Lothar Matthaus - Forza Milan

Campeões, Campeões

I walked out onto the pitch after the Rio Ave match. The match had long since finished, but Sporting fans were still dancing in the stands in their thousands. The players were doing their seventeenth lap of honour around the pitch, and they couldn't contain their joy. I was completely out of energy, and I just looked around.

I walked to the centre-circle, and sat down amongst all the green and white confetti, and Sporting scarves that had been left by the pitch invasion from the Sporting fans, as a tribute to their heroes. I looked around at what was going on in the stadium. I could see Matias and Emiliano, our Argentine full-backs signing autographs for the younger fans. I could see Diego and Jeffren, our Spanish wingers, singing the praises of the club at the top of their voices. And most importantly I saw 40,000 delirious Sporting fans chanting one of their favourite songs.

"Eu sempre segui-lo
Onde quer que você vá, eu estarei lá
Só pra ver você
Para ver você vencer
Allez allez allez ohhhhhh
Allez allez allez ohhhhhh
Sporting allez
Você é minha fé"

I grinned as I listened, letting the sound of 40,000 voices singing in unison wash over me. I started to think about what I'd accomplished, and how it made me feel. I had started feeling bored with the country's league, I found it too easy. I had thought of leaving at the end of my contract in June, but I signed a new one, and now I realise why. Sporting aren't the biggest or the best of clubs now. That's obvious for all to see. But under me, the players and I could create something. A dynasty. With the young squad we have, there is massive potential to be one of the best teams in the world. Why would I leave this? There's success to be had here, and I want it to be ours. This is my team. This is my time! VAMOS SPORTING!!!

Congrats on the league win. A big achievement and I am sure there are many more to come, although that depends on your plans?

"Eu sempre segui-lo
Onde quer que você vá, eu estarei lá
Só pra ver você
Para ver você vencer
Allez allez allez ohhhhhh
Allez allez allez ohhhhhh
Sporting allez
Você é minha fé"


VAMOS SPORTING!

2013-02-01 22:08#79599 PaukerJ : "Eu sempre segui-lo
Onde quer que você vá, eu estarei lá
Só pra ver você
Para ver você vencer
Allez allez allez ohhhhhh
Allez allez allez ohhhhhh
Sporting allez
Você é minha fé"


VAMOS SPORTING!

Are you correcting my probably wrong Portuguese? How dare you?!

2013-02-01 22:06#79598 Jamesg237 : Congrats on the league win. A big achievement and I am sure there are many more to come, although that depends on your plans?

My plans are to stay

Matthaus’ Diary – Start of May 2013

Sporting (6) 3-0 (2) Atletico – UEL SF – 2.5.2013

Sporting (4-6-0): Patricio, Soares, Boulahrouz, Carrico, Rojo, Kara, Elias, Schaars, Carrillo, Pranjic, Capel

Subs Used: Insua for Boulahrouz (61), Rodriguez for Soares (65), Adrien for Schaars (70)

Injuries: Schaars (pulled hamstring, 3 weeks)

Goals: Carrillo (41), Pranjic (61), Capel (79)

MOTM: Carrillo (Sporting)

Porto 0-1 Sporting – Liga ZON Sagres – 5.5.2013

Sporting (5-3-2): Patricio, Rodriguez, Carrico, Boulahrouz, Rojo, Pranjic, Kara, Adrien, Elias, van Wolfswinkel, Rubio

Subs Used: Viola for Rubio (50)

Goals: van Wolfswinkel (pen 57)

MOTM: Rojo (Sporting)

Injury Update

Cedric Soares has suffered a strained wrist lifting weights in training, and will be treated by our physios, but will be out for 8-10 days. This means he is a major doubt for the Europa League final against Borussia Dortmund, and we have to do everything we can to protect Rodriguez.

Sporting 3-1 Moreirense – Liga ZON Sagres – 12.5.2013

Sporting (5-3-2): Boeck, Rodriguez, Xandao, Boulahrouz, Doria, Rojo, Kara, Adrien, Labyad, Viola, Rubio

Subs Used: van Wolfswinkel for Viola (62), Carrillo for Rubio (74), Insua for Labyad (79)

Goals: Rubio (pen 5), van Wolfswinkel (90), Ribeiro OG (90+3); Lopes (74)

MOTM: Xandao (Sporting)

Rodriguez must get back

Great work beating Porto and At Madrid, this is no small task. SPORTING ALLEZ!!

Incredible run
good luck for the finals, hope u win everything with Sporting

2013-02-02 00:10#79612 PaukerJ : Rodriguez must get back

He's fine thankfully

2013-02-02 00:11#79613 The FM Rookie : Great work beating Porto and At Madrid, this is no small task. SPORTING ALLEZ!!

I should be thanking you for the tactic!

2013-02-02 02:38#79624 Murtagh : Incredible run
good luck for the finals, hope u win everything with Sporting

I reckon at least a treble is mine, if not more this season.

Sporting v Dortmund - Europa League Final - 15.5.2013

We're here in Holland at the Amsterdam ArenA for this game between two massive clubs. Sporting Lisbon against Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League final. Sporting are slight favourites for this one, but we all know how good Dortmund are, and how poor Sporting's performances have been at times this season.

Sporting will be high in confidence following their league triumph, and wins over Atletico Madrid and Porto a couple of weeks ago, but they are facing a Dortmund side who are fresh from winning a third consecutive Bundesliga title. Whatever happens, this will be a tight affair.

The lineups for both teams:

Sporting (4-6-0): Patricio, Rodriguez, Boulahrouz, Carrico, Insua, Kara, Elias, Adrien, Carrillo, Pranjic, Capel

Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Kehl, Schmelzer, Gundogan, Bender, Reus, Gotze, Perisic, Hernandez

Two strong teams, so let's see how this pans out.

Commentary from Martin Tyler

1 min: Sporting get us underway here in Amsterdam.

8 min: Kehl heads the ball back into the box to Gotze on the penalty spot. He lays it off first time for PERISIC!!! Dortmund take the lead, and it's Ivan Perisic with the goal! 1-0 Dortmund.

15 min: Capel has the ball out at the left corner flag. He turns and crosses the ball in for PRANJIC!!! Sporting level the game against the run of play, and it's Pranjic, Sporting's Mr. Reliable! 1-1, and the game is back on!

15 min: Diego Rubio comes on for Pranjic in a tactical change as Sporting switch to a 4-2-3-1.

20 min: Reus has it out wide on the right. He plays a ball in for PERISIC!!! Dortmund re-take the lead, and it's Ivan Perisic with his second! 2-1 Dortmund!!!

HT: The ref blows the whistle for half-time, with Sporting 2-1 down. Two substitutions for Sporting at half-time, Jeffren replaces Capel, and Rojo takes the place of an injured Insua.

59 min: Adrien whips in the corner for KARA!!! Sporting level again, and it's Kara, who is always a threat in the air! 2-2, where do we go now?!

69 min: Rubio has the ball out near the left corner-flag. He plays the ball in low for CARRILLO!!!!! Sporting take the lead for the first time in the game, and it's their Peruvian hero, Andre Carrillo with the goal!!! 3-2 Sporting, and they are a mere 20 minutes from winning the trophy!!!

FT: THE REF BLOWS THE WHISTLE ON AN EXCITING EUROPEAN CLASH, AND SPORTING ARE THE EUROPA LEAGUE WINNERS!!! THE GREEN AND WHITE HALF OF THE STADIUM GOES CRAZY, AND THESE SCENES ARE SURELY ONES TO SAVOUR FOR YEARS TO COME!!! Full time from the Amsterdam ArenA: Dortmund 2 Sporting CP 3!

Manager's Press Interview

There's no greater feeling than winning a trophy, especially a European one. When we set off for our away game in Luzern back in August, I couldn't have dreamed we'd be the eventual winners of the competion, especially after getting Dortmund, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, in the final. We've now completed a treble, and still have a final to play in. Honestly I don't think there is any other club I'd rather be at right now.

absolutely brillaint Blue Europa League Winners 2012/13 good times

2013-02-02 10:29#79644 MarkKolatowicz : absolutely brillaint Blue Europa League Winners 2012/13 good times

Maybe the Champions League next year