Jesus announces squad list for Liga NOS matchday 20

1 – Rui Patrício
34 – Beto Pimparel

2 – Ezequiel Schelotto
10 – Bryan Ruiz
11 – Bruno César
13 – Sebastian Coates
15 – Paulo Oliveira
16 – André Felipe
18 – Francisco Geraldes
20 – Luc Castaignos
23 – Adrien Silva
28 – Bas Dost
31 – Marvin Zeegelaar
35 – Ruben Semedo
47 – Ricardo Esgaio
56 – Daniel Podence
66 – João Palhinha
73 – Matheus Pereira
77 – Gelson Martins
99 – Alan Ruiz

Jorge Jesus confident going into the weekend's visit to FC Porto

Jorge Jesus will lead his squad up to FC Porto this Saturday (20:30), on Liga NOS matchday 20. For the Sporting CP coach, confidence is the dominant feeling pulsing through Alvalade.

"A classic is always that little bit more important. We are two really good sides, regardless of what the league standings show. We will go into this feeling confident. Winning in Porto isn't something new for us, but we know it will be complicated. What matters is that we show personality and stick to our strategy", opened Jesus, continuing: "There is so such thing as a game of life or death in football. Teams go through their ups and downs throughout the season and a win can provide a real lift. We have to take each game as it comes right now and we can win in Porto."

With William Carvalho forced out, Jesus is likely to bring in Palhinha. "William has been a key player for over the past year and a half, so we won't hide that. However Palhinha, if he plays, will definitely do well. This is how players grow and we believe in him", affirmed the Sporting CP coach, adding a word on the recent contracts agreed with Gelson Martins and Sebastián Coates: "They are two crucial players for us. Coates was only here on loan, but we seem to have moved on from that. Gelson was a different situation and we were not worried about losing him. The president's decision gives that extra bit of stability for us."

Recommendations ofr fan travelling to FC Porto

Sporting CP has released the following information for fans travelling to FC Porto this weekend:

- Those travelling with the club's Organised Fan Groups should meet at Estádio José Alvalade at 12h00. This will ensure that all coaches can depart at 12h30.

- Parking for Sporting CP fans will be in the STCP carpark near to Estádio do Dragão, where fans will be escorted at 18h00. If all fans do not arrive on time, the escort will leave at 19h30 and all fans will not enter the stadium in time for kick-off.

- Fans travelling in their own vehicles should meet at the STCP carpark.

Sales information for the visit to FC Porto

Considering the limited number of tickets available for the 'Classic', on Liga NOS matchday 20, ticket takes will proceed as follows

WEDNESDAY | Club Members with a Gamebox 2016/2017 and a Member Gamebox for 14 years (100%)
THURSDAY | Club Members with a Gamebox 2016/2017 and Member Gamebox for 8 to 13 years
FRIDAY | Club members with a Gamebox 2016/2017 and Member Gamebox for 1 to 7 years

Ticket offices will be open from 10h00 to 20h00, with tickets priced as follows::

FAN ZONE | €25
SECTOR 46 | €35

A valid Gamebox must be presented upon purchase, with each card valid for 1 ticket. Each person may present a maximum of 4 cards.

Futebol Clube do Porto vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal will kick off at 20h30 on Saturday the 4th of February, in Estádio do Dragão.

Gelson Martins on Sporting's 2-1 win against FC Porto on Sunday night

Gelson Martins was the player chosen to speak with the press after Sporting's 2-1 win against Fc Porto this Sunday and the Alvalade younger was more than clear on his interpretation of the encounter: "It was a deserved win. We didn't start well, but we improved and had a good game overall."

Avoiding commenting on the sending off of Jorge Jesus, Gelson added a word on how the season has been developing so far: "We have made a good start, but it is still really early in the season. We still have a lot of matches to play and we have to make sure we don't get carried away. I hope this season is the big one for me and that is what I am working hard every day for."

Win in first classic of the season moves Sporting top of Liga NOS

Sporting turned in a convincing win against the visiting FC Porto this weekend, with three points that puts the team from Alvalade top of Liga NOS.

Jesus set his side out with Bryan Ruiz working the space behind Slimani, when Bruno César and Gelson Martins occupied the space out wide. It was actually FC Porto who made the better start to the encounter, with Felipe netting after 8 minutes. However, Jorge Jesus' side brushed off the early setback and drew level just five minutes later, when Slimani popped up in the right place at the right time to make the most of a Bruno César free-kick ricocheted off the post and out to the big Algerian for his 56th goal in a Sporting shirt.

FC Porto's roaring start soon faded under a mature performance by Jorge Jesus' men right across the park and Gelson scored a second to give Sporting a thoroughly deserved lead. With the hosts dominating possession, the 49,399 fans who had packed out Alvalade saw out a relatively uneventful second-half, with the exception of a baffling sending off for Jorge Jesus and the team doctor Frederico Varandas. However, the blow to the Sporting bench did little to upset the action on the pitch and their was still time for Campbell and Paulista to come off the bench and finish off proceedings with showings that look promising for the coming campaign.

Jesus on his side's 2-1 win against FC Porto on Sunday night

Jorge Jesus had warned that an FC Porto visit is never easy, but a mature performance from his side saw Sporting come from behind and secure the spoils from the first classic of the current Liga NOS campaign.

"We were losing pretty much from the start and that was down in part to our positioning. Slimani and Bryan Ruiz didn't have a lot of chances and we didn't have the opportunity to do what we usually do, which took away from our quality a bit. However our tactics made the difference and we were winning at half-time. In the second-half we did well to manage the result. FC Porto didn't create a single chance on goal. Bruno Paulista was to give a bit of help to Adrien and I thought we were tactically better disciplined than FC Porto. The fans were brilliant tonight as well", said Jesus in his post-match press conference.

Jesus was actually given his marking orders in the second-half with baffling decision from the referee. "I didn't say anything to the referee. I was no where near him. The rules say that coaches can't say anything, but the coach is part of the match. As long as we don't interfere with the referee's job then I don't see why we can't speak, especially when it is with our own players. All I said was that it was that the foul should have been the other way around and I was sent off", reflected the Sporting coach.

Transfer activity was inevitably a focus off the press conference and first up was Slimani's situation: "I am not sure. I have been a coach for a long time and this is normal. A lot of clubs have been putting bids in for a lot of players and it puts a lot of pressure on us, but it is a sign of the lads' quality. With the exception of João Mário, all of the other players are part of the squad. Not just anyone can turn up here and take players and the president knows what I think and I know what he thinks."

Next up was Bas Dost: "In some ways he is similar to Slimani, but there is only one Slimani. Even with everything that is going on, he has been a great professional for the club and the team. He knows that he will only leave if Sporting wants him to."

Adrien was next: "He is also attracting attention, just like William Carvalho, Rui Patrício and Slimani and like João Mário was. It is the consequence of our success. We didn't win the league last season, but we finished second and the national team had influenced things as well."

Jorge Jesus on Sunday's classic and Sporting's transfer activity

Jorge Jesus saw down with the media this Saturday afternoon, for one of the most eagerly awaited press conferences of the Liga NOS campaign so far, with Sporting busy in the transfer market and FC Porto visiting Alvalade on Sunday.

"It is a classic, at the beginning of the season. Normally both teams know everything there is to know about each other and I know exactly what FC Porto can do. It will be an intense game, with both sides with their own strategy and tactics. We will try and impose ourselves on the match and if we do then we will be one step closer to getting the three points", opened the Sporting coach, going on to speak about João Mário's expected absence tomorrow: "I am not surprised. Some things you just can't get surprised about. What would surprise me is if we were not selling players at this price on the back of the success we have had. João Mário had an offer that isn't normal in this club or Portugal for that matter. I don't know if anything had been decided, but I do know that he is in Italy. What is there to talk about? Until he signs, nothing is decided. What has to be said is that he is a quality player and that is why a price has been agreed, but Sporting isn't just João Mário. Some of the other players have big teams looking at them as well. I wouldn't say we are weaker without João Mário. He is a young player with a bright future ahead of him and I wish him the best of luck if everything works out, but Sporting will still be here tomorrow and we have plenty of quality players."

Nuno Espírito Santo has already taken on Jorge Jesus on six occasions and has the unenviable record of having lost all six. However, Jesus is not expecting an easy afternoon' work: "How two teams balance up to each other can be down to the coaches and tactics can make the difference. Nuno was always at a disadvantage in the other matches, with weaker teams, but that is different now. We both have quality players to work with."

Sporting has certainly been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Campbell, André and Douglas and Jorge Jesus was kind enough to clear up some questions in relation to his squad for tomorrow: "Slimani will play. He has always done his best and been a great professional. I don't know what will happen with Slimani and that isn't down to me. My job is to get the best out of the players that I have available. Joel Campbell has all of his paperwork done and he will be in the squad. Douglas and André aren't ready yet."

Jesus saved his last words for pre-match predictions: "When two teams are balanced in football, their are no favourites. Both sides have their strong points and the lads are used to these big occasions. I wouldn't say FC Porto are stronger this season. We were in first when they came here last year, but you can't make any predictions after just three matches. What I will say is that FC Porto look strong, just like they did last season."

Alalade new faces put through their paces at the Academy

Sporting CP were out on the training pitch this week, preparing for the weekend's hosting of FC Porto.

New arrivals André and Douglas were the highlights of the session, working with Jorge Jesus for the first time. The session got underway at 09h00 as usual, with a quick warm up followed by some technical exercises.

Just two thousand tickets left for weekend's hosting of FC Porto

Just 2000 tickets remain on sale for Liga NOS matchday 3, against FC Porto.

Tickets are available for the Central Stand A and B. Ticket offices will open at 10h00 on Thursday, with tickets expected to sell out early.