Sporting wants to grow with the task
In the group phase, Sporting managed to surprise, in addition to Ajax Amsterdam, Lisbon sat down against Borussia Dortmund and besiktas Istanbul through. And the matches against Manchester City on Tuesday and March 9 in England are coached by the team Ruben Amorin quite ambitious despite the clear starting position.
“I think they have the strongest team in the world, or at least one of the strongest. Then I thought, to get better, we have to face the best. We will play with this motivation“said Sporting striker Paulinho about the tough draw in the Champions League.
Prevent Guardiola’s big goal from being achieved with all his might
Especially with fighting power, Sporting wants to stand up to the almost overwhelming opponent. Already last weekend at the top game at FC Porto in the Portuguese league showed Lisbon that there is plenty of it, sometimes too much. Sporting were sent off three times at 2-2, two of them due to a fight at the end.
It’s not the fists that should decide against Manchester City, but the feet and heads of the Sporting players should prevent coach Pep Guardiola’s renewed plan to win the Champions League with the top English club. The 51-year-old was last able to do that with FC Barcelona, the lack of success in the premier class at FC Bayern and now at man city gnaws enormously at the Spaniard.
In the premier league it’s going well as usual, there are the “Citizens” as table leader (nine points ahead of FC Liverpool) before the fourth championship title in five years. Guardiola’s opposite Amorim wants to ensure that national successes remain.
Amorim on a road to success à la Mourinho?
In Portugal, the 37-year-old is believed to be able to pursue a career similar to that Jose Mourinho, who got his start at FC Porto on the biggest football stage and won the Champions League. In 2018 Amorim did an internship at “The Special One“But he doesn’t have Mourinho’s eccentricity, Amorim is considered more of an approachable coach than a buddy.
“The secret of our success is the team. We are very united. The environment is incredible. Amorim doesn’t let us down, he’s very competitive, motivates us and manages to prove to us with wins and videos that the secret is the team‘ Paulinho explained his coach’s approach.
Against Manchester Amorim, who led Sporting to their first championship title in 19 years last season, is facing his biggest international task to date around coaching grandmaster Guardiola. He and his team can be trusted to master them and Sporting to become a stumbling block for Manchester City.