Hugo Miguel named for Liga NOS matchday 15

Hugo Miguel, 38, from the Lisbon Football Association, has been named to take charge of Liga NOS matchday 15 between Sporting and FC Porto.

Hernâni Fernandes and Bruno Trindade will act as linesmen.

This season Hugo Miguel has already officiated over Sporting's win over Rio Ave on Liga NOS matchday 4.

Sporting-FC Porto will get underway at 20h45 on Saturday the 2nd of January, in Estádio José Alvalade.

First team injury news

- Tobias Figueiredo: twist to the right knee. In treatment;

- William Carvalho: myalgia in the left thigh. In treatment;

- Bruno Paulista: muscle injury in right thigh. Conditional training;

- Bryan Ruiz: shock to left knee. In treatment.

Jorge Jesus on his side's League Cup win against Paços de Ferreira

"Our objective was to win our first game in the League Cup, keeping in mind that we are just back from the holiday season", said Jorge Jesus in the final whistle on Tuesday.

"Yesterday I had a few doubts about what team I would put out. We have been working really hard in training, but the lads have responded well. We took on a hard team that we didn't beat in the league, but we won 3-1 and we could have scored more", continued the Sporting coach, adding: "Some of the players did really well and João Mário was good too."

Jorge Jesus also spoke about how the treatment room is looking ahead of the hosting of FC Porto on Saturday: "We will see about William. He picked up an injury in training and I am not sure he will recover in time. Teo is out too. A game against FC Porto is always really big regardless of how the league table looks. This is the first time Sporting will play without being in first, but of course we want to win."

João Mário on his side's 3-1 win against Paços de Ferreira

João Mário came off the bench to put in a solid second-half in his side's 3-1 League Cup win this Tuesday.

“We started well and we scored, but we let in a goal before the break. In the second-half we took the lead again and we could have won by more, but we were a bit sloppy in front of goal. It was a good win in a competition that we want to do well in", said the Portuguese international at the final whistle.

Sporting in the driving seat in the League Cup

Jorge Jesus had already made it clear in his pre-match press conference that his side would be looking for an extended run in the League Cup, while keeping in mind the January 2nd league encounter with FC Porto. As expected, the Sporting boss rang the changes to his side and it was the inclusion of Gelson Martins and Matheus Pereira that proved the difference on the night, in an impressive 3-1 win over Paços de Ferreira.

Although Paços fought hard to smoother out Sporting's attacks early on, there was little the visitors could do out wide. Montero picked up possession and fed back to Jefferson and the Brazilian obliged with a cross that Gelson guided towards Aquiliani for the Italian to open the scoring from the edge of the box after 8 minutes. Next try his luck from range was Arien, but the Alvalade skipper's effort was kept out by Defendi. Barnes made the most of a loose ball to send a shot toward's Marcelo's goal, but it was all one-way traffic as the half progressed. Matheus picked out André Matrins in the 37th minute, but the midfielder's effort when isolated in front of goal lacked pace and was stopped by Defendi.

Sporting looked certain to take a lead in at the break, but a seemingly harmless free-kick saw Marcelo tricked by a shot by Christian to level the score at half-time in what was miles away from being a true reflection of the action so far.

The break worked wonders for Jesus' side, who immediately created two chances for Montero (shot over the bar, 46’) and André Martins (header defended by Defendi, 48’). However, the third attempt proved the trick, when Matheus found Jefferson charging forward. The Brazilian's initial cross took a deflection, but Gelson was on hand to collect and put Sporting back into a deserved lead. Christian tried to get Paços back into it with a shot from range, but Sporting were looking far to long and another goal was inevitable.

Paulo Oliveira popped up in the area and put a header just wide eight minutes after the hour mark, before Bryan Ruiz finished off the result after being picked out by another deadly pass from Mathes. Slimani hit the post twice in the dying stages (82’ and 90+2’), but it made little difference to a convincing victory that sees Sporting close 2016 on a high.

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol SAD

SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL, Futebol SAD, under the terms of art. 248.º, n.º 1 of the Market Securities Code, announces the following:

1) A contract with NOS LUSOMUNDO AUDIOVISUAIS, S.A. for the concession of the following rights:

(i) Television broadcasting and multimedia for matches played at home by Sporting SAD's senior first team and the use of static advertising in Estádio José Alvalade for a period of 10 sports seasons beginning on the 1st of July 2018;

(ii) Transmission and distribution of the Sporting TV channel for a period of 12 sports seasons, beginning on the 1st of July 2017;

(iii) The right to be the team's main sponsor for a period of 12 and a half sports seasons, beginning on the 1st of January 2016.

2) With PPTV – Publicidade de Portugal e Televisão, S.A. an addition to the annual contract, revising the amounts paid for television broadcasting and multimedia for matches played at home by Sporting SAD's senior first team and the ue of static publicity in Estádio José Alvalade for the 2015-2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons.

The financial considerations resulting from these contracts, including the 2015-2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-18 seasons, total €515,000,000.

Lisbon, 29th of December 2015

Jorge Jesus ahead of League Cup encounter with Paços de Ferreira

Jorge Jesus spoke with Sporting TV ahead of the League Cup encounter with Paços de Ferreira, setting out his stall for what he sees as another opportunity to bring silverware to Alvalade.

“I am expecting a hard game against an opponent that has proven difficult in the league. We are coming into this game after the holiday season and neither team will be at their best, but we will use the game to give some of the lads a run out and to contribute to the competitiveness of the squad. Some players who have played a lot in the league could be picked, but we have an important game coming up do we will be mixing up ideas a bit. Both Matheus and Gelson have been important for balancing out the squad. We will go into the League Cup with the objective of winning it. My objective is to overcome the idea that Sporting doesn't win this kind of competition, which is what I was brought in for."

“Paços de Ferreira is one of those teams that isn't playing for the top places, but that has the quality to fight for a place in the Europa League. They have had a good start to the season and they will cause problems for us. They are one of those sides who put everything into the cup competitions and their coach will use his best team", added the Sporting coach, continuing: “The squad have come back in good form after the break and we have been pushing hard in training these last two days. We haven't got any medical problems except the ones we had with Teo, Tobias, Bruno Paulista and Mané, who was injured with the national team and hasn't recovered yet. William has a bit of a problem which isn't serious, but he won't be in the squad."

Jesus went on to reflect on seeing 8,000 fans turn out to see his squad train on the 26th of December, as well as on his time so far at the Sporting helm: "Only a lot of passion and faith brings that many fans out and the fact that so many were young people is promising for the future. The team has to fight to bring back the prestige of this club and that is what the president and board are working to do. It has been great here so far and I wasn't expecting us to be where we are right now. We were at the top of the league for a long time and I wasn't expecting that, because Benfica and FC Porto are really strong. It is all credit to the work we have been putting in, just like we did in the Europa League to come back from a bad start. The players deserve the credit, because they have shown that they believe they can win the league. We are on the right track, we have won back some of our pride and we are feeling what it is to be Sporting."

Sporting-Paços de Ferreira will kick-off at 20h00 on Tuesday, in Estádio José Alvalade.

Marvin Zeegelaar

Sporting Clube de Portugal - Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with the player Marvin Zeegelaar for a contract valid until 2020 and with a buy-out clause of 45,000,000.00€.

Sporting SAD wishes Marvin Zeegelaar the best of professional and personal success.

More than 8,000 fans donate 3,000 presents for children in need

Sporting's main squad were back on the training pitch this Saturday afternoon after the Christmas break, in a special session open to club Members and fans in Estádio José Alvalade. More than 8,000 turned out to cheer the players on, answering the club's call to bring along presents to be given to children in need.

It wasn't only the fans who were feeling in a charitable mood, with president Bruno de Carvalho and the players adding their own gifts to the more than 3,000 packed under the club's Christmas tree.

"We will do this again, because a lot of people need our support. We want to go into 2016 together, united. We know where we want to go and the fans will help us get there. I want to thank they players and the fans for everything they have done and the support they have given us", affirmed Bruno de Carvalho at the end of the day.

There was still time at the end of the day for Jorge Jesus to share a few words: "Thank you all for contributing to this cause. Five months ago I said there would be one more team fighting for the title. Today that is what we are doing."

Adrien on Sporting's loss in Madeira on Sunday

The Sporting skipper spoke briefly with the press after his side's loss in Madeira this weekend.

“It wasn't what we wanted and it wasn't what we worked to do. We deserved a lot better than a loss, but we were unlucky with our finishing. When a team finishes a game without conceding they deserve credit, but I think that it was more down to our finishing. Football can be like that, but we did everything we could. Unfortunately you don't always get the results that you deserve", said Adrien at the final whistle.