João Matos rallies his team after Sunday's UEFA Futsal Cup loss

João Matos spoke with the Sporting Journal and Sporting TV at the final whistle in Almaty on Sunday, after his side missed out to Inter Movistar.

"It was a heavy result and maybe a bit humiliating for a final. We have to take responsibility for that. We didn't play well, our finishing was not up to scratch and various factors added to the score", affirmed the Sporting CP skipper, continuing: "We got here not just because of the quality we have in the squad, but because we stand together and are more like a family. This isn't the time for us to be unhappy with each other. We arrived here together and we will leave here together. Second place is better than third or forth and it just wasn't our day. Inter did really well and we were not as competent as we usually are."

João Matos looks ahead to the UEFA Futsal Cup Final Four semi-finals

Captain João Matos sat down with the press ahead of the UEFA Futsal Cup Final Four semi-final encounter with Gazprom-Ugra on Friday.

"I think it will be a well-balanced game between two really strong teams, but of course Ugra are the favourites and want to defend their title. We have our strengths and we will make is hard for them, but I think it will be decided in the detail", opened the Alvalade skipper, continuing: "We want to win this for our fans, but we have to take one step at a time. We are forty minutes away from the final and we will fight as hard as we can to make our fans and Portuguese football proud."

João Matos speaks with the press before taking off for Kazakhstan

João Matos was the player spoken to speak with journalists who had gathered ahead of Sporting CP's trip to Kazakhstan for the UEFA Cup Final Four.

As usual, the Alvalade veteran's expectations are high: "It is a privilege to take part in a competition at this level. It is an hour for Sporting CP and for Portuguese futsal to be in the Final Four again. Nerves will kick in a bit later of course, but that is normal. We have a week to work on the detail now and we are all looking forward to it."

Sporting CP will face Gazprom-Ugra Yugorsk in the semi-finals on Friday and although the Russians are the current UEFA Futsal Cup holders, Matos still sees his side as in with a chance: "This is Sporting CP's best team and we have a lot of quality in every position. We have our strengths, but we can't let emotion get the better of us. We have to keep our cool and that is what we are working on. I think we can get a good result against Ugra."

Alvalade veteran scores Portugal's 4th against Romania

João Matos netted Portugal's 4th goal against Romania this week, securing passage for the Futsal European Championships. Bruno Coelho also scored two, while Márcio also got his name on the scoresheet.

Jorge Braz's side actually only needed a draw, after winning their first two matches against Latvia (2-1) and Finland (5-1). Also on international duty where Sporting CP's André Sousa, Pedro Cary and Anilton.

Euro 2018 will be played from the 30th of January to the 10th of February 2018, in Slovenia.

João Matos, Anilton and André Sousa feature for Portugal

Jorge Braz announced his national futsal sqaud list for the coming Euro 2018 qualifiers against Latvia, Finland and Romania.

Portugal to take on Russia on the 27th and 29th of January

Jorge Braz has included three Sporting CP athletes in his squad for two coming friendlies against Russia.

Pedro Cary, João Matos and André Sousa are the three from Alvalade who will feature. 

Sporting's futsal department on the coming UEFA Futsal Cup Elite Round

The Odivelas Multiuse Arena will once again host the UEFA Futsal Cup Elite Round later this month, but despite what is now quite a tradition of Sporting CP organising the event, director Miguel Albuquerque was still caught by surprise: "the Final Four that we organised in the Meo Arena was considered as the best event ever by UEFA and that only makes us even more determined to carry on doing this kind of thing. I would like to see us put a bid in every time and UEFA trusts us because we are serious. Of course we want to win the competition, but we also want to put on a show."

Coach Nuno Dias also reflected this week on the coming challenge, highlighting the role of the fans: "The fans are really important and they know it. They know how important their support is for us and we hope to see that translate into success. We will be ready and the fans will get behind us."

Coach João Matos also took a moment to speak with the press about the competition, analysing Sporting CP0s opposition: "We really want to get into the Final Four and win it, but we hae to take it one step at a time. We will have some hard games in Odivelas against some good teams, but we are a strong side as well."

First-leg of FIFA Futsal World Cup play-off against Serbia

The Portuguese national futsal coach, Jorge Braz, has called a total of five Sporting players into his squad of 14 for the coming FIFA Futsal world Cup play-off against Serbia.

Paulinho, João Matos, Djô, Pedro Cary and Fábio Lima are the five who will take on their Serbian counterparts on the 22nd of March in Belgrade, before the return Lisbon on the 12th of April.

Squad in full:

Sporting CP: João Matos, Djô, Paulinho, Fábio Lima and Pedro Cary

Sp. Braga: Vítor Hugo and Tiago Brito

Fundão: Anílton

Benfica: Bebé, Fábio Cecílio and Bruno Coelho

Inter FS: Ricardinho and Cardinal

Axed Group Latina: Arnaldo

João Matos named for Ledman Liga Pro matchday 33

João Matos, 31, from the Viana do Castelo Football Association, will take charge of Sporting B's hosting of Famalicão, on Ledman Liga Pro matchday 33.

João Brito and João Pedro Morte will act as linesmen.

This will be the second time João Matos officiates a Sporting B match this season.

Sporting CP B-Famalicão will get underway at 15h00 on Saturday the 5th of Match, at the Sporting Academy.