Sporting CP 3 Athletic Club Bilbao 0

Sporting CP v Athletic Club Bilbao
Saturday July 27th, 2024
Estádio Jose Alvalade
Pre-season friendly

The warm up

Sporting return home to Lisboa from the Algarve to face La Liga’s Athletic Club in the annual Troféu Cinco Violinos. This will be the 12th edition of the competition first played in 2012. Last year Sporting won 3-0 against the fellow Spaniards Villarreal with goals coming from Edwards, Gonçalves and Paulinho. 

Named after the cinco violinos; Jesus Correia, Manuel Vasques, Albano, Fernando Peyroteo and José Travassos, this year's game will have an extra layer of poignancy as fans get the chance to say farewell to El Patrón Sebastian Coates before the club captain departs home to continue his career in his native Uruguay with Nacional. 

The two clubs have met competitively before, ironically back in 2012 when the Troféu was first played, when the Spanish side from Bilbao knocked Sporting out of the Europa League 4-3 on aggregate. The side is famous for its Basque roots and its squad is made up of players who were either born in the Basque country or who must have come through the academy at other Basque clubs. They're one of only three La Liga sides to have never been relegated from the Spanish top flight and have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years and finished last season in fifth place earning a spot to compete in this season's Europa League. Coached by Ernesto Valverde, this is his third time in charge of the club although he's maybe best known for his spell in charge of Barca before returning for this current stint in charge in June of 2022. 

I always get the impression that football fans outside of Portugal think Sporting fans are really precious when it comes to correcting them if people don't call the club by the correct name of Sporting Clube de Portugal. The reason is simply because it is as the name suggests - a sporting club. It encompasses a huge range of teams across a multitude of disciplines of which the football teams form a part. English football fans especially miss that point because football teams are merely that. They don't have basketball teams for example that play under the same moniker. I only mention this now because the same fans would maybe naturally assume that Athletic Club have an association with track and field and they would apparently be wrong. Unlike Sporting they do only have a football team. There's my huge first dose of irony out the way for the season. 

Athletic Club fans are probably as sick as Sportinguista's at seeing their star players linked with big money moves away from their clubs in the summer. Nico Williams is said to be wanted by the likes of Arsenal and Barca, who have also both been linked with our very own Gyökeres. I'd be more confident at our chances of keeping the Swedish international than Athletics chances of keeping Williams at the end of the window especially given the clubs insistence that his termination clause of €100m would have to be met despite what reports to the contrary may be circulating in England. The notion that Barca could come in for the Swede next summer are fanciful at best given their ongoing financial issues. The only way his price would go down is if his form dropped considerably over the next 12 months at which point interest would surely negate anyway so it's a Catch 22 at least where the Catalan club is concerned. As for Williams let's hope he stays where he is. He's clearly flourishing in Bilbao, he plays with his brother and is reportedly handsomely paid already. Reports are also circulating that Hjulmand will once again become the subject of interest for Manchester United but the Dane has expressed his desire to stay at Sporting and has accepted the role of club captain. Now I might be wrong but you'd not likely agree to the captaincy if you were thinking of moving on in the summer and stories may largely be a ploy from United to try force the price of Sporting old boy Manuel Ugarte to drop as PSG look to recoup their investment in the Uruguayan midfielder from last summer. In addition the club's stance is once again that the termination clause would have to be met for the midfielder which is set at €20m more than PSG reportedly want for Ugarte. I did rather enjoy one writer stating something along the lines of - and if United triggered the release clause there's nothing Sporting could do. Well forgive me if I'm wrong but the player could still turn round and say no and as I say he's gone on the record as saying he's looking to stay for this season at least. 

Still no news on a potential move back to the Premier League for Marcus Edwards. Crystal Palace seem the most likely suitors although a club in the Saudi league have also been linked. It appears he would prefer to move back to the Premier League. No offers either for the often lamented Ricardo Esgaio who is likely to play a greatly reduced role at the club if he stays with the hope that Fresneda starts to show why the club invested heavily in him last summer. Personally I'd keep him for this season at least given the amount of experience that has walked out the door in the summer already. They did it with Neto the last couple of seasons who rarely featured and you feel he must have been earning a considerable amount more than Esgaio does. He strikes me as a model professional and he can do a job defensively. We've not seen Fresneda prove himself yet out on the right. I don't care what someone can edit you into looking like in a ten minute highlights reel posted to YouTube. Prove it on the pitch. 

Team News

St Juste returns to the injury roster and will definitely miss tonight's game as will Nuno Santos. I doubt Sporting will be inviting Sevilla to play again anytime soon given they seemed hell bent on taking out the entire roster of Sporting's outfield players during the game. Diomande is suspended following his marching orders. We'll have to wait and see whether Gyökeres features. Much was made of his rehabilitation from his knee injury and him not training on the field only for him to play against Farense and score a hat-trick. 

In the markets

Sporting 2.00

Draw 3.50

Athletic Club 3.20

Team News 

Starting XI

Kovačević, Quaresma, Inácio, Debast, Geny, Hjulmand, Morita, Quenda, Trincão, Gonçalves and Gyökeres 

Substitutes

Israel, Pinto, Reis, Edwards, Essugo, Fresneda, Bragança, Fernandes, Muniz, Esgaio, Moreira, Ribeiro and Travassos

First Half 

Sporting substitutes have all come out wearing shirts that look like they were inspired by a pot of spilt green pesto. 

The name of Coates rings out from all four corners as Sportinguista's stand to applaud El Patrón as he hands over the captains armband to Hjulmand and bids farewell to his home for the last eight and a half years. If I could speak Portuguese I'd report what he said to the fans in attendance but I'm guessing it's thank you to the fans, the players, the coaching staff. The announcer finishes by saying his name to the crowd. What he should have done at that point is turned around and gone, yeah that's not how you say my surname. Sporting players will all wear the name of Coates on the back of their shirts. Should make my match report easier. 

Athletic get the game underway, Sporting will be attacking right to left. 

2 Sporting have started defending in a back four with Geny filling in the left back roll 

5 It's been all one way traffic the opening five minutes and it's not been Sporting's way. Gonçalves concedes a free kick two yards outside the right hand side of the area. It's laid off to Yuri who fires a shot high and wide of the left hand of Kovačević's goal 

8 Gyökeres is fouled by #5 wide left. Good position for Sporting. Gonçalves is over the ball. Keeper came to punch through a crowded penalty area. 

10 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Athletic Club 0 Gonçalves opens the scoring from 14 yards as he slots through the legs of the onrushing keeper. That came from a mistake on the halfway line. Quenda with a quick pass to Gyökeres who turned towards goal and spotted the onrushing Gonçalves and laid the ball perfectly into his path

11 Delectable first touch from Quenda who then drives on and strikes from 18 yards but the keeper had his near post covered. The youngster is clearly keen to impress. Big things are expected of him. I've seen him play several times last season for Sporting B and apart from one goal I can't say at any point I saw what all the fuss was about. That's not to suggest he's not a talent by the way just that I've not seen it yet. 

It’s worth repeating that it had all been Athletic Club up until the goal. 

15 Yellow shown to #10 for a pull on Quaresma on the half way line

15 Rasping low drive from Gyökeres 14 yards out on the right saved and out for a corner 

18 Cross in from the left wing cleared with a diving Inácio header. #12 just heads wide of the left post from the resulting corner. 

20 Free kick to Sporting for a foul on Trincão 30 yards out 

21 Gonçalves plays the ball to Quenda who loses his marker with a ridiculous turn of pace and finds Geny inside the area but he can't control his shot and fires wide. And I thought Geny was rapid. 

23 Athletic break from the right. Cross into the edge of the six yard box not properly cleared and #7 fires into the side netting to the relief Kovačević and his defence

24 Gyökeres is shown a yellow to whistles of displeasure from the home crowd. I'm guessing that was from remonstrating to the referee for not being awarded a free kick seconds earlier 

26 GOAL Athletic Club have the ball in the back of the net but offside given in the buildup. Looked the correct call but there was can't have been more than a couple of inches in it 

27 Trincão with a forwards challenge gives away a free kick 30 yards out. Poor free kick sails over everyone and out of play for a goal kick. Athletic are not out of this game by any means 

29 Wonderfully hit first time shot from 17 yards on the far right of the area by Williams brings out a good save low to the near post by Kovačević. 

31 Free kick awarded for a foul by #2 on Geny who had planted his feet and let the defenders weight take him over. Clever play that from the youngster 

32 Free kick from Gonçalves finds the head of Inácio who hits the bar, Quenda then hits the bar with a follow up shot and somehow it remains 1-0

35 Quenda finds Gyökeres whose shot is blocked. Good vision from the youngster can clearly play with his head up 

36 Hjulmand and Debast combine to clear the ball clear. The Dane has often been found screening the defence. Debast has looked very calm and assured in the first time I've seen him in a Sporting shirt. Sporting still defending with a back four.

39 Gyökeres appealed for a penalty, meanwhile the ball broke to Quenda whose low shot was cleared a yard off the line 

40 First time we've seen Geny with his dancing shoes on tonight as he just tries to take on one defender too many. Morita has been the man to drop back into the defence when Geny pushes forward. I don't imagine we'll see a flat back four in many games but it certainly helps to try out new formations in pre season.  

44 Morita penalised for a shirt pull on #12. Not sure why he was arguing there. Sporting clear the free kick into the box easily enough.

No additional time as the half time whistle blows. 

Half time 

Sporting CP 1 Athletic Club 0

A somewhat fortuitous opener sees Sporting go in at the break leading in what to the eye at least has been a balanced game between both sides. Thankfully we've not seen a repeat from the Spaniards of Sevilla’s game plan from the last game which was largely to just try to kick lumps out of our players. 

I might not have seen much from Quenda last season that impressed me but he's got his tail up tonight. He's got a bit of the Leão’s about him on the wing with that burst of pace which will bring about that flap, flap sound as the crowd gets to it's feet with anticipation and the chairs spring back upright. He almost makes Geny look slow. 

Nice to see Gyökeres back and looking sharp leading the line. He's lost none of us hunger and claims the assist. Sporting maybe struggling a little with the formation change. Athletic Club certainly haven't come to just make up the numbers tonight and had the ball in the net only to see the goal ruled out following a marginal offside decision. We did see Amorim talking to Fresneda towards the tail end of the first half so we may see the Spaniard at some point in the second half. 

Second Half 

Sporting come out dressed now all in white to start the second half. Fresneda replaces Geny. See I do pay attention sometimes to what's happening on and off the pitch. 

45 The numbers on the back of Sporting's shirts appear to be made up of the colours you find in the bottom of your child's pen box after the standard colours have all been used up. Still it doesn't look as bad as those shirts the substitutes are wearing. Green pesto vomit inspired shirt design is not something I'd choose to wear 

48 Pass from the left to the far edge of the six yard box finds Williams but he can only direct his shot out of play

50 Athletic Club getting closer as #7 can only aim his shot from 8 yards at Kovačević who smothers the ball 

52 Athletic close again as the ball in from Williams looks like it just missed its intended target in the centre and rolled all the way through finishing a couple of yards wide of the left hand post 

53 Gyökeres picks up the ball six yards outside of the box, pivots and beats his marker to make room for a shot from inside the D 19 yards out which is pushed behind for a corner. He's looked sharp tonight and shows no signs of the surgery on his left knee.

56 Kovačević forced into another save as #8 hits a shot on the turn from 17 yards. Sporting living a very charmed life. Athletic had by far the better of the opening ten and that's repeated here second half but importantly for now at least at remains Sporting CP 1 Athletic Club 0. 

58 Gyökeres night is done as he comes off to a huge round of applause to be replaced by Ribeiro. 

60 Trincão shoots from the edge of the area but it's deflected out for a corner 

61 The Athletic keeper has his defence to thank again as a goal ward bound shot is acrobatically cleared by the defender. 

62 Triple substitution from the visitors 

63 Ribeiro finds himself wide open but his shot from 16 yards was always climbing. Sporting need to take one of these chances 

64 Debast has been dispossessed a couple of times in and around the box now trying to play out. 

67 Kovačević for Israel, Hjulmand for Bragança, Quenda for Edwards, Inácio for Reis, Debast for Muniz. I think like Pokémon I've completed the set. 

73 More substitutions from the visitors. Williams comes off. He's played well up front for them tonight and you imagine the defence will have been happy to see him depart from the sidelines 

79 GOAL Sporting CP 2 Athletic Club 0. Driving run from inside his own half by Bragança to the edge of the 18 yard box, found Reis open on the left who cut the ball across the six yard box for Edwards to tap home. I'd be lying if I said that was coming but it was a goal much like the first that was owed to quick passing and thought of mind. Just a little reminder from the Englishman that he's not a busted flush. 

80 Morita for Fernandes 

82 GOAL Sporting CP 3 Athletic Club 0. Ribeiro picked the ball up inside the left of the 18 yard box, simple pass to Reis who squared it back to Trincão who was wide open and slotted it home for 3. Good finish from 10 yards because it still has to travel between two Athletic defenders. That was all started by Bragança running on from midfield. It took me 61 minutes to notice he was even playing against Sevilla and he's played a blinder since coming on and taking the captains armband tonight. 

85 Trincão effort deflected for a corner. 

86 Flick on headed goalwards saved by the keeper at his near post. Been a great five minutes from Sporting and has given the scoreline a shine it doesn't really deserve. Up until 5 minutes ago Athletic had been the club looking like they were most likely to score. You'll certainly take it though. 

88 Nearly one back for Athletic as a shot from 20 yards just flashes past Israel's right hand post 

90 Israel saved someone's blushes there as he saves from point blank range. 

Referee blows his whistle for final time with the clock on 91.

Full time 

Sporting CP 3 Athletic Club 0

The final word 

If you're reading this and didn't see the game then don't let the full-time scoreline fool you. On another night that could easily have ended in defeat. In truth Athletic Club were for the large part the better team but succumbed to some clinical finishing from Sporting. All three goals were owed to the quality of the team play in the build up. Maybe equally as importantly is just like last season the goals are being shared around the team which can only be a positive when the real football kicks off next week in the Supertaça against Porto. 

Wonderful cameos from Reis and Bragança who both had a hand in the second and third goals. Gyökeres was his useful impressive self and an hour in his legs is probably the most important thing of anything tonight. I was impressed by the calmness of Debast at the back but will caveat that statement by pointing out he was worryingly dispossessed twice before he was withdrawn but will give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe by that point it was down to a lack of match fitness. Fresneda did surprisingly well out on the left and regular readers will know I'm a huge fan of Reis and two assists won't have hurt his chances of selection ahead of the new season. Quenda couldn't quite repeat his efforts from the first half before he was taken off but for the first time I could see what the hype was about. Big night for Hjulmand as Coates passed over the captaincy. Maybe the occasion got to him a little but we can forgive him that and it was wonderful to see so many turn up to say thank you and goodbye to Coates. To fill his shoes will not be an easy task. 

Gonçalves scored but contributed very little. Similar story for Trincão who seemed to suddenly wake up in the final ten minutes. Really pleased for Edwards as well. I thought he was one of Sportings best players in the first 17 games of last season before he became an afterthought in the second half of the campaign. If that's his final appearance at least he's signing off with a goal. 

Athletic Club are clearly no mugs and it's not hard to envisage that Nico Williams would have been the missing piece of their jigsaw puzzle tonight but his brother led the line well up front and they'll be a force in La Liga I'm sure. Football is sometimes as simple as taking your chances and Sporting did that better tonight and that's the only difference between the two sides in a hard fought game. If football was scored like boxing the decision would have gone the Spanish sides way but happily for us this is football. 

So a lot of positives to be taken. A lot of headaches for Amorim but of the good kind. There are signs we can be competitive this season and that would meet my expectation levels right now. The neighbours will rightly start as title favourites despite us starting as Champions in case anyone had forgotten what happened in May. They have the biggest budget and money in Portugal is usually a heavy contributory factor in where the title ends up. The expectation for me is to do a better job of defending the title than the last time out although to be fair the football was a far better watch that following season than that which was played during the title winning season. We've some big boots to fill and experience has really been a massive factor in both title run-ins. If we lose Gyökeres during the summer transfer window or through injury then pardon my French but we are royally fucked. 

Man of the match after that ramble? I'll give it to Quenda for his opening 45 for the entertainment value. He's done what Geny did last pre-season and given Amorim something to think about. Whether he lives up to the hype is a question only time will answer. Much was made of Ryan Gauld's talents but we never saw it in a Sporting shirt. Podence fits that mould too and let's not forget Marcus Edwards who for all the fanfare in his youth in England had to come to Portugal to start to actually build a career and there's still the question mark hanging over his head. Quenda will do well to use him as an example, ignore the voices and keep on taking the opportunities when presented to him.