Sporting CP: Welcome to the Jungle

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Jorge Jesus have been chosen by the GQ Magazine in Portugal, as the Sportsman of the Year.
This year Jorge Jesus won the Primeira Liga, as Benfica coach, taking the title for the second consecutive year. That as more value when one remembers that this year Porto have spent more money than any other portuguese club in one season.
Jorge Jesus also led Benfica to the win in the Taça da Liga, with Benfica.
After is departure to the other side of the Segunda Circular, Jorge Jesus embraced the project he as always loved: Sporting.
In his first official match as Sporting coach, he've beaten Benfica, in the Supercup by 3-2. The charismatic portuguese coach, have already played against his former team again, receiving and beating them by 3-0 in Alvalade.
After last year, Jesus beaten the most expensive portuguese team ever, Porto, can he do it again? This year, Porto, have beaten their own record of more expensive squad; one year later.
And can he take on Benfica, the 2-time-champions under his wing?
This questions will be answered throughout the season. But by now, Jorge Jesus leads the Primeira Liga, and have taken home the most prestigious award by GQ Portugal.

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In the interview for the magazine, Jorge Jesus demolishes the Benfica structure. - "Rui Costa is the only one who understands about football in Benfica's direction". "Benfica's future, wither passes throughout Rui Costa, or nobody."
After the interviewer questioned him about his possible arrogance, Jorge Jesus said: "Sometimes, maybe, it can look like I'm a little arrongant. But sometimes, I know I'm arrogant, when I want, to whom I want. Depends on the Moment. I have fun with it. I like confront, and as I like confront, people tend to transform that into arrogance. It's like saying to my adversary - Oh you want confront? Let's go then, I'm ready".

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Rui Patrício, João Pereira, Naldo, Balanta, Jonathan, William ( João Mário 72'),
Adrien ( Matheus 45'), Aquilani, Zivkovic, Bryan Ruiz ( Montero 69'), Teo

Goals

Hassan pen 68'

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Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Naldo, Balanta, Jefferson, William ( Paulista 73'), Adrien, João Mário, Zivkovic, Mané ( Matheus 68'), Teo ( Montero 68')

Goals

Mandzukic 5' 15' 24' 90'+1

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Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Ewerton, Balanta, Jefferson, William, Aquilani ( Matheus 64'), João Mário, Gelson, Bryan Ruiz ( Montero 64'), Teo ( Adrien 79')

Goals

Teo 73'

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Montero

Man of the Match

João Mário

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Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (b. 1985, February 5).
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Sporting with only 12 years. He would become the most famous example of the quality of Sporting's Academy.
In 2001/02, Sporting's coach László Bölöni, promoted Cristiano Ronaldo to the first team, in the pre-season Cristiano Ronaldo - or CR7 - played 5 games, scoring a goal on his debut against Atlético Madrid.
Although the talent was incredible, Sporting though it was best for him to play in the Youth team for another year. In this year, Sporting would have won the last Primeira Liga title until today.
The next year, it was inevitable. Cristiano Ronaldo had reached the first team of Sporting with 17 years of age, and made his debut in official matches against Internazionale, for a play-off of the Champions League. In this season CR7 would play 31 matches and score 5 goals for the Lions.
In the end of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo debuted for the Portuguese National Team, in a match against Kazakhstan.
In the day 6 of August, 2003, Ronaldo played for Sporting in the inagural game of the new Sporting's stadium - Estádio José Alvalade XXI - in a match against Manchester United. Sporting would win the game by 3-1, but it would lose one of it's greatest prospects.
After this game, Sir Alex Ferguson, that was already with the eye in Ronaldo, wanted him in Manchester in that moment. Manchester United completed a 15 M € transfer, and the 18-year-old prodigy went to England to continue his carreer.

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Cristiano Ronaldo played for 6 years at Manchester United. During this time he won:
- 3 Premier Leagues
- 1 Champions League
- 1 Club World Cup
- 1 FA Cup
- 2 League Cups
- 3 Community Shilds
Individually, he also thrived, and among many other awards, CR7 received a Ballon D'Or, one Puskas Award, he was chosen 4 times for the UEFA Team of the Year, won one European Golden Shoe.

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In 2009 Ronaldo transfered for Real Madrid in a 94M € transfer, which was a record at the time.
CR7 is now playing his 7th season with the Blancos shirt. During this time, he have won the La Liga once, the Copa del Rey twice, the Spanish Supercup once, and the Champions League one time, in a final against rivals Atlético Madrid, at Lisbon. He also won an European Supercup and a Club World Cup.
Individually he won a great number of awards, some of them include, 2 Ballon D'Or, 3 European Golden Shoe and UEFA Best player in Europe.

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In the last years, Cristiano Ronaldo have said to the portuguese media, that he wanted to become portuguese champion at Sporting. But that he doesn't know if that will ever happen.
He continues playing nowadays at Madrid, with still some more years to complete this great history of its own rights.
This is the story of a kid, who was born into poverty in a small portuguese island, and with effort, dedication and devotion, have reached glory. His ambition is always growing, and the first thing he does when he fails, is to try again, until he succeeds.
At the age of 15 he had a hearth problem, that could have let him out of the fields for life. But the surgery went well, and his preserverance was too much to be stopped like that. How different would be the world football history without this man?
CR7 is not just one of the greatest players of all time. He is a simbol - a simbol of dedication.
Not only inside the pitch he does his magic, but also outside. CR7 donates, every year, millions of euros to people who most need, and have been doing that for large years.

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Rights to WikiSporting, Wikipedia and Cristiano Ronaldo's official site.

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Centre back, Naldo, suffered an injury during a treining session after the match against Juventus, the worst of the season so far for Sporting. Naldo will be out of the competition for 7-9 weeks.
After the return to victorys by Sporting, against Vitória SC, bad things continued to happen. When the next match is very important, a game against Benfica for the Taça de Portugal, Sporting will be enable to have two more important players.
Alberto Aquilani got injury in a training session, in the preparation for the Derby, and has an estimate stoppage of 5 to 6 weeks.
Also, while representing Portugal Under-21, the talented winger, Gelson Martins, suffered an injury that will take him out of the fields for the next 3 weeks.
Sporting is on a bad streak, after the two centre backs Ewerton and Sambinha got injury, now Naldo follows them. Fortunately for the Lions, Ewerton have came back in the last game against Vitória SC, and have worked on his form throughout the 2 weeks of International break, he will be ready to get in for the next match. Duarte, from team B, will probably take the place on the bench.
The dutch press talks about the interest of the Lions in the centre back Vlaar, who've been without a club since July, and that Sporting might be already in negotiations to get him.
Slimani that was injuried last month, is rumoured to be ready for the next game against the Eagles. The Sporting's medical department haven't issued any news about his form, but the portuguese press are giving account of the recovery from the algerian striker.

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http://i66.tinypic.com/2yzg3dc.png Team

Rui Patrício, João Pereira, Ewerton, Balanta ( Bryan Ruiz 78'), Jefferson, William,
Adrien ( Slimani 49'), João Mário, Zivkovic ( Matheus 49'), Mané, Teo

Goals

Bryan Ruiz 85'. Jonas 42', Samaris 78', Djuricic 88'

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Teo

Missed Penalty

Bryan Ruiz 81'. Jonas 21'

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Rui Patrício, Esgaio, Ewerton, Balanta, Jefferson ( Jonathan 56'), William, Adrien,
Matheus ( Zivkovic 71'), Bryan Ruiz ( Mané 56'), Teo, Slimani

Goals

Oblak og 47', Teo 56', Zivkovic 77'. Torres 65', F.Luís 75'

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Teo, Matheus, Adrien

Missed Penalty

Adrien 71'. Torres 48'

Man of the Match

Teo

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Rui Patrício, João Pereira, Ewerton, Balanta, Jefferson, William ( Paulista 79'), João Mário, Zivkovic, Mané ( Matheus 63'), Teo ( Montero 54'), Slimani

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After the season of 1961/62, when Sporting have become portuguese champion, the Lions would have a much harder season in the next year.
They lost in the Champions League, in the second eliminatory against Dundee. After a hard 1-0 win in Lisbon, Sporting went to Scotland just to see themselves out of the competition after a 4-1 loss.
The Primeira Liga title, also flew away. The champions, lost their title to Benfica, and finished only in third place, 10 points behind the Lisbon rivals.
But it would be in the end of the season that Sporting would get a great win to launch them in the Road to Glory.
The Taça de Portugal, began with some easy eliminatories.
Sporting eliminated Oliveirense, on a 8-1 win in two legs. Eliminated Cova da Piedade with a 11-1, in two games, and 12-0 after two games against Atlético.
In the Quarter Finals, the Lions won 3-1, in the away game, against Lourenço Marques, and 4-2 at home. And they reached the Semi Finals, where they would play against the eternal rivals - Benfica.
The first game, at home, Sporting lost by 1-0. The task looked really hard now, they would need to win in Benfica's Stadium.
But in the day 23 of June, 1963, they did just that. With two goals by Figueiredo at the 45' and 48', the Lions were in the final of Taça de Portugal - the portuguese cup.
The final, in Estádio Nacional, was against Vitória SC. Sporting had already beaten them twice this season for the Primeira Liga.
Figueiredo scored the first for Sporting, at the 25th minute. Only in the second half more goals would come. Figueiredo scored again at the 70', to make the 2-0. 3 minuted later, the centre back, Lúcio, made the third. And at the 87', Mascarenhas would do the last goal of the match, fixing the final score into 4-0, for a clear victory by the Lions.
This was the 6th time Sporting had conquered the Taça de Portugal, and would put Sporting into the next season's Cup of Winner's Cup.
In the picture, Carvalho, the Sporting goalkeeper in that time, with the Cup.

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Rights to WikiSporting.

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(A) 0-1 Braga - Primeira Liga, Round 9

(A) 0-4 Juventus - Champions League, Group Stage

(H) 1-0 Vitória SC - Primeira Liga, Round 10

(H) 1-3 Benfica - Taça de Portugal, 4th Round

(A) 3-2 Atlético Madrid - Champions League, Group Stage

(A) 4-2 Boavista - Primeira Liga, Round 11

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Jorge Jesus was third in the Primeira Liga - Coach of the Month Award. With a loss, and 2 wins, Jorge Jesus makes 6 points out of 9 for the Lions this month. Dropping for the first time points in the Primeira Liga.

Slimani was also third in the Primeira Liga - Player of the Month. He only played the last match of the month, against Boavista, and scored one goal and assisted for another. He was chosen as the man of the match.

2 - Vitória SC, 22 Points
3 - Benfica, 20 Points
4 - Nacional, 19 Points
5 - Braga, 19 Points
6 - Porto, 19 Points

2 - Juventus, 7 Points
3 - Atlético Madrid, 6 Points
4 - Wolfsburg, 5 Points

The Taça da Liga is the Portuguese League Cup. The 16 remaining teams in the competition are divided into 4 groups of 4, and only the first get through for the Semi Finals.
Sporting will play against Académica, Oliveirense and Paços de Ferreira.
Taça da Liga was founded in 2007. In 8 editions until today, Sporting have never won it.
The Lions reached the final in the first two editions, and lost both in the penalty shoot-outs. One of them to Benfica, after a infamous penalty that nobody saw but the referee. This was the first time Benfica would win the competition, in the year before Jorge Jesus arrived to Estádio da Luz.
Since then, with Jesus, Benfica won it 5 times out of 6.

(H) vs Porto - Primeira Liga
(H) vs Wolfsburg - Champions League
(A) vs Nacional - Primeira Liga
(H) vs Moreirense - Primeira Liga
(A) vs Académica - Taça da Liga