Sporting Lisbon President to Work as Doctor During Coronavirus Pandemic
Mar 20, 2020
FARO, PORTUGAL - AUGUST 4: Bruno Fernandes of Sporting CP with Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the end of the Portuguese SuperCup match between SL Benfica and Sporting CP at Estadio Algarve on August 4, 2019 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Sporting Lisbon President Frederico Varandas has announced he will work as a doctor during the coronavirus pandemic "as long as Portugal needs it."
According to ESPN FC's Adriana Garcia, Varandasis a specialist in sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. He is also a decorated army captain.
The 40-year-old, who has been president of Sporting since 2018, took to Instagram (h/t Garcia) to explain his decision:
"For the generations of our parents and grandparents, but also for this generation that cannot grow up in a country suffocated in another serious economic crisis. For all of them, for Portugal ... come on. Each in its own way.
"Some taking care of the sick, others making bread, others informing the Portuguese people, others working on their services to keep the economy and the country up. I served my country; today I will return to do so as long as the state of emergency continues...and I will return to do so always as long as Portugal needs it. Let's do it. Let's do it with everything."
Portuguese football was suspended indefinitely last week after it was initially decided all matches should be played behind closed doors:
⚠ Liga NOS is suspended indefinitely due to the #COVID19 pandemic ⚠
There have been 785 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Portugal and three deaths, per the World Health Organization. Portugal's President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in a bid to control the spread.
As with the rest of Europe, it is impossible to establish when football may resume in Portugal.
Sporting's last fixture was a 2-0 home win over nine-man Desportivo Aves on March 8. Andraz Sporar and Luciano Vietto were the goalscorers.
It left them fourth in the Primeira Liga after 24 games, four points clear of fifth-placed Rio Ave but 17 back from Benfica in the second UEFA Champions League spot.
Bruno Fernandes Says There's 'No Need' to Force Sporting CP Exit
Nov 16, 2019
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 10: Bruno Fernandes of Sporting CP during the Liga Nos round 11 match between Sporting CP and Belenenses at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 10, 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Bruno Fernades won't force his exit from Sporting CP and isn't listening to transfer rumours continuing to link him with a move away to Lisbon.
The dynamic midfielder expressed his happiness at his club ahead of Portugal's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against Luxembourg on Sunday, per Sky Sports:
"I'm not worried at all [about transfer window speculation]. Since 2016, there's been talk about my possible departure. I'm well, doing my job and doing the best I can. I have dreams to fulfil but I have no need to force my departure. I feel the love here and if I have to leave, I hope I leave good memories."
Fernandes has long been linked with teams from the Premier League. He was mooted to be on the radar of Manchester United throughout the summer. Meanwhile, Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed how United domestic rivals Tottenham Hotspur bid €45 million (£40 million), with the offer of a further €20 million in bonuses, for Fernandes.
As Sport Witness detailed, Sporting are committed to fetching the largest fees possible in player sales because of their financial restrictions:
Bruno Fernandes | Sporting would only have got €12.1m from Tottenham's €45m offer.
Agent €4.5m Bank share €22.5m* Sampdoria €3.6m Boavista €2.3m
Yet there is plenty of incentive for interested clubs to meet Sporting's demands for one of the more gifted players on the continent. Still just 25, Fernandes is approaching his peak years as a box-to-box source of goals and assists.
Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 15 goals in 16 games for Sporting CP this season in all competitions:
Fernandes' performances for club and country are sure to have interested parties again looking his way. United could use a midfielder who marries industry with ingenuity and end product with so much consistency.
Paul Pogba doesn't fit the bill despite the Frenchman's natural flair and physical power. Meanwhile, Fred and Scott McTominay have produced some solid performances this season, but neither is blessed with the core talent Fernandes possesses.
While the Red Devils have an obvious need for Fernandes, it's a different story for Spurs, provided summer imports begin playing to their potential. Club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele has shown only glimpses of his enviable combination of strength and skill:
Tanguy Ndombele for Lyon in Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season:
Apps -- 3⃣8⃣(3⃣) Goals -- 3⃣ Assists -- 7⃣
Tanguy Ndombele for Tottenham in the Premier League and Champions League this season:
With Harry Winks also emerging as a useful playmaker, Spurs can feel justified believing they have enough quality in the engine room to avoid entering a bidding war for Fernandes.
Whoever does stump up the right amount to tempt Sporting into a sale would acquire a complete player good enough to be a talisman for his next club.
Sporting CP Would 'Be Very Proud' to Rename Stadium After Cristiano Ronaldo
Oct 12, 2019
Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Cristiano Ronaldo's name adorning Sporting CP's stadium is a dream club president Frederico Varandas isn't prepared to give up on.
Varandas told Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia) why renaming the stadium is the best way to honour Ronaldo, who turned heads as a youngster at Sporting before becoming a global star for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus:
"It's a theory we will not shelve and obviously we'd be very proud to have his name associated with us.
"Cristiano is and always will be one of the greatest symbols in the history of our club. We're already keeping his values on the walls of the youth academy, focusing on passion, sacrifice, discipline, leadership and determination. Cristiano is certainly the best Portuguese player of all time and one of the best athletes in the history of the sport."
Ronaldo is chasing the 700th goal of his career, a mark he can hit if he features and scores during Portugal's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier away to Ukraine on Monday.
The rare landmark is a testament to how prolific he has been since his breakthrough at Sporting almost two decades ago:
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first player to play for Sporting CP's U16, U18, U19, U21, B team & senior team in one season. pic.twitter.com/wnW9o7a7VR
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) June 6, 2019
A young and promising Ronaldo began his ascent to the top of the European game when he caught the eye of the Red Devils during a preseason friendly in 2003:
🇵🇹👑 #OnThisDay in 2003, Sporting CP lined up at their new Jose Alvalade stadium in a friendly against Man Utd
This was Cristiano Ronaldo's audition for the Manchester club, in which a £12.24m deal was sealed hours after the game!#MUFCpic.twitter.com/XlPoCXuajj
United scored a major coup by securing the deal, not least because it meant the club had beaten archrivals Arsenal to Ronaldo's signature.
During an interview with ITV's Piers Morgan (h/t Metro's Phil Haigh), Ronaldo detailed the near-miss with the Gunners: "Very close. One step. Seriously. It didn't happen, but Arsenal, I appreciate what they did for me, especially Arsene Wenger, but football you never know where you are going to play, life is like that."
Instead, Ronaldo helped United re-establish dominance, both domestically in the Premier League and on the continent in the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo won the latter trophy once with the Red Devils and four times with Real, making him the best endorsement for the quality of Sporting's youth academy:
Eduardo Quaresma is a product of a famous Sporting CP youth system – one of the most highly regarded academies in Portugal and Europe which raised such great footballers like Luis Figo, Simao Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma, Cristiano Ronaldo & Nani.
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) September 1, 2019
While Sporting can feel proud about having unearthed Ronaldo, there must be some regret at the Lisbon-based club about letting him go too soon. Sporting haven't won the Primeira Liga since 2002, a drought that surely would have ended sooner had a precocious Ronaldo stuck around for a few more seasons.
Yet it's unlikely the rise of such an obvious natural talent could have been slowed down. Not only has Ronaldo bossed the club scene, but he has also set new standards for his nation which a fresh generation are attempting to match:
🇵🇹 Joao Felix makes his @selecaoportugal debut aged 19 years, 207 days – he scored 20 goals for Benfica last season
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) June 5, 2019
Having a stadium named after him at the place where it all began would be an appropriate reminder of what Ronaldo went on to achieve. It would also act as a lasting ode to Portugal's enduring ability to produce some of Europe's greatest players.
Attack on Sporting: What Drove Lisbon Fans to Violence Against Their Own Team?
May 18, 2018
Sporting fans wave a flag prior to the Champions League Group G soccer match between Sporting and Schalke 04 at Sporting's Alvalade stadium, in Lisbon, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
It was just before 6 p.m. on Tuesday when reporters first spotted the group of masked men running in the road near Sporting CP's training ground at Alcochete, about 20 minutes outside Lisbon. "Let's go inside," one remembers hearing. There was fear in the voices around him, an immediate expectation of the nightmare to come.
The mob was 50 strong. Security guards were unable to prevent them from entering the training centre, where Sporting, Europe's 37th-ranked football club and one of Portugal's most storied, were preparing to train. Forcing its way into the locker room, the group launched a brutal attack on players and the coaching staff, beating them with belts, fists and sticks.
"Vamos-vos matar [sic]! Voces estao fodidos!" the assailants screamed, according to a Public Prosecution Service document based on the players' testimonials, revealed by Portuguese magazine Sabado. Or, "We're going to kill you! You are f--ked!"
Dutch forward Bas Dost, who has scored 34 goals this season, was beaten up and thrown to the floor, with visible wounds to his head and legs. The 6'4" man broke down crying while he watched his colleagues being assaulted by the hooded gang, according to sources close to the players. An alarm blared in the training centre, giving it the feel of a war zone.
Players feared for their lives. "They thought it was the end of it for them," Jaime Marta Soares, president of Sporting's general assembly, told Portuguese media outlet Expresso. "It was inhumane." No one was killed, but one player's agent told Bleacher Report that his client was left "OK physically" but "psychologically destroyed."
It was a shocking scene of violence that propelled the club—perhaps most famous for being Cristiano Ronaldo's first professional side—into horrific international headlines while it should have been preparing for Sunday's Portuguese Cup final against Desportivo das Aves. Local newspaper i called the incident "A guerra de Alcochete" or "The Alcochete War" and featured an image of Sporting's president, Bruno de Carvalho, dressed as a guerrilla on the front page.
Perhaps even more shocking, though, is what we've learned about this attack in the days since.
According to sources close to the players, many believe that De Carvalho himself instigated the attack. He has denied that accusation, but A Bola and Record have also reported the same suspicions. On Friday morning O Publicowent further, reporting that Sporting coach Jorge Jesus has evidence to support the allegations against De Carvalho.
Record uses a phrase that translates to "moral authorship" for how his actions might have led to the attack—perhaps criminally so.
De Carvalho has been called "the Donald Trump of Portuguese football," and his reign at Alvalade was recently compared to the North Korean regime. His belligerent style has earned him bitter enemies. Among them? His own players, Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes and even the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. De Carvalhohas seemed to revel in having a reputation as a Trump-like figure, generating sensationalist headlines and attacking his players in the press. In early April, he threatened to suspend 19 of the team's players following a Facebook quarrel between himself and the players.
In a Thursday evening press conference, De Carvalho said he would not be resigning.
ESTORIL, PORTUGAL - FEBRUARY 25: Sporting CP's president Bruno de Carvalho during the match between Estoril Praia SAD and Sporting CP for the Portuguese Primeira Liga at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on February 25, 2017 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by
The constant outspoken and confrontational behaviour may have created the environment that made the incident possible.
"I believe the persistent presence of a violent language from the club's communication office, and from those associated with them, that has appeared in the media, has led to the understanding that violence is acceptable," Eurosport analyst Luis Cristovao told Bleacher Report. "In the last few months, we've heard about threats to journalists, opponents, referees and now to the footballers. Alcochete is one more step in the degradation of the Portuguese football environment.
"He created an atmosphere of distrust inside and outside of his own club. He defends the idea that the president should also be a fan and that somehow, there's a concordance to the violence used within it."
Sporting's forward Gelson Martins (3rdR) is welcomed by Sporting's president Bruno de Carvalho upon his arrival with teammates for a training session at the club's training ground in Alcochete, outskirts of Lisbon, on November 21, 2016, on the eve of the
Or it could go even further. According to Record, players were led to believe De Carvalho would be at the team headquarters at the time the attack occurred. His absence was conspicuous, prompting suspicion about whether he instigated the mob not only by creating the environment in which such a thing would seem normal, but by "order."
When De Carvalho did arrive at Alcochete's training complex, a half-hour after the attacks, he tried to speak to the players.
As he entered the locker room, star players like Rui Patricio and William Carvalho refused to talk to him and left the premises. A few hours later, a group of Sporting players headed to the police.
Some of them have already begun working on an exit plan and will pursue the termination of their contracts after the weekend, according to sources close to the players. Highly rated midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who has been linked with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, appeared to tell team-mates, "It's been a pleasure being with you all," in a leaked video of the aftermath of the attack.
De Carvalho's statement after the attack did nothing to calm the fervour. "It was annoying," he said to the club's official TV. "But tomorrow is a new day, and we have to realise that crime is part of everyday life and has to be punished in the right place."
So far, 23 people have been arrested and charged with terrorism, among other crimes, though the leaders of the mob were reportedly not among them.
And the uproar shows no sign of slowing down in the aftermath of the attack.
On Wednesday, police conducted searches and made arrests at Sporting's stadium for alleged "active corruption in sport" as part of an operation codenamed Cashball. De Carvalho's right-hand man and team director, Andre Geraldes, was among those detained.
Geraldes is suspected of match-fixing by allegedly bribing referees and players, mostly in handball matches, but also in six football games.
On Thursday, the club's vice president and three other members of the board presented their resignation letters, and more promised to follow if De Carvalho doesn't. The team also cancelled its Friday training session at the national stadium, according to Diario de Noticias, meaning unless something changes, the players will not have had any practice this week ahead of Sunday's final.
"Unfortunately, I think this is one of the saddest moments of our history," Sporting fan Goncalo Ferreira told B/R.
"Sportingly, this season has been below our expectations—despite still having the chance of winning a trophy [on Sunday]—and is ending in the worst possible way with this tragedy," Ferreira said. "After everything that happened, the board, led by Bruno de Carvalho, has to seriously rethink their position inside the club since their prestige with the members is diminishing."
Ferreira felt he needed to do something to show support to Dost and the rest of the players and coaching staff after the attack, so he created the hashtag #AoVossoLado (or #ByYourSide) on Twitter. He also helped gather more than 500 Sporting fans on Tuesday night at the Alvalade stadium in an effort to prove that the 50 intruders did not represent the club's 3.5 million supporters around the world.
The team's players have responded to the support. They had considered not playing the Portuguese Cup final against Aves, issuing a statement saying they "are not in a physical or psychological condition to resume normal training immediately," but they have confirmed they will "honour their status as professionals."
When the game is over, perhaps they can have some closure on this nightmare season.
For the club, the problems could be just beginning.
Report: Around 50 Men Beat, Injure Sporting Players, Staff at Training Center
May 15, 2018
LISBON, PORTUGAL - APRIL 18: Sporting supporters celebrates wining the Sporting CP v FC Porto - Portuguese Cup semi finals 2 leg at Estadio Jose Alvalade on April 18, 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Sporting CP forward Bas Dost was injured by a group of men who gained access to the team's dressing room at their training centre.
Dost was one of several players assaulted as 50 hooded men also attacked physiotherapist Mario Monteiro and assistant Raul Jose, per O Jogo (h/t Lucas Sposito at Sport Witness).
Journalist Kristof Terreur showed the injuries suffered by Dost and indicated the men may have been Sporting supporters:
Midfielders Josip Misic and Rodrigo Battaglia were also treated for their injuries, according to freelance football writer Rui Miguel Martins:
Bas Dost was treated for what looks to be a small wound on his forehead and should be okay. Misic and Battaglia also treated for injuries. Several members of the technical staff were also assaulted.
— Rui Miguel Martins (@futebolfactory) May 15, 2018
Football writer Marino Peixoto condemned the attackers' actions:
Trouble flared at Sporting in April when club president Bruno de Carvalho suspended 19 players after a spat on social media. De Carvalho said some of the team were "stupid" after losing 2-0 to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Europa League, per theGuardian.
The players then released a statement in which they expressed their view and said the situation should be resolved internally.
“We always fight for our club, for our supporters and ourselves. For this reason, we express in this message our displeasure at the public comments of our president after a game in which we did not get the result we wanted. No matter what the situation, all such matters should be resolved within the group."
Jesus subsequently said that none of his players had been suspended or refused to train after the incident, perBBC Sport.
Sporting finished the season in third place in the table meaning they miss out on qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.
The result brought fresh speculation that Jesus and his backroom staff had been suspended. This was subsequently denied by De Carvalho, per PT Football:
Jesus is still expected to leave the troubled club and could head to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, per Portuguese football writer Tom Kundert:
Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho rubbished reports anybody had been suspended. However, seems certain coach Jorge Jesus is on his way out of Alvalade. Multiple reports this morning that he's signing for Saudi club Al Hilal.
Meanwhile, Sporting players are trying to terminate their contracts with the club, per A Bola (h/t Sposito).
Dost's agent, Gunther Neauhaus, has said the situation is unacceptable, as shown by Sport Witness:
Gunther Neauhaus, Dost's agent, has told O Jogo: "This is not acceptable, it's a dangerous situation. Bas is one of the most important players in Sporting in the last 10 years."
Sporting's season is not yet over as they are scheduled to play Aves in the Taca de Portugal final on Sunday. Dost, who has scored 34 goals for Sporting this season, has been ruled out of the game because of his injures, per Sposito:
CMTV: Bas Dost was beaten and thrown to the floor, got his head and legs injuried. He's out of Sunday's cup final.
Nice way to treat a striker who scored 34 goals for your club this season.
The final is an excellent chance for the club to end the season with some silverware, but they head into the match without their top scorer and with the club in complete disarray.
Sporting CP President Reportedly Suspends 19 Players After Atletico Madrid Loss
Apr 7, 2018
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 17: Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho thanking the supporters at the end of the Sporting CP v SC Praiense - Portuguese Cup 4 round match at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 17, 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Sporting CP president Bruno de Carvalho has reportedly suspended 19 of the club's first-team players after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.
Carvalho came out in criticism of certain players following Thursday's defeat in Madrid, leading 19 senior players to share the same message over social media regarding their displeasure in his actions. In response, Sporting's president suspended each of those who spoke against him, per O Jogo (h/t Sport Witness' Lucas Sposito).
Metro's Portuguese football expert, Jan Hagen, suggested this controversy will lead to Carvalho's reign as Sporting president coming to an end:
Bruno de Carvalho has done a magnificent job with Sporting, no doubt about that, but there's no way he can recover from this. His incredible dedication to the club is his biggest strength, but probably also what will cause the end of his reign as Sporting president. pic.twitter.com/JvTqasDxo1
Hagen added that Bas Dost, who has no social-media representation, remains the only regular starter available for Monday's clash against Pacos de Ferreira, for which the Lions now have only six players.
Among those said to have been suspended from the first team are Portugal internationals Gelson Martins, William Carvalho and Rui Patricio.
Hagen provided a look at Carvalho's Facebook post, as well as the shared post that got a raft of Sporting's stars in trouble with the club's figurehead:
First there was reports of the Sporting players refusing to train today, something Sporting denied in a statement.
Then 18 of the players turned to Instagram/Facebook, all sharing the same message, making their displeasure over Bruno de Carvalho's Facebook post publicly known. pic.twitter.com/PksBdgrZ9Q
In his post, Carvalho is said to have referred to certain players as "spoiled kids," and he aimed particular blame at defenders Jeremy Mathieu and Fabio Coentrao. He's said to have accused the latter (and Dost) of getting booked on purpose so they'd be suspended for the second-leg meeting with Atletico.
The Lisbon giants are third in the Primeira Liga, six points away from leaders Benfica and with only six matches remaining this season.
Sporting could therefore use every aid they can get in order to boost their end-of-season title prospects, but off-field distractions such as this won't help their cause.
Jorge Jesus Stardust Has Not Worked and Leaves His Sporting Project on the Brink
Feb 8, 2017
PORTO, PORTUGAL - FEBRUARY 4: Sporting CP's head coach Jorge Jesus from Portugal before the start of the Primeira Liga match between FC Porto and Sporting CP at Estadio do Dragao on February 4, 2017 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Four years make a world of difference—or perhaps no difference at all, depending on your measure of judgement. It was May 11, 2013, when Jorge Jesus slumped to his knees on the touchline at Estadio do Dragao after Kelvin's 91st-minute goal for FC Porto effectively snatched the title from Benfica and placed it into the hands of their great rivals.
At the same venue on Saturday night, fans saw an anguished Jesus on the Dragao bench in stoppage time once again. As Iker Casillas pulled out a vintage stop to deny Sporting CP's Sebastian Coates and close out a win for Porto, the 62-year-old coach had his head in his hands. It may not have been as painful as Kelvin's last-gasp blow, but it still stung.
In its own way, it delivered more probable finality. Porto's win left Jesus' Sporting team 10 points behind Benfica at the top of the Primeira Liga and nine behind their second-placed hosts.
Eliminated from both cup competitions and from Europe, they are left with just a grim slugfest to hold on to third place—and the prospect of a Champions League qualifying play-off—from Braga and Guimaraes. That the former failed to beat modest Estoril and leapfrog Sporting on Monday night was a small mercy.
Few would have predicted it would turn out like this when Jesus agreed to leave Benfica for Lisbon's other giants in the summer of 2015, unenthused by the prospect of a pay cut as his reward for winning 10 major trophies since his 2009 arrival, according to Tom Kundert for FourFourTwo.
Sporting, backed by Angolan investor Alvaro Sobrinho, gave Jesus a contract worth a reported €6 million per year, per Observador (in Portuguese). It was a phenomenal amount by Portuguese standards and an estimated 50 per cent hike on his Benfica wages.
For that, the club expected the magic formula. After all, Jesus had simultaneously turned Benfica into winners on the pitch and a money-making machine off it.
His swashbuckling brand of football was a delight on his way to becoming the first Portuguese coach to win the league for the club in successive seasons.
Meanwhile, his vision and his reinvention of players such as Fabio Coentrao and Nemanja Matic transformed them from driftwood into star performers—and into huge profits for a club not often noted for its fiscal savvy in the past.
It is little wonder, then, that Sporting showboated on his arrival.
The outfit—knowing, of course, how inextricably his style and his demeanour were linked with modern-day Benfica—welcomed him "home" via Twitter, making a playful nod to his brief and fairly uneventful spell at the club as a player:
The move was supposed to change the balance of Portuguese football, but less than two years after the coach's arrival, it seems like Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho is almost ready to call time on Jesus' tenure.
It had started so well, too.
Jesus and Sporting won the first trophy put in their path, the Supertaca—inevitably, against Benfica. After an emphatic 3-0 win on Jesus' first return to the Estadio da Luz in late October, Sporting led the Liga, with the champions trailing them by seven points.
It didn't last. As Benfica motored and Sporting wobbled, Jesus and Rui Vitoria, his successor at the Luz, had increasingly ugly public spats (mostly instigated by Jesus).
Vitoria's team swept past Sporting with a March win at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the return derby fixture, and despite an excellent finish to the season by Sporting—they ended the Liga campaign with nine straight wins after the derby loss—Benfica closed it out for a third successive title.
This chipped away at Jesus' aura somewhat. In addition to that, Vitoria did it while maintaining a challenge on the European front.
Jesus, perhaps seeking to protect his legacy, had deprioritised the Champions League in his final season at the Luz and revealed the Liga was the main target, per Carlos Silva for RTP Noticias (in Portuguese). It was a controversial standpoint, as the club had built its renown on the European Cup wins of 1961 and 1962, courtesy Sporting legends Mario Coluna and Eusebio.
Vitoria's view has seemed to be that success breeds success. He steered Benfica to the quarter-finals of last season's Champions League, where they gave Bayern Munich one heck of a battle before bowing out. They are in the knockout stage again this season, already besting Jesus' record in the competition at the club.
Jesus has reprised this theme at Sporting. After a loss to Lokomotiv Moscow in the Europa League, he stuck with the unfashionable—if understandable—line that the league "is the priority," per Sapo (in Portuguese). That flies more at Alvalade, where he was brought to end a title drought stretching back to 2002, when Ricardo Quaresma and a teenage Cristiano Ronaldo dovetailed to lead Sporting to glory.
Unfortunately, they don't look any closer. De Carvalho's frustration has been plain in recent months, and his streamlining of Jesus' responsibilities, per O Jogo (in Portuguese), has been widely taken as a sign that the president is preparing to move him on at the season's end.
Sporting's Argentinian forward Alan Ruiz kicks the ball to score a goal during the Portuguese league football match FC Porto vs Sporting CP at the Dragao stadium in Porto on February 4, 2017. / AFP / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RI
The gulf between the pair, who have nevertheless remained on civilised terms publicly, is beginning to become more discernible, and it was again clear after the Porto defeat. Six of the starting XI at the Dragao were products of the club's Alcochete academy, which is a huge part of Sporting's identity, stretching back to the times of Ronaldo and, before that, Luis Figo.
While that statistic might traditionally be a source of pride to the club, Jesus hardly hid the fact he felt the club needed more experience going into this one.
"We've played with a very young team with six out of the starting XI from the academy," he said after Saturday night's game, per O Jogo(in Portuguese), "and 10 out of 18 (in the matchday squad), and we're paying quite a high price for this. We've had to take one step back to take two steps forward."
Joao Palhinha, one of Sporting's brightest young hopes, came in for criticism too. "He got a bit lost in the first half-hour," Jesus said, "and this was fatal for us in tactical terms."
Hanging the team's youngest players out to dry is unlikely to sit well upstairs, especially with De Carvalho responding in his post-game comments that the academy "will always be a priority."
De Carvalho has to flex his muscles, with presidential elections coming up. Yet even if the president were to change, Jesus remains expensive and not in possession of a strong hand. One of Portuguese football's most recognisable characters may be forced to rebuild his reputation this summer.
Jorge Jesus Wrangle Shows Why He's Europe's Ultimate Modern Coach
Oct 27, 2015
Sporting’s coach Jorge Jesus, reacts during a Portuguese league soccer match against Benfica at Benfica's Luz stadium in Lisbon, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015. Jesus, who coached Benfica for the past six years, is now the Lisbon's rival team coach. (AP Photo/Steven Governo)
There are many adjectives that spring to mind when one is looking to describe the public personality of Jorge Jesus. Bombastic. Unrelenting. Inspirational. Furtive, though, would not be one of them.
Sometimes, even for a man like Jesus, discretion is the better part of valour.
As the Benfica and Sporting Clube de Portugal teams took the field for Sunday’s Lisbon derby, Jesus took an opportunity. Rather than facing the wrath of the Estadio da Luz fans who used to worship him on his first return to the club he left in the summer head on, he coordinated his entrance, making his way along the touchline to the bench just after the players left the tunnel. It was a wise move.
Once the match started, Jesus took up his standard position on the edge of the technical area, undeterred by the driving rain stacking on the shoulders of his club suit—recalling, actually, his cutting a stoic figure in a similar position under diluvian conditions as Benfica splashed and skidded their way to a Champions League draw with Olympiakos, back in October 2013.
There were many greater pinnacles during a six-year spell in the red half of Lisbon that was full of them, but it was at least partially representative of what made Jesus so special. Every moment was potentially an iconic one.
So that’s why—on top of the trophies and the dazzling football—Jesus defecting to the other side of the Portuguese capital has left such a particular taste.
“We hate you so much because we love you so much,” per the Observer, was one of the (more printable) messages on the banners that rebuked Luis Figo on his first return to Barcelona with Real Madrid in 2002, and it was hard not to think of that as Jesus returned to the Luz.
After the perpetually noisy fans who sold out this great stadium filled it with cacophony, they turned their attention to JJ.
As the first half progressed, a moat of red mush surrounded Jesus’ technical area, with scores of home supporters having thrown the red pieces of card left on their seats to create the pre-match tifo in the direction of their team’s ex-boss. The card quickly perished in the rain—much like Benfica.
As Sporting raced into a 3-0 half-time lead (which remained the score at the final whistle), the message was clear. The magic, it seems, has crossed Lisbon with Jesus.
This was the man who (as reported by Mais Futebol, in Portuguese) won 11 and drew four of 16 capital-city derbies as Benfica coach. His record after two editions as Sporting coach? Two out of two.
The mercurial Ricardo Quaresma was still at Sporting when they last won the Liga in 2002
The first was in the Super Cup back in August; a mere trinket next to what Sportinguistas really want from him, which would be a first Liga title since 2002, when Laszlo Boloni had players including a teenage Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma in his ranks.
That meeting had more than intensity, but a genuine sense of ill-feeling, as stories came out in the Portuguese media about Jesus allegedly sending text messages to his former players in the build-up to the game (again, as per Mais Futebol, above). There was even an unseemly ruck on the pitch at the end as Sporting celebrated their win.
The situation has since escalated. It was finally confirmed in the last week that Benfica will be suing Jesus for €14 million (£10.07 million) for an alleged breach of contract (reported by EFE), claiming he began work with his new club before his deal with the Eagles expired. The coach claims he was persona non grata at the Luz and their Seixal training complex once it became clear that he wasn’t going to extend his contract.
Whether Jesus is eventually found liable or not, it seems he was poorly advised—or received good advice and turned his back on it, which can’t be completely ruled out. From Benfica’s side, the motivation is clearly just to cause Jesus, and Sporting, the maximum amount of discomfort possible.
Why? They’ve tried their best to move on, and his replacement, Rui Vitoria, is not without merit, but Jesus has left a huge hole. It’s hard to overstate what an incredible job he did at the Luz.
When he arrived in 2009, the club that was synonymous with putting Portuguese football’s name in lights on the European stage had fallen into a cycle of mediocrity.
Benfica had won a measly two Liga titles in 17 seasons, while rivals—mainly Porto—cleaned up. Jesus brought 10 major trophies, including three Ligas, but most of all, he made Benfica themselves again.
Under Jesus, they were daring, entertaining and never to be discounted.
Angel Di Maria developed into a world-class performer under Jesus
Throughout, his sides played fabulous football to capture the imagination and give voice to the Luz, a tremendous arena when cheering on a competitive team. This was despite being forced to sell a raft of top stars every year, including David Luiz, Ramires, Angel Di Maria and the rest. He didn’t create a great side. He created a series of great sides.
What’s more is that Jesus was complicit in earning the player profits for the club.
Di Maria was a luxury player of obvious talent that nobody at the club could quite figure out what to do with when he arrived in 2007. Jesus helped him hone his craft, and he was sold to Real Madrid in 2010 for €29.1 million (£21 million, per the Press Association, h/t the Guardian), at the end of the manager's first season.
Fabio Coentrao was a flaky winger with a bad reputation when Jesus took over. The coach converted him into a left-back worth €30 million (£21.6 million), whose destination was also the Bernabeu.
Nemanja Matic was a squad player who he helped mould into one of the world’s premier defensive midfielders. The list goes on.
Jesus, whose teams played football and earned the club stacks of cash, was gold dust. Moreover, his charisma became Benfica’s.
When he signed at the Alvalade this summer, the club’s official Twitter feed mischievously welcomed him “home” to the club he played for in the 1970s. Don’t be fooled. He is inextricably linked with modern-day Benfica, and the defection hurt.
Make no mistake about it—Sunday’s result was a seismic one. Benfica’s last home league defeat was to Porto, in March 2012. They hadn’t lost to Sporting at the Luz since 2006.
Jesus’ generous salary, reported to be €5 million (£3.6 million) per year according to Football Leaks (via Record, in Portuguese) will be worth it if he can fully recreate his magic recipe at Sporting. He is everything is a modern coach should be.
Tsunami Survivor Martunis Signs Professional Contract with Sporting Lisbon
Jul 2, 2015
Martunis signing with Sporting Lisbon is hardly the type of eye-catching headline that typically surfaces during the transfer window.
But undoubtedly, the 17-year-old's journey every bit warrants the same amount of attention and ink as the Paul Pogba and David De Gea attention-grabbers of the world.
Sporting Lisbon inked the Indonesian footballer to their youth academy on Wednesday. Eleven years prior, he spent 21 days stranded in a swamp after a 9.3 Indonesian earthquake cased a tsunami that killed 230,000 people, along with the then-seven-year-old's mother and two of his siblings.
According to the Daily Mail, Martunis was playing football in a Portugal shirt at the time of the 2004 Boxing Day disaster and survived from puddle water and washed-up noodles.
He was found after 21 days and delivered to a Sky Sports journalist.
— Sporting CP English (@SportingCP_en) July 2, 2015
After the disaster, Martunis met some of his Portuguese heroes, including Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eusebio.
Now he's in the same system where Figo and Ronaldo cut their professional teeth on the pitch.
"It's great to be here, this club makes my dream possible," he said, per the same Mail piece. "I am incredibly excited about this opportunity—Viva Sporting!"
