Jorge Jesus reflects on his side's performance in the Spanish capital

Jorge Jesus sat down with the press after watching his side come just seconds from what would have been one of the most memorable victories in the club's history.

"It would have been a lot harder for Real Madrid if I would have still been on the bench in the final stages. We played really well against the European champion. All we were missing was a bit of experience in the Champions League. We were not playing against a team that ignores the little details and if you get distracted then anything can happen. We managed to completely block out their offensive game and we were really good up until the 85th minute, but then the substitutions took away from of positioning a bit. James Rodríguez coming on shifted our structure a bit and we didn't' have the experience to defend the result, but we can be happy with having only lost in the last minute", opened the Alvalade boss in his post-match press conference.

Jesus went on to praise his team's performance, having pushed the European champion to the limit: "We know what we can do, regardless of who we play against. Real couldn't get anywhere near our goal and they only did so through a free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo. We were really strong in defence and we played really well. The 5 or 6 thousand fans that travelled with us deserve to travel back to Lisbon feeling proud."

Jesus' side lead for 89 minutes against the European champions

Sporting came just seconds away from writing yet another glorious chapter in the club's history on Wednesday night, with a brave Champions League performance in the Bernabéu that saw Sporting lead until one minute before the end of regulation time. However, Cristiano Ronaldo and Morata had other ideas, scoring two last gasp goals to snatch away what would have been thoroughly deserved points.

Football can be cruel sometimes, but Jesus' side did themselves proud with a performance that was thanked by the thousands of Sporting fans who made the trip across the Spanish border to support their side.

Madrid on the other hand had to wait until just seconds before the final whistle, after having been frustrated by the classy duo of William Carvalho and Adrien Silva in the middle of the park.

Leading the attack, Gelson Martins was in absolutely unstoppable form and was constantly aiming his sights at Casilla. It was through the Alvalade starlet that most of Sporting's attacks materialised.

Of course Bryan Ruiz's magic with the ball at his feet was a constant source of danger for Real Mardid, but it was Bruno César who set Sporting on what would have been an historic victory with a shot across the face of goal in the 48th minute that the Madrid keeper was unable to keep out.

The result looked to have been secured, before Ronaldo netted what was a heartbreaking yet brilliant free-kick squeezed in at the post. Patrício managed to get a hand to the shot, but not even the Alvalade shotstopper could keep out such as well-placed effort.

Deep into added time Morata popped up with a header inside the box to complete the turn around and snatch the points.

Coates looks ahead to Wednesday's visit to Real Madrid

Sebastián Coates was the player chosen to share his thoughts on Wednesday's visit to the European Champions in Sporting's return to the Champions League.

"Real Madrid are a great team and we will have to be focused and try to play to our strengths. We will see how it goes, but we will try to play our game. It doesn't matter who plays, we are all ready. I think we just have to take this competition one game at a time. We are going through a good spell now and we are full of confidence, so we will try and show that tomorrow", said the Uruguayan.

Former Sporting and Real Madrid star reflects on his time with two of Europe's giants

The 2001 World Player of the Year, Luís Figo, was one of the much sought after pundits ahead of this Wednesday's Champions League encounter between Sporting and Real Madrid, having represented both clubs.

Figo opened with a reflection on the Alvalade youth system: "Great players are made there. When I was there the idol was Futre. Next it was me, Simão, Cristiano and Nani. I was there from the age of 12 to 22 and I learnt everything at Sporting."

Figo also spoke about his time with Sporting as a professional: "It was a brilliant team! Balakov, Juskowiak. Then after that Paulo Sousa, Pacheco, Luisinho, Venâncio… I also played with Carlos Manuel, Douglas and even Rijkaard. I have a photograph with him as well. I had coaches like Bobby Robson, Queiroz."

Jorge Jesus takes full strength squad to the Spanish capital

Jorge Jesus has taken a full strength squad to Real Madrid for Champions League Group F matchday 1, with only Azbe Jug missing out.

Squad list in full:

1 - Rui Patrício 
2 - Ezequiel Schelotto
3 - Lazar Markovic
4 - Jefferson Moreira
7 - Joel Campbell
8 - Radosav Petrovic
10 - Bryan Ruiz 
11 - Bruno César
13 - Sebastian Coates
14 - William Carvalho 
15 - Paulo Oliveira
16 - André Felipe
19 - Douglas Teixeira
20 - Luc Castaignos
21 - João Pereira
22 - Elias Trindade
23 - Adrien Silva
25 - Marcelo Meli
28 - Bas Dost
30 - Bruno Paulista
31 - Marvin Zeegelaar
34 - Beto Pimparel
35 - Ruben Semedo
47 - Ricardo Esgaio 
73 - Matheus Pereira
77 - Gelson Martins 
88 - Vladimir Stojkovic
99 - Alan Ruiz

Aurélio Pereira on Cristiano Ronaldo and the secrets of the Sporting Academy

Just two days away from seeing his most famous student, Cristiano Ronaldo, face Sporting in the Champions League, the Sporting youth football legend Aurélio Pereira spoke about the world famous CR7 and the philosophy of the Sporting Academy.

"Knowing Cristiano Ronaldo like I do, he won't go easy on us. You can't take the professionalism out of him. At the beginning he was just an 11-year old lad from Madeira who arrived at the Academy without his parents. In 1997 he cost a lot of money. A day after he got here he was already training with the older lads and he had a capacity that we were not used to seeing. The older players all said that he was something different and he was. On top of his technical quality he had speed and could get away from his marker. He had a bit of skill in the air too", opened Pereira.

Asked to reveal the secrets of the success of the Sporting Academy, the Alvalade legend added: "Talent is one thing, but audacity is another. Players are only human and sometimes you forget that, but Ronaldo had a way of speaking with the rest of the players. On the second day he was completely relaxed with everyone, when anyone else would have packed their bags and went home if faced by the same thing. Youth football is in this club's DNA, it is in our culture. We give our young players creative liberty and we don't format anyone. We are really patient with them and treat them as people."

Alvalade president answers challenge by Marca with a wonder strike

Real Madrid vs. Sporting CP truely got underway on Monday, with president Bruno de Carvalho netting a penalty past the director of the Marca newspaper, Juan Ignacio Gallardo.