The coach previews the game against FC Arouca

Sporting Clube de Portugal play FC Arouca away from home on Saturday (8:30pm local time), on Matchday 11 of the Liga Portugal season.

At the press conference ahead of the game, played three days after the fixture against Tottenham Hotspur and three days before the visit of Eintracht Frankfurt, coach Rúben Amorim addressed his squad management and confirmed the absences of Hidemasa Morita and Paulinho.

“Squad management is done according to the best players we have available to beat FC Arouca, and this is the only management we do. Morita is out -I don't know for how long because he still has to do some tests- and so is Paulinho. Luís Neto is still unavailable and Ricardo Esgaio is back. Jeremiah St. Juste remains limited in terms of game time, but the rest of the squad are ready to play,” he began by telling the journalists present.

“We have to be very fresh physically against FC Arouca due to the characteristics of the opposition. They have very skilled midfielders, like David Simão and Alan Ruiz, and three players up front who, if we don't press well, will cause us a lot of problems. We will field the best team without thinking about Eintracht Frankfurt, because our objective and priority is the league. Energy and physical freshness will be important factors,” he emphasised.

FC Arouca are a side in form, having not lost in five games and occupying 11th in the table.

“FC Arouca are very dangerous on transitions, which is an important characteristic in the league. Antony is very strong in that respect, and the other two strikers are too. Then there's David Simão and Alan Ruiz, who came up at big clubs and play very well with the ball. In addition, they are in a steady position in the table. The more teams free themselves from the pressure of earning points, the better they play. They have no responsibility against Sporting CP and that is an advantage for them,” he said.

Amorim also stressed the importance of winning this weekend's game. 

“The best thing to do is to beat FC Arouca, as that is the best way to prepare for the match against Eintracht Frankfurt. It would be an extra source of energy taking into account the preparation of this match”, he said.

“If we beat FC Arouca, the way the fans see the next game and the team will be different. We can't drop points before the break for the World Cup, and it's important that we get that run of victories."

In closing, he stated his confidence in the squad regarding the fight for the Liga Portugal title. 

“We are still in with a chance, because we are still going to face all the teams and we want to win every game. As long as it is possible, we will fight for every match and trophy."

​The coach highlights Sporting CP's performance in the first half against Tottenham Hotspur

After the draw away to Tottenham Hotspur on Matchday 5 of Group D in the UEFA Champions League, Sporting Clube de Portugal coach, Rúben Amorim, reviewed the action in London.

“Everyone had an extraordinary first half. Bearing in mind the importance of the game, which was decisive, we started with a lot of personality and that was noticeable while we were fresh. We had a big slump in the second half thanks to the opposition, who have great players. They came out from the break with different movements because they have a very good coach who changed the way they play. We suffered due to the merits of Tottenham Hotspur and their coach. We tried to change things up, but we couldn't," he said at the press conference, but refuted that the decision to bring in Mateus Fernandes, Flávio Nazinho, Fatawu and Arthur had not paid off.

“If Nazinho had converted the two chances he had, it would have been a great substitution. As for Mateus Fernandes, we had the choice between him and Sotiris, but due to the progress that Mateus has made, and because he has spent more time working with us, he is prepared for these games. If he's not, he has to be, because this is the project and these are our solutions. Fatawu came in because we were under pressure, he is the best winger from set pieces and the strongest when making runs alone. Arthur came in and assisted in reeing up Nazinho," he explained.

“We suffered a lot in the second half, but those substitutions were not decisive in that happening. Of course, they had more difficulties than some other players, but that was because we were very tired and we didn't have the ball. When we don't have the ball, we suffer a lot," continued Amorim, who considered a draw to have been a fair result.

“We deserved the point because we were playing a very powerful team. We deserved it for that and for the first half that we had. In the second half they were clearly superior, and we have to accept that. Even so, the way we suffered as a team and how the players -many of whom were tired- adapted, also helps us to grow. It would have been very unfair not to have left here with a draw," he said.

“The group is very balanced and anything can happen, but it is very important for us as a club to reach the last game of the group stage fighting for qualification. It has been hard, because we gifted two games to Olympique Marseille and we were not competitive against them, but in the matches where we ended up with eleven men and were always very focused, we responded and that is an important sign. We have a chance, but before Tuesday we still have to face FC Arouca in Liga Portugal."

​The team draw 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur in London

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur FC in a dramatic Matchday 5 game in Group D of the UEFA Champions League. With this result, the team continue to have their fate in their own hands, as they occupy second place in the group with the same seven points as third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.

Almost a month and a half after Sporting CP's 2-0 win against Spurs at Alvalade, they met in North London with the English side missing important players Richarlison and Kulusevski, albeit with stars such as Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son.

Without the suspended Pedro Gonçalves and Ricardo Esgaio, coach Rúben Amorim made two changes to the starting eleven, welcoming back Sebastián Coates to the defence and Paulinho to the attack, forming a trio with Francisco Trincão and former Tottenham youth player Marcus Edwards.

Even playing away from home, Sporting CP were the team who took the initiative in the opening moments, trying various combinations with the front line. Despite that, the first dangerous shot came through Coates, who headed just wide from a corner. Later, Paulinho was within inches of making it 0-1, off a shot from a cross by Pedro Porro.

Sporting CP were rewarded with a goal after 22 minutes of play. Edwards brough the ball out from the midfield, off an excellent delivery from Ugarte, and pulled the trigger to beat Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

With the exception of a Son shot that Antonio Adán easily saved, almost on the 40th minute, it was a quiet first half in defence. Sporting CP even had the ball in the net again before the interval, but the goal was disallowed for handball by Coates.

Starting off the second half, for the first time in the match the English side provided several successive attacks, but Adán always responded when called upon to intervene. In the response, following a counterattack, Trincao appeared in a good position in the area, but his shot went slightly over.

On the hour mark, Amorim made his first substitutions with the introduction of Flávio Nazinho and Mateus Fernandes, the latter making his debut in the UEFA Champions League at just 18 years old.

In the final 20 minutes, the match became more even. The Londoners forced Adán into saves from Son and ex-Sporting CP player Eric Dier, then second half substitute Fatawu struck with an effort saved by Lloris, and Porro and Nazinho were also denied by the Frenchman.

In the 80th minute, the home team equalised from a Rodrigo Bentancur header from a corner.

After that, Spurs continued to circle Adán's goal, creating some dangerous shots, but Fatawu could also have scored had it not been for a Lloris save.

Just before the final whistle, in the fifth minute of added time, Tottenham Hotspur found the net through Harry Kane, but a VAR check disallowed the goal for offside and the score remained all square in London.

The sixth and final matchday of the Champions League group stage will take place next Tuesday, with Sporting CP at home against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [GK], Gonçalo Inácio, Sebastián Coates [C], Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro, Hidemasa Morita (Mateus Fernandes, 61'), Manuel Ugarte, Nuno Santos (Flávio Nazinho, 61'), Francisco Trincão ( Arthur, 71'), Paulinho (Jeremiah St. Juste, 75') and Marcus Edwards (Fatawu Issahaku, 71').

The Sporting CP coach gives his thoughts before the meeting with Tottenham Hotspur FC

Sporting Clube de Portugal face Tottenham Hotspur FC in London on Matchday 5 of Group D of the UEFA Champions League this Wednesday.

On the eve of the contest, coach Rúben Amorim stated that the team have to win the game, recalling the first duel between the two teams which ended with a 2-0 victory in Alvalade.

"The two teams had a lot of respect for each other in the first game and they already know each other better, despite Tottenham Hotspur having changed their formation due to injuries up front. We will have to see how we deal with them, with three midfielders and three forwards. The big difference is that tomorrow's result is more decisive," he began by saying in the pre-match press conference.

Regarding his squad, Amorim stated that "Sebastián Coates will be able to play from the beginning. Jeremiah St. Juste will be on the bench, but as always we will pay special attention to him in terms of playing time, because he didn't have a preseason. We have to keep him healthy at least until the World Cup, so he can have his preseason then."

Asked if Paulinho, who scored in the first game against Spurs, could start the match, he responded that: “In our team there are no starters, but there is a group of players who usually start the game. Whether Pedro Gonçalves were available or not, Paulinho would always be an option to come in. He is growing after suffering an injury and we have to make a natural rotation. But I'm not going to reveal whether he's going to play or not."

There was also, inevitably, interest in English forward Marcus Edwards, who has history at Tottenham Hotspur.

"He is a player with a lot of talent. A former coach of his said that he had something Messi-like about him. He went to a good club in Portugal, he developed, he reached a big club, he is growing a lot and playing in the Champions League, and he is mature. The talent is there, but he can improve a lot. He is happy at our club and I wish him a very bright future," he concluded.

Advice for Sporting CP fans attending the game against Tottenham Hotspur FC

Sporting Clube de Portugal inform Members and supporters that, by imposition of the London authorities, no meeting point will be defined for the game against Tottenham Hotspur.

However, we recommend the transport indicated below:
- White Hart Lane (London Overground) – 5 minute walk to the stadium
- Seven Sisters (Victoria Line and London Overground) – 30 minute walk to the stadium
- Tottenham Hale (Victoria Line and Abellio Greater Anglia services) – 25 minute walk to the stadium
- Northumberland Park (Abelllio Greater Anglia services) – 10 minute walk to the stadium
 
Sporting CP members and supporters should arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 6:00 pm, when the turnstiles open.

Useful information:
- Gate 11: The Sporting CP supporters' section is located next to the access tunnel to the stadium, where our members and supporters will be able to see the arrival of our team up close.
- The search process is carried out using a magnetometer arc, similar to the security check carried out at the airport, and by a canine team from the Greater London Police.
- The stadium's bars are cashless, which means that payments can only be made by card or digital means.
- Smoking is prohibited inside the stadium.
- The sale of alcoholic beverages is allowed inside the stadium, but these must only be consumed inside the stadium corridors.
- Luggage storage is available at King’s Cross Railway Station at a cost of 10 pounds, and bags with a maximum size of 21cm (w) x 30cm (h) will be allowed. We ask that you avoid bringing oversized suitcases, bearing in mind that the storage room is not located in the vicinity of the stadium.

We ask all fans to arrive early at the stadium so that they can support our team.

The coach credits the players for the 3-1 win over Casa Pia AC

Following Sporting Clube de Portugal's 3-1 win over Casa Pia AC, coach Rúben Amorim highlighted the spirit of his side to turn around an adverse scoreline.

"We talked during the week about bringing back the fighting spirit. Today we played well. The players were responsible for the fightback," he began by telling journalists in his post-match press conference.

"The first half was like we had against GD Chaves, but with us conceding a goal. We kept a cool head in the second half and we learned from our mistakes. We kept calm and turned around the result. I had nothing to say at halftime on a tactical level, but I told the players not to lose their heads. We will fight to win in every game and that's what they did today."

The coach also commented on the debuts of Chico Lamba and Mateus Fernandes for the first team.

"Chico Lamba is a very fast player and we knew that Godwin would be the opposition's reference for transitions. He had some difficulties to start with, which is normal, but then he adapted. Mateus [Fernandes] had a great pre-season, he had great performances in Liga 3 and in the UEFA Youth League and we have been watching him. He evolved a lot and deserved the opportunity. Congratulations to the kids, who deserved it and were the ones responsible for their debuts."

Amorim talked about the group's future in the short term, saying that: "The team always give their best and always have the same identity. I don't know what will happen in the future. We could win every game or lose several. We have lost more than usual. What I can guarantee is the same identity and the same idea of having the ball, creating situations and not allowing the opposition too many chances."

"We are closing in on second place and we are nine points off the leaders. When we are in difficult moments, we don't look so much at the table. We are not in the ideal position for Sporting CP, but it is step by step".

Finally, he previewed the midweek fixture that lies ahead for the team.

"Tottenham Hotspur is a different game, in the UEFA Champions League, they will be playing at home and have an advantage in the group. We will compete to win the game, knowing the differences between the teams. The important thing is to finish with 11 men on the pitch," he said.

​Sporting CP come back from behind at the Estádio José Alvalade

Sporting Clube de Portugal bested Casa Pia AC 3-1 at home on Matchday 10 of the Liga Portugal season. The team bounced back from a 0-1 deficit at halftime, with goals from Paulinho, Nuno Santos and Pedro Gonçalves in the second half.

Rúben Amorim made three changes to the starting lineup, bringing Antonio Adán, Manuel Ugarte and Pedro Gonçalves in to replaceFranco Israel, Sotiris Alexandropoulos and Paulinho. On the substitutes bench, young talents Chico Lamba and Mateus Fernandes were called up for the squad.

The first half was almost exclusively one-way traffic, with two rare exceptions. Sporting CP dominated in terms of shots, possession and corners, and had several chances to score. The first came just five minutes in, when Pedro Gonçalves sent in a corner, a defender deflected it and Marcus Edwards, at the far post, headed wide when in an excellent position.

Another great chance followed, this time with Gonçalves shooting. Casa Pia AC goalkeeper Ricardo Batista - a former Sporting CP player - made the first of a number of quality saves.

The first exception to the trend came in the 15th minute, when Casa Pia AC, on a counterattack, hit the post through Clayton. Sporting CP reasserted their dominance in the opposition area soon after, when Pedro Porro headed and was denied by Batista.

In the 33rd minute, a strong shot from Gonçalves was again saved, and Batista also got down to deny Hidemasa Morita.

Just before the break, Casa Pia AC got their second opportunity, and managed to convert it. On another counterattack, Clayton put the ball into the back of the net and gave the visitors a 0-1 lead.

Chico Lamba came on at halftime in place of José Marsà, to make his debut for the Sporting CP first team.

In the first minute after the restart, Manuel Ugarte had a shot tipped away by Batista. Gonçalves followed up with a shot into the side netting, and Francisco Trincão, at the conclusion of a great solo move, hit the post.

The equaliser seemed inevitable, and came in the 57th minute. An excellent arching shot by Porro, with his left foot, stung the hands of Batista, but this time Paulinho was on hand to finish off the rebound with his head.

Two minutes later, Porro served up a cross for Nuno Santos and he finished first time, to the delight of the fans at the Estádio José Alvalade.

With momentum in their favour and about half an hour remaining, Sporting CP kept up the pressure. Porro - who had been involved in the previous two goals - shot wide from a good chance.

In the 64th minute, a penalty kick was awarded after Marcus Edwards was brought down in the Casa Pia AC area. Gonçalves converted coolly to take the score to 3-1.

Arthur Gomes came on to replace Gonçalves and, in the 78th minute, Mateus Fernandes was introduced to make his debut. Flávio Nazinho replaced Pedro Porro.

Nazinho came close to scoring in one of the first interventions, but the ball went wide of the post. Fernandes also tried his luck with a shot in a dangerous area, striking over the top.

The game ended 3-1, returning Sporting CP to winning ways and preparing them for a Wednesday visit to Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Sporting CP: Antonio Adán [C] [Gk], Gonçalo Inácio, José Marsà (Chico Lamba, 46'), Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro (Flávio Nazinho, 78'), Manuel Ugarte (Mateus Fernandes, 78'), Hidemasa Morita , Nuno Santos, Francisco Trincão (Paulinho, 54'), Pedro Gonçalves (Arthur Gomes, 72') and Marcus Edwards.

The coach laments the elimination from the Taça de Portugal

In the aftermath of the defeat for Sporting Clube de Portugal at the hands of Varzim SC in the Taça de Portugal, Rúben Amorim analysed the cup elimination in his post-match press conference.

"We controlled almost the entire game, as is normal in the circumstances. We often reached the last third, but showed an inability to score and to make good decisions. One of the few balls that came near our goal went in and made everything more difficult," he stated.

"Sometimes it's easy in the cup, but I felt that my players didn't make it easy for themselves. They showed an inability to score goals."

After revealing that "there will be no attack on the transfer market in January, the coach explained that Sporting CP "have kids in training and need to start another cycle like we did in the coaching staff's first year here."

"We are a little limited in ideas, but the responsibility belongs to the coach. Then there are phases in which everything bad happens, and it seems to me that this is a phase like that. It becomes difficult to explain," he added.
Finally, Amorim set out the plan for turning things around.

"Winning games. We all know what it's like at a club like Sporting CP. The recent past was similar and we know the impact it has on people and those responsible, like me. The only thing that we can do is win games and keep a cool head. This will be resolved, but not now. Now, it's about looking ahead and trying to support the players. I'm aware of that, and I have the strength for it."

The team lose 1-0 to Varzim SC

Sporting Clube de Portugal fell to a shock defeat to Varzim SC in the Taça de Portugal, exiting the competition in the Third Round stage.

Coach Rúben Amorim made several changes to the starting XI, rotating his squad to bring in José Marsà, Pedro Porro, Sotiris Alexandropoulos and Paulinho. They replaced Sebastián Coates, Ricardo Esgaio, Manuel Ugarte and Pedro Gonçalves, who had started against Olympique Marseille.

Notable on the substitutes bench was the presence of Jovane Cabral, in his first involvement of 2022/2023, and youngsters Diogo Travassos and Renato Veiga. 

As expected, Sporting CP had more of the ball and put Varzim SC on the ropes early In the eighth minute, Francisco Trincao shot over the top and, shortly after, Gonçalo Inácio had his first great scoring opportunity: Off a corner kick from Nuno Santos, the defender headed just a few centimeters over the crossbar.

A Trincão header wide was followed by Varzim SC starting to move forward, with Paulo Moreira shooting unsuccessfully from a direct free kick.

Around half an hour in, Trincão appeared to be in an excellent position to score, but was unable to get the shot off well. A few minutes later, Pedro Porro ran well down the right and fired a shot that bounced off the post.

Both Sotiris Alexandropoulos and Hidemasa Morita tried their luck from outside the area before the interval, but the game went into halftime with the score at 0-0.

The start of the second half saw two changes: The appearance of rain and the introduction of Pedro Gonçalves in place of Sotiris Alexandropoulos. In the opening minutes, Nuno Santos shot from distance, wide of the post.

In the 54th minute, Varzim SC threatened off a free kick on the right, which Julián Bonilla headed into the mixer and Bruno Bernardo deflected out.

Sporting CP once again created danger, as Paulinho had two consecutive attacks and Morita hit a powerful drive off target.

Manuel Ugarte and Fatawu came in for Marcus Edwards and Pedro Porro, with Gonçalves moving into the attacking trio. In one of his first interventions, Fatawu struck into the side netting.

Against the run of play, Varzim SC scored in the 70th minute. Following a free kick on the right, an interception by Paulinho sent the ball to the far post, where João Faria got the final deflection and made it 1-0 to the home team.

With a quarter of an hour to go, Amorim brought in Rochinha. Close to the 90th minute, Cabral had his turn to play his first minutes of the campaign, replacing Nuno Santos.

Sporting CP pushed for the equaliser, but it was not to be and Varzim SC eliminated them from the Taça de Portugal.

Sporting CP: Franco Israel [GR], Gonçalo Inácio [C], José Marsà, Matheus Reis, Pedro Porro (Fatawu, 59'), Sotiris Alexandropoulos (Pedro Gonçalves, 46'), Hidemasa Morita (Rochinha, 76'), Nuno Santos (Jovane Cabral, 84'), Francisco Trincao, Marcus Edwards (Manuel Ugarte, 59') and Paulinho.

​The coach states his side's desire to win the Taça de Portugal

Sporting Clube de Portugal open up their Taça de Portugal campaign this Sunday, travelling to Barcelos to face Liga 3 side Varzim SC.

“Varzim SC haven't lost in the league yet and the teams that haven't lost, in addition to their ambition, enjoy moments in which everything goes well," warned Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim in his pre-match press conference.

"They are a team well put together by Tiago, who have already beaten a team from a higher division, and a club with a strong identity and spirit. We have Neto on our team, who knows this spirit that they have well. That's why we expect a battle, a cup game in which we will be responsible and want to win."

"This is a tournament that this coaching team have not yet won at Sporting CP and the club have a lot of history in this competition. Therefore, winning it is one of our goals," he told journalists.

Even though the team have several players missing, Amorim made it clear that he will, as always, field the best starting XI to win the game.

“Franco will play because he gave a great response in midweek. Coates will not play and Inácio will be the captain. Sotiris will also play and Jovane will be in the squad," he informed on Saturday.

The coach also spoke about the defeat against Olympique Marseille, saying: “I won't say it was the defeat that affected me the most, but it was a difficult week. We couldn't compete with Olympique Marseille. We made mistakes, we couldn't compete and that creates frustration, whilst at other times we have tried to fight back and we couldn't because they were simply better sides – I'm talking about our games with Ajax and Manchester City. It wasn't the hardest defeat to digest, as there's not much to take away from these games and we know what happened, but maybe it was the most difficult week and we saw that at the end of the game."

“The only way to turn this around is to win games. Therefore, we have to win against Varzim SC and then against Casa Pia AC. The fans have every reason to be upset, especially with the coach, because we aren't putting together a run of wins in a row and because we lost a favourable situation in the Champions League. That causes everyone frustration. It's about staying focused, and there's a lot to gain," Amorim concluded.