Jorge Jesus more than aware of the difficulties posed by Friday's hosting of Estoril

After last week's slip up against Rio Ave (3-1), Jorge Jesus is confident that his side will be back in winning form this Friday against the visiting Estoril, on Liga NOS matchday 6.

"We are feeling confident going into the match, particularly with us being strong at home. Estoril are a hard team to play against for teams in Lisbon, but we will try to show the form we have been, especially at home, and if we do then we will be one step closer to getting the win. The objective is to get the three points", opened the Sporting boss, adding: "Every team is a reflection of its coach, both negatively and positively. Teams are the image of the person who leads them and we can't get away from that. Is there any coach that doesn't think that their team is the best? Of course I believe in my players.

Asked about any likely squad rotation, with a Champions League fixture awaiting next week, Jesus affirmed: "I have never been of the opinion that you shouldn't change a team just because it has won a match. I have never let that idea guide me. For me the most important thing is that we put the work in during the week and how the lads deal with that. A squad can always change based on what I think. Bruno César has been praised for various performances at left back, which wasn't where he played in Madrid. I said several times that if he doesn't play at left back then he he will play in another position. If there is any one of my players I am happy with then it is with him.

Despite Sporting having suffered two consecutive defeats, albeit one against Real Madrid, Jesus brushed off any suggestion of damage to his side's morale: "Of course it hurts whenever you lose. There is not such thing as a moral loss and losing against Rio Ave is the same as losing against Real Madrid. Of course it hurt us to lose in Vila do Conde and sometimes it can leave a mark, but sometimes it doesnt."

João Pereira looks ahead to Friday's hosting of Estoril

Looking to recover from two consecutive loses against Real Madrid and Rio Ave, Sporting will be looking to get back to winning form this Friday against Estoril.

“We have to be prepared for anything. We have had some hard moments in the five games we have played so far, but we are ready. The three points are important this Friday and we want to win for our fans. We are ready to go for it", said João Pereira in an interview with the Sporting Journal this week.

Costa Rica, Uruguay, Netherlands and Serbia all call on Sporting stars

Sporting's Costa Rican double Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell have both been called up for their country's friendly against Russia.

Meanwhile, Sebastián Coates features in the Uruguay squad for a 7th of October and 11 of October World Cup Qualifiers with Venezuela and Colombia respectively.

Serbia have called up Markovic for the matches against Moldova and Austria.

Finally, Bas Dost is in the Dutch preliminary squad list against Belarus on the 7th of October and against France on the 10th of October.
 

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Champions League matchday 2 tickets on sale on Wednesday

Tickets for Champions League matchday 2, between Sporting CP and Legia Warsaw (27th of September) will go on sale on Wedneday the 21st of September as follows:

SPORTING CP vs LEGIA WARSAW

27TH OF SEPTEMBER (TUESDAY) AT 19H45

SALES POINTS

ESTÁDIO JOSÉ ALVALADE TICKET OFFICES
- 21st and 22nd of September: from 10h to 20h
- 23rd of September (matchday against Estoril): from 10h to 21h45
- 24th, 25th and 26th of September: from 10h to 20h
- 27th of September (matchday against Legia): from 10h until half-time

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.sporting.pt/bilhetes
- payment methods available: Multibanco, VISA and Mastercard
- Multibanco option available up to 24 hours before kick-off
- PDF ticket: must be printed in A4 format (can be black and white)
- Online sale exclusive for club members (for up to 4 fan tickets)

IMPORTANT

- Entry prohibited to children under the age of 3
- Children over the age of 3 (inclusive) require a ticket
- Non-renewed special seats have preference up to 72h before kick-off
- Reduced mobility tickets on sale at the stadium ticket offices and valid for 2 people
- Fan tickets purchased on matchday are subject to a €3 tax
- Match included in Gamebox 2016/2017
- Member fee applicable: August 2016

Local council president announces tribute paid by a fan

The president of the Leiria Municipal Council, Raul Castro, today confirmed that Rui Patrício a statute will be commissioned of Rui Patrício in March 2017, next to the city's sports park.

The idea came courtesy of the business man Carlos Matos and his brother Vítor, who had declared that they would see a statute built if Patrício won Euro 2016. "When I was watching the match I promised that I would make a statute of him if Portugal became European champion, but I didn't think it would actually happen! I lost the bet of course", explained Carlos Matos to Lusa.

The statute will be sculpted by Celestino Alves and will be the image of Patrício's save against Griezmann in the final.

Jorge Jesus reflects on loss in Rio Ave

Jorge Jesus did not shy away from speaking with the press after his side's 3-1 loss on Sunday night, accepting that his side were outclassed by a determined Rio Ave side.

"Rio Ave deserve to win with what they did in the first-half. We didn't do what we really needed to do tonight. There is a lot of football still to play, but we were not prepared to concede three goals. We have to look at what happened and react, starting with a win on Friday", affirmed the Sporting coach, adding: "Honestly my players surprised me a lot more than Rio Ave's did. We are a well organised team, but you couldn't see that today and it isn't worth making excuses as to why. We struggled to keep up with Rio Ave on the counter attack. One of their defenders brought the ball all the way up to our area for their first goal and normally that wouldn't happen."

Recovering from such an exhausting trip to Madrid during the week, squad rotation was inevitable. "We brought in four fresh players, because the lads who played in Madrid were not up to it. We can speak about it all we want before the match, but sometimes it is hard to reset your focus. Now I will sit down with the lads and we will talk about what happened. We looked better in the second-half. Normally the teams that I work with are more effective, but today we have to give credit to Rio Ave."

Sporting CP surprised by Rio Ave with three first-half strikes

Jorge Jesus had issued the warning in his pre-match press conference: Rio Ave were going to close down the place more than Real Madrid. That is exactly what happened, with Rio Ave pressing high and putting in one of their finest performances to go in at the break with a staggering 3-0 lead.

The opening exchanges proved to be a reflection of the rest of the encounter, with the hosts pressing hard when Sporting took possession. A forced error from Rúben Semedo saw the defender scuff his clearance and Gil Dias broke away down the right wing and put the first chance of the evening across the face of goal. In response Alan Ruiz tied his luck from range down the other end, but Cássio was having a brilliant night in the Rio Ave goal and made one of a string of decent saves. It honestly only looked like a matter of time before Rio Ave's high-tempo play broke the Sporting backline and their goal came through Tarantini, after an excellent sprint forward by Roderick with the ball at his feet.

A reaction from Jesus' side was expected, but the midweek visit to the Spanish capital was still wearing hard on tired legs and wholes began to appear while clambering back to defend against Rio Ave's relentless counter attacking. Seven minutes later, Gil Dias beat the offside trap and set up Guedes for his side's second. With the team from Alvalade totally disorientated, Rio Ave made it three seven minutes later, again with Gil Gias turned playmaker and again with Guedes with the finish.

Attempting to salvage something from the evening, Jesus rang the changes at the break, bringing on Bryan Ruiz and Bas Dost for Campbell and Alan Ruiz. The substitutions did eventually make a difference and Sporting put together a chance a minute after the hour-mark, but Bryan Ruiz slashed his half volley to the wrong side of the post. The Costa Rican's shot triggered a better final half-hour from sporting and Bas Dost pulled a goal back, but it was too little too late after such a devastating first-half.

Jorge Jesus includes 19 for trip to Rio Ave

Jorge Jesus has announced his squad for Sunday's Liga NOS matchday 5 trip to Vila do Conde to face Rio Ave.

Squad list full:

1 - Rui Patrício 
2 - Ezequiel Schelotto
3 - Lazar Markovic
4 - Jefferson Moreira
7 - Joel Campbell
10 - Bryan Ruiz 
11 - Bruno César
13 - Sebastian Coates
14 - William Carvalho 
15 - Paulo Oliveira
16 - André Felipe
21 - João Pereira
22 - Elias Trindade
23 - Adrien Silva
28 - Bas Dost
34 - Beto Pimparel
35 - Ruben Semedo
77 - Gelson Martins 
99 - Alan Ruiz

João de Deus on Saturday's draw with Gil Vicente

A win is proving harshly difficult to come by for João de Deus' side so far this season. Despite outperforming Gil Vicente, for the full 90 minutes, the visitors were able to steal a last minute draw at the Sporting Academy.

"We were missing a bit in terms of positioning, which is what we worked on during the week. After coming from behind I wasn't expecting us to let the win slip. We have to stop making the kind of mistakes we have been. There is a still a lot of football to play and the lads are still getting to know each other", said the Sporting B at the final whistle, adding a word on the presence of senior squad stars Ricardo Esgaio, Bruno Paulista and Matheus Pereira in him team: "They are great players and they were brought in to help us. We are a really young side and having players like that with us will help us grow."