Jorge Jesus looks ahead to Sunday's Liga NOS hosting of Feirense

Jorge Jesus sat down with the press this Saturday to speak about the weekend's hosting of C.D. Feirense. With recent refereeing performances attracting attention both on and off the pitch, the Sporting coach did not shy away from revealing the impact on his team.

"The lads were really hurt by us getting knocked out of the League Cup, especially with how it happened. We won't hide the fact that confidence is low after a loss. Making mistakes is natural, but always making the same mistakes against the same team isn't", said Jesus, going on to reflect on what he expects from Sunday's match: "Hopefully we will get past this and beat a team who will sit back and look to attack us on the break. We want the tree points."

Bruno de Carvalho visiting Supporters' Clubs around the country

The Sporting CP president, Bruno de Carvalho, was on the road this week, visiting Supporters' Clubs around the country. Questions inevitably awaited in relation to the recent refereeing incidents in Portuguese football and the Alvalade chief did not shy away from passing comment.

"Sporting CP cannot carry on sitting back and watching as we are damaged. I don't understand how we are eight points off the top of the league, with the investments we have made. We have missed a lot of goals and haven't been playing great, but refereeing has contributed to that too. This is the last time that the club will hold back, because we will not tolerate this any more. We will give the benefit of the doubt one more time, in the believe that we will be where we want to be at the end of the season", said Carvalho.

The Sporting CP president went on to affirm the need for change, highlighting issues that condition the country's officials: "Making the wrong decision no longer influences how referees are rated and that hows a lack of preparation. Not taking those decisions into account is like forgiving crimes in society. We have made internal proposals to UEFA and FIFA, many of which were approved by national and international institutions. Now we are going to try again. The video-referee is fundamental. After five years of testing in the Netherlands, it is crucial that we implement the technology. This have to be made more transparent, so people talk less about scandal and more about football."

João de Deus' side denied in a match which saw another negative refereeing display

Sporting CP B missed out 2-1 to Sporting de Braga this weekend, on Ledman LigaPro matchday 21. It was yet another match brand by some highly debatable refereeing.

The match got off to a well balanced start, with possession held down in the midfield for long spells, until a puzzling decision in the 12th minute. Sualehe whipped in a free-kick, which was flicked on by Leonardo Ruiz to Pedro Delgado for the finish. Everything was normal up to this point, until the assistant referee, after making his way back to the halfway line in recognition of the goal, decided to rule out the strike. With Sporting CP B still in shock, Braga B made the most of the opportunity to go down the other end on the break and Xadas put an unstoppable shot past Pedro Silva.

In the space of two minutes, Sporting CP created two chances (20’ and 21’) to equalise through Pedro Delgado. The first was intercepted by the Braga B defence, while the second was stopped by the keeper. A spell of possession followed for João de Deus' side, but it was the visitors who looked dangerous and could have gone two up, had it not been for Kiki's fantastic tackle.

If the incidents earlier in the match were not enough, João de Deus' side were given even more of an uphill fight in the 48th minute, when Ivanildo Fernandes was sent off for a second booking. Looking to reorganise, Pedro Empis pushed out to the right and Sualehe dropped back down the left, while Abdu Conté joined Kiki in the heart of defence. Despite being a man down, Sporting CP B continued to fight on and their efforts were repaid in the 65th minute, when Ronaldo Tavares made the most of spilled save to level the scores. Despite Sporting CP B's best efforts, Braga B again took the lead nine minutes from time through Ogana.

João de Deus looking for his side to impose their style on the weekend's Ledman LigaPro encounter

João de Deus sat down with the press this Friday to speak ahead of the first Ledman LigaPro fixture of the new year, which will see Sporting CP B host Sporting de Braga B.

"We will do everything we can to make a good start to 2017, particularly because we didn't finish 2016 how we wanted to. This is a match that we consider as important for us, against a team that are above us in the table. A good result could project us up the league. It will be a good match to match, but we expect to dominate", said the Sporting CP B coach, adding: "We aren't far off the positions higher up the table, but the same goes for the more dangerous positions as well. Braga B are set up like their senior team and we have picked out some weaknesses."

David Sualehe expecting Sporting CP B to claim the three points this Saturday

Sporting CP B will face Sporting de Braga B this Saturday in an 15h00 kick-off, at the Sporting Academy.

Alvalade defender David Sualehe is expecting a hard game, but is confident in his side's chances of claiming the three points.

"We know this is an important match. We want to start turning in good results as soon as we can. We are in good form right now and training has been going very well. We have studied Sp. Braga B, we know how they organise themselves and we have been working on getting past them in training", said Sualehe in an interview this Friday. 

Club agrees deal with Ezequiel Schelotto

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Ezequiel Schelotto for the extension of the player's contract until the 30th of June 2019 and two additional optional seasons. A buy-out clause has been set at 45,000,000.00€.

Sporting SAD wishes Ezequiel Schelotto the best of professional and personal success.

Adrien speaks up for the team at the final whistle in Sétubal

Adrien Silva assumed his role as the Alvalade skipper this Wednesday night, after some debatable refereeing decisions dictated a loss to V. Setúbal (2-1).

"Again. These mistakes are becoming constant. The lads are annoyed with so many wrong decisions, it is just getting to be so much now. I am sure he did is best, which is why I honestly don't know what to say. We train as hard as we can and we are hurt by mistakes. Our objectives are being damaged by other factors", said Adrien at the final whistle.

Jorge Jesus on Wednesday's CTT Cup loss to Setúbal

"It is a lack of respect for Sporting CP, for the players, the coach and our directors", opened Jorge Jesus in a post-match interview with the press this week, after his side's loss to V. Setúbal (2-1), courtesy of a last-minute penalty.

"The match was decided by one incident. It was an important game for us, worth a place in the League Cup semi-final. Naming a referee with no experience with the three big teams shows the lack of interest in this competition. I have been a coach for many years and I have never seen giving penalties against Sporting CP be so easy", added the Alvalade coach, finishing: "We are upset, because we feel like we have been robbed of the opportunity to get into the semi-finals. We did what we needed to and scored, but we can't control what the referee does. The players feel like it is easy for people to attack Sporting CP."

Information from the Sporting CP medical department

Sporting CP's medical department has released the following clinical update:

Penalty given by Rui Oliveira ends Sporting CP's CTT Cup campaign

Sporting CP missed out to Vitória de Setúbal (2-1) this Wednesday, in a match which saw referee Rui Oliveira attract the limelight for the wrong reasons, gifting a penalty with seconds left on the clock. Television replays show that the fault in the 18-yard box indicated by the referee was non-existent, but the decision stood all the same, eliminating Sporting CP from CTT Cup Group A.

Jorge Jesus' faced an uphill battle for the duration, after Frederico Venâncio opened the scoring for the hosts in the 19th minute. It wasn't until the second-half that the team from Alvalade pulled level, with a 79th minute strike from Elias. However it was the last-minute penalty that eventually decided it.