Jorge Jesus talks with the press ahead of the weekend's visit to Rio Ave

A Sporting on par with the team that put three past Académica is what Jorge Jesus expects to see for Sunday’s visit to Rio Ave, on I Liga matchday 4.

Speaking with the press in the weekend’s pre-match press conference, the Alvalade boss affirmed: “Rio Ave are traditionally tough opposition. They are even harder to play against at home and they are well drilled by a coach who has been with them for a few years now. It will be a hard game, like they always are in the Portuguese league. Sporting will have to be up for it like we were in Coimbra if we are going to win the three points.

Asked if any tired legs are of concern following the international break, Jesus proved settled: “We have to be ready and the lads are used to it. The most important thing is that noone picked up an injury. Of course the players lose a bit of the routine we work on while they are away and some recover quicker than others, but that is obvious and I will take decisions based on that.”

With Sporting playing on Sunday evening, the Alvalade side have both the blessing and curse of already knowing this weekend’s other results. “We have made it clear that we want to be at the top of the league and to fight for the title. This is a risky game, but they all are. Our competition has already played and won, but that is going to happen a lot more times this season and it doesn’t worry me.”

Wilson Eduardo

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Sporting Clube de Braga, Futebol, SAD for the transfer of the player Wilson Eduardo, with Sporting SAD remaining with 45% of the player’s economic rights

Sporting SAD wishes Wilson Eduardo the best of personal and professional success.

Ramy Rabia

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Al-Ahly Cairo for the transfer of the player Ramy Rabia for a fee of 750,000.00€, with Sporting SAD also receiving 15% of a future transfer

Sporting SAD wishes Rabia the best of personal and professional success.

Diego Rubio

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol for the transfer of the player Diego Rubio, with Sporting SAD remaining with 70% of the player’s economic rights

Sporting SAD wishes Diego Rubio the best of personal and professional success.

Filipe Chaby

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Clube de Futebol União da Madeira SAD for the loan of the player Filipe Chaby until the end of the current season.

Sporting SAD wishes Filipe Chaby the best of personal and professional success.

Jorge Jesus on his side's win against Académica

Jorge Jesus proved satisfied with his side’s 3-1 win over Académica this Sunday, particularly after a difficult mid-week Champions League in Moscow.

“This game, like the one against Paços de Ferreira, was one that I thought would be dangerous because it was after a Champions League match in the middle of the week. Competitions like that always take a bit out of the players physically and psychologically, but we got over that hurdle and are still in in the top places in the league, which is important for me at the start of the season”, opened the Alvalade coach, adding: “It could have been an easier game, but once again the referee put our opponent back in the game with a penalty decision. We won the three points and that is all that matters. In this league no points are easy to win.”

Slimani was brought down in the area for what looked to be a clear penalty, but the afternoon’s referee, Bruno Esteves, waved away the appeals: “It is nothing to do with us complaining about persecution. What we are taking about are decisions which have been taken by referees which have gone against Sporting. I believe it isn’t intentional, but we still feel it. It is happening in almost every game, but it isn’t persecution.”

Sporting’s third goal of the evening was scored by Aquilani from the 12-yard spot, after Adrien had missed a penalty of his own shortly before. “We have several players who can score penalties and I pick who takes them. Adrien knows he is the priority, followed by Aquilani, Slimani and Teo, but with the pressure off missing, it was best that Aquilani took that one”, finished Jesus, commenting on the Italian being given the call up to the penalty spot instead of Adrien.

Ricardo Esgaio on Sporting's 3-1 win in Coimbra

Ricardo Esgaio made his 2015/16 I Liga debut this weekend, in Sporting’s 3-1 win over Académica.

“We started really strong and achieved our objective of getting the three points. We came into this after two hard results, but we did well today”, affirmed the young wing-back at the final whistle, adding: “We have to keep working hard the team. Everyone knows what Sporting has been going through right now, but we have to keep working hard.”

Assistant coach Raul José also met with the press, stepped in for Jorge Jesus after the Sporting coach was sent off just before half-time: “We started strong and quickly went two goals ahead, but the referee got Académica back into the game and we had to take a different approach in the second-half. It was an intense game, but the result could have been even more one-sided if it wasn’t for the penalty.”

Sporting beat Académica to climb into second

Strikes from Carlos Mané, Slimani and Aquilani gave Sporting a well-earned 3-1 win over Académica this Sunday evening moving Sporting up into second place in I Liga.

The game couldn’t have started better for Jorge Jesus’ side, when Carlos Mané escaped his marker after six minutes after being picked out by Adrien and calmly slotted past Lee. As expected, Sporting had possession completely under control and began steadily pegging Académica back into their defensive third. Another two opportunities to extend the lead came in the first quarter of an hour, first when Carrillo broke away down the right to set up a João Mário shot that the home keeper saved, before Jefferson scrapped paint off the post with a stringing effort from range.

A deserved second came in the 24th minute, when Carrillo again drove down the wing and put a ball across the middle for Slimani to smartly chip the Académica keeper and put Sporting two goals up.

With Sporting completely dominating the action, the hosts were given a lifeline three minutes after the half-hour mark when the referee signalled for a penalty against Adrien on Leandro Silva that Rabiola converted on. However, the goal did little to take the wind out of the Sporting sails and Ricardo Esgaio tested Lee in immediate response after taking advantage of a loose ball in the 18-yard box. The Académia keeper pulled off a half complete save, but Teo Gutiérrez was unable to keep the rebound on target. Just before the break Slimani was clearly brought crashing to the ground by João Real in the area, but the afternoon’s referee waved away a clear penalty appeal to start a sequence of events that saw Jorge Jesus sent off.

The second-half got underway with Sporting again testing their luck in attack, with Jefferson firing just high of the target from a free-kick. A third goal looked likely and João Mário could have obliged, but the Portuguese midfielder fired wired. Teo did everything right to put Sporting 3-1 ahead, but Lee made a brilliant stop to keep the difference down to just a single strike.

A battle for possession in midfield followed, but Académica’s spirited resistance finally broke in the 69th minute when Fernando Alexandre handballed for a penalty. Up stepped Adrien, but his usually calculated attempt was denied by the woodwork. Slimani was then pulled back by Fernando Alexande in the 18-yard box, this time with Aquilani called on to convert and secure the two-goal cushion.

Sporting will next be in action on the 13th of September, visiting Vila do Conde to take on Rio Ave.

Europa League gets underway in Alvalade on the 17th of September

Sporting will begin this year’s Europa League campaign with the hosting of Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow, in a 20h05 kick-off in Estádio José Alvalade, on the 17th of September.

Jorge Jesus’ side will finish the group stages with the reception of Besiktas on the 10th of December, also at 20h05.

Group H fixture list in full:
Matchday 1 (17/9, 20h05): SPORTING-Lokomotiv and Skënderbeu-Besiktas
Matchday 2 (1/10, 18h): Besiktas-SPORTING and Lokomotiv-Skënderbeu
Matchday 3 (22/10, 18h): SPORTING-Skënderbeu and Lokomotiv-Besiktas
Matchday 4 (5/11, 20h05): Skënderbeu-SPORTING and Besiktas-Lokomotiv
Matchday 5 (26/11, 18h): Besiktas-Skënderbeu and Lokomotiv-SPORTING
Matchday 6 (10/12, 20h05): Skënderbeu-Lokomotiv and SPORTING-Besiktas

Sporting drawn in Europa League Group H

Sporting has been given a tasking challenge in Europa League Group H, with encounters with Ricardo Quaresma’s Bresiktas, Lokomotiv Moscow and the Albanian side Skënderbeu awaiting.

Europa League draw in full:

Group A: Ajax, Celtic, Fenerbahce and Molde
Group B: Rubin Kazan, Liverpool, Bordeaux and Sion
Group C: B. Dortmund, PAOK, Krasnodar and Gabala
Group D: Napoli, Club Brugge, Legia Warsaw and Midtjylland
Group E: Villarreal, Viktoria Plzen, Rapid Viena and Dynamo Minsk
Group F: Marseilles, Sp. Braga, Slovan Liberec and Groningen
Group G: Dnipro, Lazio, Saint-Etiénne and Rosenborg
Group H: SPORTING, Besiktas, Lokomotiv Moscow and Skënderbeu
Group I: Basel, Fiorentina, Lech Poznan and Belenenses
Group J: Tottenham, Anderlecht, Monaco and Qarabag
Group K: Schalke 04, Apoel, Sparta Praga and Asteras Tripoli
Group L: Athl. Bilbao, AZ, Augsburg and Partizan Belgrade