Rúben Semedo and Spalvis with medical department

Sporting's medical department notes the following:

Rúben Semedo: Twisted left ankle - treatment

Spalvis: Underwent surgery for torn knee ligaments and is expected to be in recovery for 6 months

Extension of player's loan to Boca Juniors

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD have reached an agreement with Boca Juniors for the extension of the loan of Jonathan Silva until the end of the 2016/17 season, with no option for a permanent transfer.

Sporting SAD wishes Jonathan Silva the best of personal and professional success.

Jorge Jesus comments on FourFourTwo world rankings

A question of art, work and a touch of science. That is how coach Jorge Jesus reacted to a recent publication by the British magazine FourFourTwo, which named the Alvalade boss as the 10th best coach in the world.

“Of course I am happy. This isn't the first time that FourFourTwo puts me in the top-10 in the world. Last year I was 15th and this year I am 10th, which brings extra responsibility", said Jesus in an exclusive interview with Sporting TV.

For the Alvalade boss, 10th is of course not enough. " I know what I can do. I know I have been important for the clubs where I have worked and for bringing in new ideas. I still have a lot to win. I wouldn't say I am in the middle of my career, but I am still a long way from finishing", affirmed Jesus, adding: "This award is a reflection of how I train. A coach is a bit like a player and to be a good coach you have to add a touch of art, but the biggest part of the game is the science behind it. I built a few strategic moments about 20 years ago which are still used today. The lads who work with me say that I am different and I know I am. This is art."

Sporting CP to take on Wolfsburg on Saturday

Jorge Jesus had 28 players out on the squad early morning on Friday, in preparation for Saturday's Five Violins Trophy hosting of Wolfsburg.

After a lecture from the boss, the squad went through some warm-up and passing exercises.

Petrovic was back out on the pitch, after recovering from a knock picked up against Villarreal earlier in the week.

Jesus will also have his euro 2016 winners, Rui Patrício, William Carvalho, João Mário and Adrien Silva available this weekend.

Four Four Two publishes ranking of world top-50, with Jesus climbing five places

The popular English football magazine Four Four Two this week published its annual ranking of the world's top-50 coaches, in a list which sees Jorge Jesus named as Portugal's best coach and the 10th best overall (up five places from 2015).

Jesus finished ahead of Benfica's Rui Vitória (39th) and the Portuguese national team coach Fernando Santos (34th).

"From an individual point of view, Jesus oversaw remarkable transformations in the productivity of several players, most notably club captain Adrien Silva, midfielder Joao Mario and striker Islam Slimani, all of whom reached levels few thought were possible", notes the article.

Patrício, Adrien, William Carvalho and João Mário in training

Sporting's quartet of Euro 2016, Rui Patrício, Adrien Silva, William Carvalho and João Mário, were out on the training pitch this Wednesday, after a well-earned break.

Patrício, Adrien and William were in Alvalade for the presentation match against Lyon at the weekend, however only Patrício saw action.

The four give Jorge Jesus extra options ahead of Saturday's Five Violins Trophy hosting of Wolfsburg in Alvalade, with Sporting looking to win the trophy for the 5th time.

Jorge Jesus confident after solid showing against Villarreal

A penalty shootout loss to Villarreal did little to take away from the positive's Jorge Jesus saw in his side's performance in the Iberian Trophy this Tuesday night.

"Today you could see some progress in the lads, especially in the younger players who have come through from the youth system. We looked better in attack, although we are still far from what we can do", said the Sporting coach at the final whistle, adding a work on the return of the players who have been away on international duty: "The lads who were at Euro 2016 will be back tomorrow and we will see the squad improve."

The Alvalade boss went on to analyse the match itself: "In the first-half we didn't do as well as we did after the break. Bruno César coming into form really helped the rest of the team organise. The forward's are still lacking a bit of mobility, but that is something we can work on in training."

Jorge Jesus' side dominate but miss out on penalties

There are still some final touches to make, but the hard work being put in by Sporting in what has been a busy pre-season campaign is definitely bearing fruit. Well drilled and improving game after game was how Jorge Jesus' side answered to Tuesday's Iberian Trophy encounter with Villarreal, in what was Sporting's best performance so far.

Jorge Jesus rang the largely expected changes for the starting whistle, with João Pereira (captain), Coates, Naldo and Jefferson in defence behind a midfield of Petrovic and Bruno César. Bryan Ruiz and Iuri Medeiros occupied the space out wide, in support of Alan Ruiz and Barcos up front and with Azbe Jug defending the Sporting goal.

The game got off to a largely lukewarm start, before Alan Ruiz's shot in the 21st minute shot at the Villarreal keeper injected a sense of urgency into the action.

The thermometer read 40 degrees in Badajoz and it took its inevitable toll on the players, with the referee showing his sympathetic side with a water break just after the half-hour mark.

João Palhinha was brought on in place of Petrovic, who was forced off with what looked to be a groin strain, just before Sporting had the ball in the back of the net. However, the linesmen interpreted the attack as offside against Coates, although it was actually Hernán Barcos who took the final touch after a cross from Alan Ruiz.

Half-time was a chance for Jesus to mix his side up, bringing on Schelotto, Zeegelaar, Rúben Semedo and Daniel Podence for João Pereira, Coates, Jefferson and Barcos. The substitutions looked to have proved just the trick and Sporting took the game by the scruff of the neck going forward. Chances remained, however, few and far between.

Matheus Pereira did well to pick up a pass from Slimani to drag the ball back across his defender, but his eventual shot on his unfavoured right foot ended up wide. The young midfielder could have finished the game off in the dying stages with a shot poked under the keeper at a tight angle, but the ball was eventually turned away by the post and the game headed for penalties.

First up was Slimani with an effort that lacked pace and was denied by Andrés Fernández, before Jaume Costa put Villarreal ahead. Bruno César levelled the scoreboard and Jug made a save to restore the deadlock, before four penalties straight were netted with some cool finishing (Iuri, Mário González, Matheus and Cantalapiedra). Sporting's last penalty was handed Rúben Semedo and the defender got a well placed shot away, but the Spanish keeper did well to stretch out and give Villarreal an advantage closed out by Suárez from the last spot kick of the night.

Sporting CP will next be in action in Alvalade on Saturday, hosting Wolfsburg in the Five Violins Trophy.

Sporting in Badajoz to face Villarreal

Sporting CP will be back in action on Tuesday, this time against Villarreal in the Nuevo Vivero Stadium, Badajoz, for the Iberian Trophy.

Jorge Jesus has taken 20 players for the trip: Azbe Jug, Stojokovic, Schelotto, Jefferson, Ewerton, Sebastian Coates, João Pereira, Marvin Zeegelaar, Rúben Semedo, Naldo, Petrovic, Bruno César, Bryan Ruiz, Matheus Pereira, Palhinha, Iuri Medeiros, Daniel Podence, Hernan Barcos, Alan Ruiz and Islam Slimani.

Euro 2016 winners Rui Patrício, William Carvalho, João Mário and Adrien Silva are taking a much deserved rest, while Ricardo Esgaio and Carlos Mané are in Rio 2016 for the Olympic Games with Portugal, along with Teo Gutiérrez for Colombia. 

The medical room also has its fair share of casualties who miss out on the trip: Paulo Oliveira (knock to the right hip) Gelson Martins (twisted left ankle), Wallyson (recovering from ankle surgery), Bruno Paulista (knock to the left foot) and Lukas Spalvis (recovering from knee surgery).

Sporting-Villarreal is scheduled to kick off at 19h15GMT and will be broadcast by Sporting TV. 

Tickets for hosting of Wolfsburg on sale on Tuesday

Ticket sales for Saturday the 30th of July's Five Violins Trophy encounter between Sporting and Wolfsburg, in Estádio José Alvalade ,will go on sale at 10h00 on Tuesday the 26th of July.

Prices range from 11€ to 23€ for Club Members and from 17€ to 35€ for other fans. This match is included in the Gamebox package for Club Members with June 2016 membership fees paid.