Agreement to terminate loan of Markovic

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Liverpool FC and the player Lazar Markovic for the termination of the player's loan.

Sporting SAD wishes Markovic the best of personal and professional success.

Octávio Machado speaks about recent events on the pitch

Sporting's director for football, Octávio Machado, sat down with the press this weekend to speak about Sporting CP's current form and standing in Liga NOS. Refereeing was inevitably the overtone of his comments, but the Alvalade director did not dismiss the influence of some of Sporting CP's recent performances.

Paulo Oliveira on Saturday's draw against Marítimo

Sporting CP centreback Paulo Oliveira was the player chosen to speak with radio journalists at the final whistle this Saturday, after his side's draw in Madeira.

"We always try and win the three points, but today we just couldn't do it in a stadium where it is always hard to play. We played well, but set pieces put us in a tough spot. We came from behind and we scored a third goal, but all we can do now is keep on putting the work in", said Paulo Oliveira in an interview with Sport TV, continuing: "Results reflect what you do on the pitch and once again we couldn't get the win. We did everything we could today and we are all responsible for it. We have to keep our heads up, because this is our job and we still believe in winning the title."

Jorge Jesus highlights his side's improvement in Saturday's draw against Marítimo

Jorge Jesus spoke with the press in a flash interview at the final whistle on Saturday. The Alvalade coach liked what he saw on the pitch, despite a harsh final result.

"It was a good match. Marítimo are a good team, but we were better today than we were against Chaves. We were really close to our usual form. Marítimo were really good from set pieces and that gave them two goals, so we were always chasing the result. We did score a third, but the linesman didn't want to give it. Today I can't point the finger at the players and say they didn't want to win, because they did. Credit to Marítimo, because they played well", opened Jesus, adding: "We have fewer and fewer matches to play and the points gap is growing, which makes it all the more difficult. We have to take each game as it comes and there are still a lot of points to win."

Disallowed goal denies Sporting CP of a deserved three points

Sporting CP were held to a 2-2 draw in Estádio dos Barreiros this weekend, on Liga NOS matchday 18. A disallowed goal for a wrong offside call against Alan Ruiz dictated the final result, after a spirited display which saw Sporting CP come from behind twice.

Jorge Jesus made five changes to his last 11 (Patrício, Schelotto, Zeegelaar, Bruno César and a debut for João Palhinha) and Sporting CP started the encounter well. However, some sloppy passes forced Paulo Oliveira into making a foul and Éber Bessa converted on the resulting free-kick with low shot that wrong footed Rui Patrício.

The early below did little to unsettle Sporting CP and the team from Alvalade continued to pile forward in search of goal, courtesy mostly of some darting runs from Schelotto and Gelson Martins down the right. However, Marítimo largely limited Sporting CP's chances to dead ball situations, but it was precisely from one such incident that the equaliser came, when Bas Dost rose highest to head in from an Adrien Silva cross.

Sporting CP would have been expected to take charge after the equaliser, but it was actually down the other end that the next few opportunities materialised. Dyego Sousa hit Patrício's crossbar in the 31st minute, just before Raúl Silva made the most of yard of space to put Marítimo back into the lead.

The second-half was much of the same, with the hosts relying on the counter-attack. Edgar Costa has two good chances, but Sporting CP grew into the action again after the introduction of Alan Ruiz [on for Zeegelaar]. With Campbell and William Carvalho also on off the bench [for Palhinha and Bryan Ruiz], the team from Alvalade began to up the tempo and Bruno César dragged on a cross back on the hour mark that Gelson did well to control and slot home.

Neither outfit was able to seriously threaten in the dying stages, with the exception of a goal from Alan Ruiz that was wrongly ruled out for offside.

Jesus announces squad for the weekend's trip to Madeira

Jorge Jesus has named hsi squad list for Liga NOS matchday 18 against Marítimo, kicking off on Saturday at 18h15:

1 – Rui Patrício
2 – Ezequiel Schelotto
7 – Joel Campbell
10 – Bryan Ruiz
11 – Bruno César
13 – Sebastian Coates
14 – William Carvalho
15 – Paulo Oliveira
20 – Luc Castaignos
23 – Adrien Silva
26 – Azbe Jug
28 – Bas Dost
31 – Marvin Zeegelaar
34 – Beto Pimparel
35 – Rúben Semedo
47 – Ricardo Esgaio
66 – João Palhinha
73 – Matheus Pereira
77 – Gelson Martins
99 – Alan Ruiz

Jorge Jesus on the weekend's Liga NOS action

Jorge Jesus sat down with the press this Friday ahead of the weekend's Liga NOS matchday 18 trip to Marítimo (Saturday, at 18h15).

Although a tough challenge, the Sporting CP coach is fully focused on the three points: "The match will be difficult for a few reasons. Firstly, because we are a bit behind in the league and we cannot drop any more points. On top of that, Marítimo are really strong at home. However, we are ready and we know we cannot let more points slip away", opened Jesus, continuing: "I wouldn't say that everything is lost right now, but we have to take on our responsibilities. As a coach, I am responsible for results, but this will not be a season to forget. Every coach goes through bad spells and this isn't the first time it has happened to me. The only way to get out of it is if we all show a bit of confidence, especially the players. We had a superb season last year and we created some big expectations, but obviously the book stops with me. I trust my players to get out of the situation we are in."

To finish, Jesus spoke about president Bruno de Carvalho's visit to the dressing room after the first loss in Chaves: "Presidents go into the dressing room before and after the match, which is completely normal. I couldn't be there and the president usually speaks to me at the end of the match. I wasn't there, so he spoke with the team captains (Adrien Silva and William Carvalho). The president is the head of the club and he has every right to do that, because the coach wasn't there. Our relationship honestly couldn't be better."

Costa Rican international scoops award

Sporting CP's Bryan Ruiz has been named as the CONCACAF Player of the Year for 2016. The Costa Rican international also features in the Confederation's XI for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The creative forward used his Facebook page to speak about the award: "I want to say that I am really proud and happy for being names the CONCACAF Player of the Year 2016. I want to thank all of the fans, coaches and directors for voting for me. Hopefully I will carry on enjoying their support and I want to carry on making people happy, both in Costa Rica and Sporting CP."

Chaves net late goal to put Sporting CP out of the Portuguese Cup

With a total of five changes to starting XI against Chaves this Tuesday in comparison to Saturday's fixture, Sporting CP were unable to secure the win and saw this season's Portuguese Cup campaign brought to an end by a late goal from the host.

With Beto, Paulo Oliveira, Jefferson, Bryan Ruiz and André in for Rui Patrício, Rúben Semedo, Bruno César, Campbell and Alan Ruiz the team from Alvalade made nervy start to the encounter and Beto was called into action twice in the first 15 minutes.

Eventually Sporting CP settled and both Gelson Martins (27') and Coates (41') came close to goal before the break, before both Jefferson and André were forced off for injury (replaced by Bruno César and Campbell).

Sporting CP came out much better after the break and determined to get ahead. After three minutes of action Bruno César picked out Bas Dost for the Dutchman to fire just wide of the mark.

The fixture looked to be heading for extra-time but an 87th minute header Ponck following a free-kick from the right got the better of Beto and ended Sporting CP's 2016-17 Cup hopes.

Raúl José on the weekend's draw in Chaves

Speaking with Sporting TV in reflection the weekend's draw with GD Chaves, assistant coach Raúl José, stepping in for the suspended Jorge Jesus, showed confidence in the Alvalade squad.

"We were really close to winning the game. We were losing, but we came from behind. But for a bit of bad luck, we would have won the three points. However the lads are feeling confident that we will get into the Portuguese Cup semi-finals. We have to improve in relation to a few details over the course of the match", said Raúl José.