Alvalde youngsters to travel to Malaysia for international event in December

Sporting CP's under-15 team will be in Kuala Lumpur from the 9th to the 19th of December, for the SuperMokh Cup 2016.

SuperMokh Cup 2016 fixtures and groups:

12th of December: SPORTING CP-Shonan Bellmare
13th of December: SPORTING CP-NFDP Selangor
14th of December: SPORTING CP-Bunyodkor

Group A
SPORTING CP
Shonan Bellmare (JPN)
Bunyodkor (UZB)
NFDP Selangor (MAS)

Group B
Manchester City (ENG)
FC Seoul (KOR)
B. United (THA)
Malaysia Cougars U13

Group C
Malaysia Cougars U14
Kawasaki Frontale (JPN)
Myannar
Bangladesh

Group D
São Paulo (BRA)
Seongnam (KOR)
Thailand
Malaysia Tigers (MAS)

Group E
PSG (FRA)
Malaysia Panthers U14
Foolad Sepahan (IRN)
Malaysia Panthers U13

Sporting CP left to wait until matchday six to secure passage into the UEFA Youth League knock-out stages

Sporting CP made an aggressive start to UEFA Youth League matchday 5, showing a real determination to take the game to Real Madrid with some good movement in possession and high pressing without it. However, a strike from Sergio Diaz against the run of play really shook Tiago Fernandes's side and the team from the Spanish capital showed their maturity with some well controlled football.

The occasional turn of pace from Gutiérrez Hernández's outfit is what troubled Sporting's under-19's the most and on 38 minutes Hernando doubled Madrid's lead with a header. Pedro Marques had a half chance to pull Sporting CP back within a goal, but his shot straight at the keeper summed up what had been a frustrating first-half.

The break did prove useful for the Alvalade youngsters, who came out looking more aggressive and with a touch more pace going forward. Rafael Leão was somehow denied by Luca Zidane after an excellent dart down the left wing from Pedro Ferreira, before Rafael hammered a header against the bar. A goal really was deserved for Fernandes's charges and it finally came in the 69th minute, courtesy of Daniel Bragança after a pass from Pedro Ferreira that Pedro Marques could have first converted on.

Sporting CP's rally was dealt an extremely harsh blow by a couple of debatable decisions from the referee, which saw Real Madrid break forward and net a third through Franchu (73’).

Despite the loss, Tiago Fernandes's side still hold their fate in their own hands, with a win in Poland against Legia Warsaw on matchday 6 enough to secure qualification for the next round.

Standings:

Real Madrid – 13 points (qualified)

Sporting CP -6 points

Dortmund – 5 points

Legia Warsaw – 2 points (eliminated)

Alvalade youngsters break down the yellow wall and climb up the Group F table

Sporting CP's under-19 side set the record straight this Wednesday night, after their UEFA Youth League matchday 3 draw against Borussia Dormund. This time Tiago Fernandes's side were able to get the better of the Germans and turn in a memorable 1-0 win.

Sporting CP battled through the Holzwickede cold with some high-pressure football, particularly when Dortmund tried to string together a bit of possession. Daniel Bragança was an absolute machine, battling back possession on numerous occasions and setting his team forward on the break. The opener looked likely, but a goal was proving hard to come by. Bruno Paz could have struck first, but nerves got the better of the youngster as he drove his shot straight at Pulisic.

Rafael was the next to trouble Dortmund with a well timed burst of pace, unbreakable determination and a rocket of a shot that put Sporting CP into the lead (41').

The second-half came with another showing of Sporting CP's superiority. Abdu Conté held down the heart of defence with a clinical display, while Pedro Empis cleaned up down the left and broke forward on several occasions.

Dortmund's most dangerous opportunity came when Brunn Larsen pulled a brilliant stop out of Pedro Silva, before Amenyido wasted the follow-up. Sporting CP's claim to the three points where given a harsh setback two minutes later, when João Ricciulli saw two yellow cards in the space of as many minutes. Tiago Fernandes reacted by bringing off Pedro Marques for Jovane Cabral and switching Pedro Ferreira for Gonçalo Vieira.

Jovane had two chances at the death to extend Sporting CP's lead, but in the end the single strike was enough to claim the spoils.

CIES study puts Alvalade well ahead of the rest of the Portuguese pack

Sporting CP occupies 4th place in terms of youth training in European football, in a study undertaken by the International centre for Sports Studies (CIES). Alvalade sits just behind Ajax, Partizan and Dynamo Zagreb in terms of players participating in European leagues.

A total of 54 players produced at the Sporting Academy can be found across Europe, eight of which are still playing at Alvalade.

Alvalade to expand into the Spanish market for the first time

January 2017 will mark an important milestone for the Sporting Academy Schools. For the first time, the Alvalade brand will expand into Spain, more specifically Madrid. After opening in Greece in a first move into the European market, Sporting CP now makes the short trip across the border thanks to an initiative with the Club's Spanish partner Total Planet Management, led by Manuel Ojalvo Martín.

Tiago Fernandes still optimistic on UEFA Youth League knock-out stage chances

Tiago Fernandes was obviously frustrated with his side's UEFA Youth League draw against Borussia Dortmund this Tuesday night, but the Sporting under-19 coach isn't throwing in the towel in just yet.

Sporting held to third consecutive Youth League draw

A third UEFA Youth League encounter and a third successive draw. Sporting's under-19's came away with a last-minute point from Madrid and were denied by Legia of the win at the death. It was again a case of split points against Borussia Dortmund this Tuesday, although the goals were not left to the last minute.

Abdu Conté was one of Sporting's star performers on the day, with an energetic performance down the left. With the Alvalade side dominating from the off, a goal was inevitable. It was Conté who created the opener with a dashing run through the middle and a pass to Pedro Ferreira, who blasted home a minute before half-time.

Tiago Fernandes's side were also the dominating force after the break and Bubacar Djaló came just inches close of making it two. However, a lack of efficiency in front of goal can always prove costly in the game and football and this encounter was no exception, with Gabriel Kyeremateng making the most of a failure to clear to snatch back possession and split the points.

Aurélio Pereira in UEFA interview about the Alvalade youth system

He arrived in Alvalade at the age of just 14 and years later he was invited back to the club by Hilário, where he would remain for two decades as a youth team coach. In July 1988 he opened the youth football department and went on to discover Luís Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Futre, Simão Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma, Nani and an endless list of others.

Aurélio Pereira sat down with UEFA this week to reflect in his time with the Sporting Academy, even revealing some of the tricks to his magical recipe for nurturing talent.

“As soon as we made contact with a player coming from far away, our objective focuses on bringing him over to the Sporting Academy. We are responsible for a massive change in the lives of young players who could become greats one day. We look to build up the lads as players, but also as men. We focus on everything involved in their development and that forges a special link between us. I have known some of the lads who are now in the main team since they were just 12 years' old. We are like family", opened the Alvalade scouting legend, going on to speak about Cristiano Ronaldo: "When we were building the Academy, the players had to move away from the old stadium and come and live at the residence. There was a road nearby where Ronaldo would go. He would put weights on his legs and when the traffic lights turned green he started sprinting. He did that a lot, because he thought it would give him speed and strength. That gives us an idea of what these lads go through."

Supporters group looking to raise awareness on the efforts made by the Sporting faithful

The Directivo Ultra XXI supporters group visited the Sporting Academy last week, as part of an initiative with the club's youngster athletes to raise awareness about the importance of the fans and their daily efforts to support the club's teams.

Over 100 CD's were given out to the starlets with all of the songs which normally echo through Alvalade.

Podence on target and Rúben Semedo, Tobias Figueiredo and Francisco Geraldes handed starts against Hungary

Portugal drew 3-3 against Hungary in Thursday afternoon, on the second to last encounter of the under-21 Euro 2017 qualifiers.

Sporting's central defensive pair of Rúben Semedo and Tobias Figueiredo started at the back, while Francisco Geraldes and Daniel Podence, the latter also finding the back of the net, featured further up the park.