week's Portuguese Cup visit to Braga.

“We Know that this is a cup match with very specific characteristics. No points can be won and it will be decided on the day. In my opinion, Sp. Braga is the team closest to the big three in terms of quality. We know that this will be a difficult match because of of the quality of their players and because they have a good coach, but we are confident", affirmed the Alvalade boss, adding: "The fact that we will travel to Braga means that we won't have time to prepare for the match. We have just focused on recovery like Braga have, who also played on Sunday. The most important thing is that luckily we haven't picked up any problems, with the exception of Teo who we already knew about. It will be a hard game and we will suffer a lot, because Sp. Braga will make life difficult for our defence."

In parallel, Jorge Jesus responded to a question on complaints being made by Sporting's rivals about match refereeing, while highlighting that Sporting are top of the league on merit: Look, the Refereeing Council is the same, the president who picks the referees is the name. What is changed is that Sporting is in first and people aren't used to it. That is all that has changed, everything else is the same. Nobody can take credit away from us for what we have done in every competition. We won the first trophy this season and we are at the top of the league with 11 wins and 2 draws in 13 matches. Now we are playing in the cup again, where we have already beaten one of our rivals and we will face the same team we did last season in the final. The people who are speculating are doing so because they were not expecting a strong Sporting at the top of the league."

Sp. Braga-Sporting will get underway at 20h00 on Wednesday the 16th of December, in the Braga Municipal Stadium.

Jorge Jesus on his side's 3-1 win over Moreirense

Jorge Jesus was understandably pleased after watching his side extend their run of Liga NOS wins to seven.

“Some of the players we used didn't play on Thursday and that brought quality to the team. We scored first, which was really important for us to manage the fatigue. The lads did well, but better at some moments than others. We could have held down possession a bit better. I thought that William and João Mário in the middle would help, but it created a bit of instability. It was a shame for us to concede from a penalty, but football can be like that", opened the Alvalade coach.

Jorge Jesus went on to share his thoughts on Wednesday's Portuguese Cup visit to Braga: "We will of course be feeling confident for our next matches, because we have been winning. There is no reason for us to feel any different with the results we have been getting. Braga is always a hard match and it was like that when I was the coach there as well. It is another difficult match that we will face."

Jorge Jesus' pre-match press conference ahead of Moreirense

While accepting that his team is flying high right now following Thursday's Europa League win, Jorge Jesus cautioned to the danger posed by the visiting Moreirence this Sunday.

“It is another game on top of a midweek game for us. The team is feeling good, because winning if of course the best remedy. The lads are on a high right now and tomorrow will be business as usual for us: a defensively oriented team, who have already taken points off one of our competitors. It will be difficult to find space as it always is and we will see is we have the capacity going forward to score", opened the Alvalade boss, adding: “Sometimes the games you would think are easier are actually harder. You just can't predict it and if we did then we would all be bet. Our league is really competitive, but all that matters is that we defend first place, regardless of who we play against."

Revealing that Ewerton will be included in the squad, Jesus highlighted that consistency will be the key in the run at the end of the season: "What determines the league are the last matches of the season, that is where the winner is decided. Of course to get to the end of the season with a chance you have to win now. Right now we are in first and the squad is feeling really confident. We deserve to be in first and now we want to defend that position."

To finish, the Sporting coach responded to a question on what is the best squad he has worked with to date, as well as Thursday's Europa League win against Besiktas.

“The situation here at Sporting is new for me and for the players. Everyone is really excited about what we are doing, but we have to carry on growing and I believe that we will be even better in the second half of the season. The players have shown a great level of intelligence and it has been a pleasant surprise. With my way of training, intelligence is really important. The way we work needs the players to make use of different resources beyond just simple quality. I honestly am really surprised at how far we have come in such a short time."

“(Besiktas) was a really important game for us in the Europa League and I didn't think we would keep our cool the way we did. If we can have the stadium tomorrow the way it was on Thursday, it would be the best way to help the team win."

Sporting-Moreirense will get underway on Sunday the 13th of December at 18h15, in Estádio José Alvalade.

Jorge Jesus ahead of Thursday's hosting of Besiktas

Speaking in a Europa League matchday 6 pre-match press conference, Jorge Jesus warned caution for what is a powerful Besiktas front three, while affirming that his side have some tricks of their own in the race for a spot in the last-32.

“It is a game what will define qualification for Besiktas and Sporting. If we win, we carry on in the competition, which is what we want. We will be facing the team that is in first right now in the Turkish league, they are a strong side and they have three good players up front in Mario Gómez, Quaresma and Töre. Behind them three as well they have Sosa. They have really good players at the top end of the pitch and it won't be easy to stop them, but we are ready", opened the Alvalade boss, going on to comment on the usual subject of squad rotation: "We have reached the final game and we can still qualify, but that doesn't change my mind about the Europa League, which is an important competition for us. The domestic league is the most important thing anywhere in the world, but that won't take away from our responsibility tomorrow."

Revealing that Ewerton will not be available and that Teo Gutiérrez will be a late call tomorrow, Jesus also commented on the press linking Quaresma to Alvalade: "Nobody has any doubt that most Sporting fans would like to have Quaresma back. It has only come up to sell newspapers."

Jorge Jesus on his side's win in Estádio dos Barreiros

Speaking in a flash interview, Jorge Jesus proved satisfied with his side's win in Madeira this weekend.

“Marítimo are strong and they showed that today. They are a well worked team both technically and tactically. They are one of the hardest teams in the league, especially here in Estádio dos Barreiros. We knew it would be a hard game and we had to be really competitive. We had to take our chances and it is really important to score first against teams like this. We played like a team, we defended well and that gives confidence. FC Porto had already drawn here this season, so in theory we have won two points that our competition didn't", said the Sporting coach at the final whistle.

With the season turning into a tantalising race for top spot going into the Christmas break, Jesus noted his surprise with his side's campaign fo far. "Sporting are in first and we want to defend that. We didn't expect to be, in fact we expected to be behind Benfica and FC Porto, but we are in front and we want to stay there. The pressure of our rivals winning didn't get to the lads and we just have to focus on our own games, which is what we did. It wasn't a pretty game, but we have to use our strengths and that is what we are doing."

Jorge Jesus shares his thoughts on the weekend's trip to Madeira

Jorge Jesus sat down with the press on Friday afternoon, ahead of his side's visit to Madeira to take on Marítimo, where FC Porto has already dropped points this season.

“We are expecting a game typical of this league, on a difficult pitch against a team where one of our rivals has already drawn. It will be a hard game against a team that will want to win points against a Sporting that doesn't want to lose any in Barreiros. We will see if we are capable of overcoming what they will throw at us, but I am sure that we are", opened Jorge Jesus, adding: "Marítimo are always a hard team to face away. They always have a competitive side and this year is no different. We will have to be careful against a team that are really aggressive."

Speaking more specifically about his team and faced with the suspension of Slimani, Jesus commented: "Strategically Slimani being out doesn't change much, although he is different to our other forwards. We have had a few matchday without him, like in Moscow. Jefferson is back in the squad and we will see how he is when we get to Madeira. Teo has a little bit of an injury and it isn't easy to say 100% what is wrong, but he will adjust with him.”

To finish, Jorge Jesus touched on the legal process being instigated by Benfica: "I don't really want to speak about that. What matters is to focus on what is happening right now and Sporting's future. When I have to speak about our rivals it is when we face them on the pitch, which we have already three times this season."

Marítimo-Sporting will kick-off at 20h45 on the 5th of December, in Estádio do Marítimo, Barreiros.

Jorge Jesus praises his players' attitude

Jorge Jesus proved understandably happy with his side's fighting spirit in Monday's last-gasp 1-0 win over Belenenses this Monday night.

“We scored right at the end, but we had done more than enough to deserve it. We suffered, but that makes it taste that little bit sweeter", said the Alvalade boss in a flash interview at the final whistle, adding: "We played almost the entire match in the opposition half and they didn't cause us any problems. Rui Patrício didn't make a single save. In the second-half, tiredness and the substitutions brought a different dynamic, but we went looking for the win and we were rewarded with a clear penalty."