Jorge Jesus expecting a thriller against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night

Getting straight to the point in his pre-match press conference this Monday evening, ahead of the hosting of Borussia Dortmund on Champions League matchday 3, Jorge Jesus cast doubt on what would usually be his probable choice of Rúben Semedo: "He is still a bit limited, but we will look at him again tomorrow."

In relation to Tuesday's opposition, the Sporting boss is expecting a typical Champions League encounter: "The draw put us in a group with two of the competition's strongest teams. We have confidence in our ability and tomorrow could be crucial for who qualifies for the next round, but both teams have objectives past this match. Borussia are really strong in attack and I am sure we will see some goals tomorrow."

Speaking about what is a packed Dortmund medical room, Jorge Jesus cautioned against underestimating the German visitors. "Since the start of the season their strikers have been well above the average. They have a really strong squad with a coach that has his own style and that makes a difference. It will he hard, but the most important thing is the win, although a draw wouldn't be the end of the world. We are feeling confidence, like we were in Madrid", added Jesus, continuing on the tone of his side's memorable showing in the Spanish capital: "We have to praise Sporting for what we did there. We lost and we had a very good chance of getting some points from that match. We are facing another really strong team, but we want to repeat what we showed on matchday 1 tomorrow. It doesn't really matter if Dortmund are better than Real Madrid or now, what matters is that we are on the same level that we have been so far."

Asked about how he will be following the action, serving a suspension, Jesus noted: "The important decisions have already been made and I have my colleagues to decide what happens in specific moments of the match."

Jorge Jesus on Thursday's Portuguese Cup visit to Famalicão

Sporting will open this season's Portuguese Cup campaign with a visit to Famalicão on Thursday night. Although the team from the north hail from a lower division, they are a team with a strong tradition and good following.

“Famalicão have a long history in Portuguese football. They were in the top division for a few years and they have more fans than some of the clubs in the top division", said Jorge Jesus in an interview with Sporting TV on Wednesday, adding a word on his intentions going into the competition: "It doesn't matter who we play against, what matters is the competition. We will put out a good side tomorrow and we are getting better and better in attack."

"We have no idea how we let in three goals"

While congratulating Guimarães for coming back from three-nil down, Jorge Jesus considered the draw as a harsh reflection of his side's performance.

"We were a quality side for 75 minutes, with some really dynamic, quick and creative football. We scored three and everyone was probably expecting us to score four. Up until the penalty we controlled the match. It was us who played for the win, although Vit. Guimarães deserve merit for what they did in the final stages", said Jorge Jesus in his post-match conference, adding: "With tiredness hurting us we lost a bit of aggressiveness and we couldn't win the second balls. It was all Sporting for 75 minutes and we have no idea how we let in three goals. It is a shame, because we deserved to win. I congratulate Vit. Guimarães, because they believed they could get back into it."

Jorge Jesus looks ahead to Saturday's visit to Guimarães

Sporting will travel to Guimarães tomorrow for what is always a tricky encounter. While Sporting have been in blistering form, Vitória are having a solid start to the campaign, having tallied 10 points. 

Jorge Jesus proved well aware of the difficulties awaiting, but guaranteed that his team have done their homework in preparation to go for the three points: "We have to be as careful as possible when traveling to Guimarães. It is a hard stadium to go to and win, but we are ready for what they will throw at us. Our objective is the three points."

Gelson Martins was also an inevitable talking point in the day's press conference, after the youngster was given his first international senior cap. "Gelson had a great season last year and this year he is making a name for himself, but he still has a long way to go. He is a young lad who knows how good he is and right now he is the only player in Portugal who can bring magic, creativity, speed and the positioning he has learnt at Sporting. It won't be long before Rúben Semedo is called up as well", finished Jesus.

Jorge Jesus highlights the importance of coming encounters with Dortmund

"The win gives us a chance of qualifying, knowing that we are fighting against two really strong teams. Legia lost 6-0 and didn't look like a quality side in the first match, but that isn't true", said Jorge Jesus in his post-match press conference on Tuesday night, going on to analyse the encounter in further depth: "We scored in the first-half and managed the game in the second. In the Champions League there is no point chasing another goal. We were looking to keep possession and that takes aggression out of the game, which is normal."

Asked where he watched the game from, having been sent off against Real Madrid on matchday 1, Jesus revealed: "I spoke with Raúl José during training in the week and I told him everything I had to say. It is even harder to watch the game when you aren't on the bench. We will see on Saturday after Guimarães if the lads are tired, but obviously the added responsibility of these matches takes energy as well. "

In relation to Real Madrid's and Dortmund's draw, the Sporting coach affirmed that he would have preferred to see the points go to the Spanish capital: "If you asked me I would have preferred that Real Madrid had have won, because they will almost certainly qualify. The other place will be between Borussia and Sporting CP. Our next two games will be crucial for who qualifies, but we can't put Legia out of it yet. We are closer to Real Madrid and Dortmund now and the next two matches will be important."

Playfully asked what he thought of Slimani's strike for Leicester against FC Porto, Jesus finished: "Slimani did what he is used to doing which is scoring. He has grown a lot and he will continue to grow. He likes scoring against FC Porto and he did it again. I am not happy for him for scoring against FC Porto, but because he was my player. Whoever it is against I would be happy."

Jorge Jesus on Champions League matchday 2

Missing out in Real Madrid after such a brilliant performance was not easy for Jesus' team. However, the Sporting coach has had time to brush off the blow and prepare for Tuesday's hosting of Legia Warsaw in Alvalade.

"Legia are just as ambitious as we are and they think they can beat us. All we are thinking about is the three points. We know this will be a tough match against a really aggressive team who are quick on the break", opened the Alvalade coach in his pre-match press conference on Monday, adding a word on Polish football and Legia's loss to Dortmund on matchday 1: "The Polish league has evolved and the performances of the Polish national team is proof of that. A lot of good footballers have been produced in Poland and the match against Dortmund was not normal.

As for the Legia coach, Jacek Magiera, making his Champions League debut, Jesus had a light-hearted message of his own: "Obviously I hope that his first match doesn't go well and that he focuses more on Legia's next game in Poland."

Jorge Jesus praises his side's performance in Alvalade on Friday night

Jorge Jesus was understandably pleased with his side's 4-2 thrashing of Estoril on Friday night, although two last-minute Estoril goals could have been avoided.

"It was objective achieved for us and it was important to get the win. Losing always leaves you a bit shaken, but we made a really solid start in the first half an hour and it got easier in the second-half. It was looking really easy when we were 3-0 up, but we eased up a bit in defence", said Jesus in his post-match meeting with the press, adding: "Normally teams who work with me don't let in a lot of goals. We conceded two through a lack of intensity and discipline in defence."

Alvalade's new faces were also the focus of the Alvalade coach's analysis at the final whistle: "The lads who have arrived don't have the awareness or form of the others yet. You notice it a bit when we put the new lads in defence, but it has to be done. This is the same as the pre-season for three or four of the players."

Jorge Jesus more than aware of the difficulties posed by Friday's hosting of Estoril

After last week's slip up against Rio Ave (3-1), Jorge Jesus is confident that his side will be back in winning form this Friday against the visiting Estoril, on Liga NOS matchday 6.

"We are feeling confident going into the match, particularly with us being strong at home. Estoril are a hard team to play against for teams in Lisbon, but we will try to show the form we have been, especially at home, and if we do then we will be one step closer to getting the win. The objective is to get the three points", opened the Sporting boss, adding: "Every team is a reflection of its coach, both negatively and positively. Teams are the image of the person who leads them and we can't get away from that. Is there any coach that doesn't think that their team is the best? Of course I believe in my players.

Asked about any likely squad rotation, with a Champions League fixture awaiting next week, Jesus affirmed: "I have never been of the opinion that you shouldn't change a team just because it has won a match. I have never let that idea guide me. For me the most important thing is that we put the work in during the week and how the lads deal with that. A squad can always change based on what I think. Bruno César has been praised for various performances at left back, which wasn't where he played in Madrid. I said several times that if he doesn't play at left back then he he will play in another position. If there is any one of my players I am happy with then it is with him.

Despite Sporting having suffered two consecutive defeats, albeit one against Real Madrid, Jesus brushed off any suggestion of damage to his side's morale: "Of course it hurts whenever you lose. There is not such thing as a moral loss and losing against Rio Ave is the same as losing against Real Madrid. Of course it hurt us to lose in Vila do Conde and sometimes it can leave a mark, but sometimes it doesnt."

Jorge Jesus reflects on loss in Rio Ave

Jorge Jesus did not shy away from speaking with the press after his side's 3-1 loss on Sunday night, accepting that his side were outclassed by a determined Rio Ave side.

"Rio Ave deserve to win with what they did in the first-half. We didn't do what we really needed to do tonight. There is a lot of football still to play, but we were not prepared to concede three goals. We have to look at what happened and react, starting with a win on Friday", affirmed the Sporting coach, adding: "Honestly my players surprised me a lot more than Rio Ave's did. We are a well organised team, but you couldn't see that today and it isn't worth making excuses as to why. We struggled to keep up with Rio Ave on the counter attack. One of their defenders brought the ball all the way up to our area for their first goal and normally that wouldn't happen."

Recovering from such an exhausting trip to Madrid during the week, squad rotation was inevitable. "We brought in four fresh players, because the lads who played in Madrid were not up to it. We can speak about it all we want before the match, but sometimes it is hard to reset your focus. Now I will sit down with the lads and we will talk about what happened. We looked better in the second-half. Normally the teams that I work with are more effective, but today we have to give credit to Rio Ave."

Jorge Jesus expecting a strong Rio Ave on Sunday

Sporting CP will be back in domestic action this Sunday, facing a difficult trip to Rio Ave after a testing encounter against Real Madrid. For Jorge Jesus, his side have to now reset their sights on Liga NOS.

"Wednesday and tomorrow will be different stories. We have to fully focus on tomorrow. It is nice to hear people from the world of football praising us, particularly the Spanish press, but we have to keep our focus on Rio Ave now. Real Madrid defends one way and Rio Ave will defend another. We will have less space than we did on Wednesday. Every game in Vila do Conde is hard and this one will be as well", affirmed the Sporting coach, going to talk about how we is likely to manage his squad after such an exhausting visit to the Spanish capital: "The only way to manage the players to keep them at there best is to make a few changes here and there. We will train tomorrow as well and I will see how the lads are feeling. The players covered a lot of ground against Real Madrid, both physically and physiologically. Marvin and Bryan struggled to finish the match, so we will see."

Jesus also spoke about the two sending offs he has already received this season: "I think about everything involved in the game, but it would be hard for me to change. Its not me that's wrong, it is the bureaucracy involved in football. It seems like people want to change football into an opera, where we all have to be quiet. Football isn't like that, it is an emotionally charged sport. I am sure I will be sent off more, that is just how I am."