Sporting CP 1 Sport Lisboa e Benfica 1 Taça da Liga Final (5-6 penalties)

The warm up

I know it's a derby and not only a derby but the final of the Taça da Liga more commonly known as the Allianz Cup, but I'm going to start with the return of John Pear Tree to the fold. Having been relieved of his duties at the end of December after only eight games in charge of the first team, he's taken over his old role at Sporting B. Previously He oversaw a setup based on Amorim's preferred system of a 3-4-3 which allowed youth players an easier transition into the first team. With Rui Borges now playing with a preferred 4-4-2 it'll be interesting to see whether João Pereira is given free reign with the B side to coach as he sees fit. Secondly, do we imagine that if the appointment of Rui Borges doesn't work out whether somewhere down the line if Varandas was still president, whether he would choose to re-appoint him a second time? Presumably he now has the time at least to complete his requisite licence. I have to say for one that I'm pleased he's back where he was. Society for millennia has always needed a scapegoat and I felt he handled his departure with real dignity and was unfairly singled out in a lot of quarters as being the problem. The cracks had already appeared before his appointment, papered over by a winning record in the league that was never destined to continue even if Amorim hadn't departed for the shores of England. An experienced coach would have struggled with half the first team on the treatment table so a coach with no first team experience of top flight football was always really on a hiding to nothing in that situation if things didn't start based on fans expectations which at that juncture were sky high. Santa Clara in the league displayed his naivety whereas the thumping by Arsenal in comparison could just have easily come under the tenure of Amorim. The players' anxiety was there for all to see game after game. Was he threatening to give them extra homework if they lost? Did he take away their ketchup at meal times, make them sit on the naughty step? Maybe one day we'll find out. For now anyway as I say I'm happy he's back in a position he clearly feels comfortable in and ultimately a lot of the success of the youngsters who've come through into the first team in recent times will be down to the groundwork Pereira has put in and long may it continue. Welcome home João.

After weeks of saying we need a new goalkeeper it looks like I've gotten my wish. Imagine if the club management were taking my advice without me ever knowing. There's some idiot in England says we need a new goalkeeper, go and do as he says. I'm writing this on Thursday night so things aren't finalised yet but Rui Silva is expected in Portugal tomorrow to finalise his transfer from Real Betis where he's fallen out of favour having started the season as first choice under Manuel Pellegrini. The Portuguese international follows in the footsteps of Adán who switched from fellow Spanish club Atletico Madrid and we know how well that worked out so let's hope getting another keeper in from La Liga has good omens. Vladan Kovačević is the keeper most likely to depart in January with a loan move touted and Silva is expected to come straight in as the number one. 

Another player seemingly on his way is Iván Fresneda with Como muted as his lost likely destination in Serie A. Ironically that comes after his start in the Classico, a game in which I gave him my man of the match so at least he leaves having shown at least briefly what he is capable of achieving. At the tender age of 20 and now injury free you can't blame him for wanting to seek out regular first team football. You imagine if the deal didn't go through for any reason that Rui Borges wouldn't be overly disappointed having spoken well of the youngster in his press conferences. Is it a case that Sporting are having a purge with anyone with Russian sounding first names? Doubtful. Just saying though.

Rumours circulating of a bid from Olympiacos for Marcus Edwards. It has felt like the writing was on the wall for the Englishman for a while now especially after his three starts for Sporting under João Pereira didn't restart his career. With his contract ending in 2026, no renewal proposal on the table and no game time it really now does seem a case of when he goes rather than if. Rumours still abound surrounding a possible move from AC Milano for Trincão which my natural reaction to was horse shit. Edwards' future at Sporting would basically hinge on the Portuguese forwards departure. I can't help but feel that it's still all down to Barcelona having a 50% sell on clause in his current contract which is due to expire and they're desperately hoping that Jorge Mendes catches a bite on the end of his hook. The club have said all along that players will only leave for their termination clause this window although I suspect in Edward's case they'd maybe make an exception although a loan move is equally as possible if a string of decent performances put him back in the shop window. The problem there of course being a lack of game time means he's not going to be fully match fit and sharp and able to hit the ground running. If and when he goes it'll be a shame because on his day I'd rate him above Trincão so whether it's a question of consistency or temperament only the club staff will know. He's never been helped by whatever idiot compared him as a youngster to a certain Argentinian international. Maybe it's time for actual professional reporter's to stop using that reference. He'll ultimately end up the way of Ryan Gauld who came to the club with so much promise that was never fulfilled, though at least Edwards waa given far more opportunities than the young Scot was. 

Not content with pissing off fans of Vitória de Guimaraes for stealing their coach midway through the season, Sporting are set to double down with the signing of Alberto who according to his agent Miguel Pinho only wants to sign for Sporting despite bids from AS Roma and Brighton. The latter you imagine will be equally as pissed off as Vitória fans having lost out to Sporting in the summer for the services of Conrad Harder. 

So then onto the final…

Sporting's injury woes continue. Matheus Reis limped out early on in the semi final against Porto and Hidemasa Morita is set to miss Saturday's final having missed Thursday's training with a muscle injury. Gonçalo Inácio remember was fit enough to start on the bench but was an unused substitute on the night. Pedro Gonçalves must now be close to returning to full fitness but again he'll need to be reintroduced gradually to avoid a recurrence of his injury and for both players it will mean learning how they fit into a new system. Gonçalves to be fair has frequently played in the midfield when Sporting have been short on cover. Inácio however will rarely if ever have played in a flat back four. Whether he starts as the left sided centre back or left back we'd have to see. Well that's whether he starts at all. 

Rui Borges started life at Sporting with the 1-0 win in the derby. To have played and won both a derby and a classico in your first three games in charge is no mean feat. To win two derbies in your first four would really be an incredible achievement and to lift a trophy would surely be a pinch me moment for the mister however Benfica will of course have other ideas having swept aside Braga in Wednesdays other semi-final gaining revenge on their 2-1 defeat in the league over the weekend. This does mean that Sporting have had an extra 24 hours rest but that didn't really mean much when you factor in that Porto's game was abandoned prior to the semi final early on in the game as wasn't of benefit to them ultimately.  

I could write more about the dirty pigeons but it has only been a couple of weeks since I last wrote about them and since then all we've really learned is they're equally as fallible as Sporting and Porto having lost to us of course 1-0 and Braga 2-1 meaning they missed out on the chance to distance themselves at the top of the table for which now at least Sporting remain top of.

Sporting's Taça de Portugal opponents are now known. They face the winner of the Gil Vicente - Moirerense tie away and if they win that game would be home to either Rio Ave or SC Joao Ver. No, me neither. Rio Ave do have a phenomenal home record this season and are unbeaten in 8, so chances are if Sporting managed to progress to the semi finals I wouldn't have to do as much homework on the opposition though of course Gil Vicente held Sporting at home 0-0 and Moreirense beat us 2-1 at home so both would fancy their chances of reaching the semi finals themselves. 

In the markets 

Sporting 29/20

Draw 23/10

Benfica 15/8

Team News 

Starting XI 

Israel, Quaresma, Diomande, St Juste, Araújo, Geny, Hjulmand, Simões, Quenda, Gyökeres and Trincão 

Substitutes

Kovačević, Debast, Inácio, Fresneda, Harder, Esgaio, Brito, Justo and Moreira

With the early injury to Matheus Reis in the semi final and Gonçalo Inácio still not match fit its Araújo who gets the nod on the left of the four a role hes not fulfilled for Sporting since his summer transfer. Despite his key performance in the win Fresneda drops to the bench for Quaresma. Vitória claim that Alberto Costa us staying with the club, media in Portugal states that Juventus have joined the chase whilst his agent had claimed he only wanted the Sporting move. Three reminders as to why I normally avoid adding speculation into posts. I didn't mention the Greek guy once in the summer so apologies for anything in the intro. Lesson learned. Morita is replaced by Simões now newly turned 18. Otherwise as you were. 

On the bench Brito is joined by youngsters Justo and the return of Moreira whose not been seen around the first team for months now. This feels very much like a matchday squad that is starting to get down to the bare bones. It'll be a bigger triumph if we can get through a game without losing another body. Maybe some additional signings in the medical department wouldn't go amiss. You'd think Varandas as a doctor should have a decent feel for these things. 

First Half 

Sporting again in green, black and white horizontal stripes. Been a while since we've played in a different kit, poor old Nike must be almost bankrupt. The ball is delivered by drone in a square pizza box, seriously what the fuck. Benfica get us underway, Sporting will attack left to right in the opening 45. Certainly more atmosphere in 30 seconds than there was in 90 on Tuesday night. 

1 Kökcü shot from 20 yards deflected behind for a corner. That came from a poor clearance inside the box when under no pressure straight to the opposition player. 

3 Araújo it appears has been given licence to carry the ball upfield on the left hand side but made no attempt to get back into position. 

4 Quenda shot from 15 yards deflected off Otamendi for a corner. That came from a quick counter attack and the first real sign of an attacking threat from Sporting. 

6 Lovely intricate passing from Sporting in and around the box, pull back to Hjulmand unmarked 20 yards out who gets it all wrong and doesn't even get the shot away 

7 Di María strikes low from 25 yards but no real power or pace and Israel is easily down to save to his left 

7 Gyökeres set free down the right. His shot from a tight angle deflected for a corner. Corner in from the right punches clear straight to Araújo who tries a volley from 20 yards but is saved comfortably by Trubin

11 Kökcü tries from ten yards but blasts his effort high over the bar 

12 We've seen a very different opening 45 to the derby at the Alvalade. Sporting starting more as they finished, prepared to let Benfica have more of the ball and hit them on the counter 

13 Quenda fires in a shot from the left at the near post and Trubin blocks and out for a corner. The youngster is finding a lot of space out on that side so far and has been Sporting's best player in the opening exchanges 

14 Quenda it appears has been given licence to roam as he makes a challenge out wide right inside the Sporting half. It's nice to see him with some confidence back and prepared to take on his man again. He's really impressed me the past few weeks starting with the game against Vitória 

15 Di María angling for an NFL kicker spot for next season gets the extra points from 22 yards 

20 Israel down low to block a cross cum shot. I think that was more of an attempted pass to the back post by Araujo. Thankfully it fell to a Sporting defender 

22 Geny does his Fred Astaire routine, loses his marker and Otamendi has to come across to stop his advance. 

25 Spin and turn from Hjulmand, flicked the ball over the head of Kökcü before being cleaned out by Aursnes for his troubles

26 Huge cheer as Quaresma wins the ball back white left and carries to the half way line before inexplicably passing the ball to a Benfica player. He is sometimes away with the fairies that lad

27 Quaresma with his third sliding tackle of the first half blocks Schjelderup’s effort out for a corner. Christ his name looks like the dog ate the Scrabble letters at Christmas and threw them back up 

28 GOAL Sporting CP 0 Benfica 1. Having taken the piss out of his name twenty seconds precious karma bites as Schjelderup scores. He leaves Quaresma off balance making space to get his shot away past a diving Israel into the bottom right hand corner. Very well taken goal 

30 Quenda fires wide from 8 yards 

31 Araújo with no options cleverly knocks the ball off his marker for a Sporting corner. Benfica failed to clear their lines initially, Quenda with a clever nutmeg looks like he might have set something up but the ball broke to Benfica who ran all the way down the pitch and gained a corner from a Quaresma block

33 Header from four yards from Pavlidis goes wide of the right post. The Benfica fans certainly thought that had gone in from their reaction. Sporting need to wake up at the back 

35 Quaresma with a lung busting run down the right, collected the ball, cuts back in between two defenders and inexplicably blasts wide from 16 yards. That could have been a contender for goal of the season. Shades of Holland there. Not that he slipped that time but with glory beckoning he failed to score. That felt like an important moment.

37 Geny with a sliding challenge leaves his foot in and catches Carreras. That's a yellow all day long 

38 Schjelderup fires wide from 7 yards. That looked offside when he started his run but doesn't matter 

39 PENALTY as Luis catches Araújo. Actually replays suggest Araújo has run into Bah. Referee didn't hesitate and was right behind play but I think this will be the fourth penalty Sporting have had overturned this season. No looks like it stands. I think that's harsh but to be fair I'm not exactly complaining 

42 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Benfica 1. Gyökeres goes straight down the centre. Trubin gets his leg to it but it goes straight up into the roof of the net. That's number five of 2025 for the Swede. All square in the derby. 

Plus two shown 

+1 Professional foul from Schjelderup on Hjulmand goes unpunished other than a foul

+1 Araújo catches Otamendi under the chin and that's finally the first yellow of the game. Otamendi gets up and points to Araújo and makes a gesture with his elbow which is horse shit because he caught him with the lower part of his arm under the chin and the so called hard man went down like he was in WWE. 

Half time 

Sporting CP 1 Benfica 1 

I scoffed when Lage claimed his side deserved a point in the last derby at full time. If he was to say at half time his side deserved to go in winning and that the penalty was harsh I couldn't actually argue. There's always the danger of becoming to partisan and being desperate to live in an echo chamber so I'll avoid it where possible and give credit where it is due. 

It's just dawned on me that I've not even registered Trincão as having been on the pitch in the opening 45 minutes which is not a good indictment of a player's contribution is it. Unsurprisingly Gyökeres has been heavily marked this half when Sporting have tried to advance up the pitch but on the counter he has found space and made a nuisance of himself. Geny took his time to get into the game but has the beating of his marker as does Quenda wide left who has been the stand out player of the opening 45. Quaresma looks like he's not fully at the races tonight and you wonder if Rui Borges might well make a change and bring Fresneda on in his place. Whilst he has made several key challenges it was his mistake getting caught off balance which allows the opening goal. Let's not talk about his miss either though credit for the attacking prowess and the cut back inside the two defenders. 

At half time it really is anyone's game right now. 

Second Half 

Aktürkoğlu comes on for Benfica. Sporting as they did against Porto making their opponents wait for their arrival back onto the pitch. Rui Borges thinks he's the new Pep Guardiola. Sporting well get us underway. Roberto Martinez watching on in the stands presumably at no one from Sporting because we know despite being champions the national side are always adverse to playing Sporting players. 

46 Di María plays a free kick straight out for a goal kick. Pretty sure he's the highest paid player in Portugal still. Value for money 

46 Shout for handball against Simões. VAR checking. Referee says no. Not sure if it did hit the arm, the shoulder or if it came off his chest down onto the arm. Whichever it would have been harsh 

50 Really scrappy feel to this game now with a succession of fouls in the opening five minutes 

51 Quenda brought down by Araujo. This feels more like rugby than jogo bonito 

53 Trincão dummies the ball but sells his own man as the pass goes straight to a Benfica defender 

54 Araujo with the opening chance of the half heads wide and out for a Sporting goal kick

55 Gyökeres operating wide left cuts back for Simões who's shot from 16 yards is blocked. That needed to be the other way around 

56 They'll be sweeping up bits of Hjulmand at full time as the Dane is fouled again 

57 Gyökeres pops up wide right of the 18 yard box now. He's definitely having more of an influence second half 

57 Carreras shown the yellow as he shoves Hjulmand first and then Diomande who makes a meal of it. 

59 Quenda with an exquisite nutmeg through the legs of Aursnes. That was worth the entry fee alone. Sadly he overlooks the pass as he looked to find Araújo who had started the counter attack. We saw that twice against Vitória..sometimes he just needs to simplify things 

61 Double chance. Di María brings a diving save from 25 yards and then Pavlidis fires straight at the Uruguayan from 20 yards 

62 Quenda cut back from the by line, hit the defender and out for a corner. 

63 Geny with a left foot volley from 16 yards connects with the defender. Sporting appeal for a penalty but quickly waved away

64 Hjulmand with a sliding tackle to break up a Benfica counterattack. He's having another performance where he leads by example 

65 Pavlidis header deflects off the head of St Juste for a corner. Or maybe straight off the head of the Dutch defender. The reverse angle suggested something different to the forward one. 

66 Quaresma off with Fresneda taking his place. That's the right change in my book and not just because I wrote it at half time. Benfica have looked most dangerous attacking down the left flank. 

68 Good work from Fresneda, cuts the ball back across the six yard box but no Sporting player attacking the cross 

69 Quenda again with great footwork to make the space and overcooked his pass. Give me the full highlights and an editing package and I can make you believe he's a €100m player and hopeless quite easily in two different edits 

71 Sporting just starting to edge their noses ahead for the first time in this game. Benfica react with a double substitution . This does feel like next goal wins for either side 

73 Sporting defending with pretty much every player behind the ball other than Gyökeres when Benfica attack 

74 Kökcü blasts wide from 22 yards 

74 Quenda with another misplaced pass. You can literally applaud and slap him in equal measure tonight 

77 Corner Sporting. Araújo wills the fans to lift the atmosphere. Number nine of the game for Sporting. Be nice if we could actually employ a corner coach. Our set pieces are hopeless 

78 Harder and Debast being readied on the sidelines 

80 Simões and Geny make way for Debast and Harder 

81 Harder off to the races down the right. Tries from 22 yards and brings a save low to the left from Trubin. 

82 Renato Sanchez on for Benfica. If Di María isn't the highest paid player in Portugal then I think it could well be this man at his second spell with the club he made his name at before his career went the same way as Gelsons. Best remembered in the Premier League for passing to an advertising hoarding 

85 Hjulmand fouled again. He's going to be showing off his battle scars in the morning 

86 Assistant referee flies down the wing to stop a potential flash point with Bah. Great turn off pace from the official 

88 Neither side have that one bit of quality in the final third to make the difference. Does this go into extra time or penalties 

89 Di María goes down like Jenga in the box and Diomande kicks the ball off his back for a goal kick for good measure and screams at the Argentinian

Plus four shown 

+3 Trincão concedes a corner. Surely this is the last chance of the game. Please don't let lightning strike twice. Sporting head clear. 

Full time 

Sporting CP 1 Benfica 1 

Well if the opening 45 was quite entertaining to watch the second 45 has all the feel of a game of rugby and was frankly horrid on the eye. Literally nothing to separate the two sides. I'm presuming we're off to penalties. 

Penalties 

Lage stands in the circle of Benfica players delivering his final messages. Sporting look far more relaxed. Whether that's a good sign or not remains to be seen.

Hjulmand calls heads. It's tails. Who knew I could lip read Portuguese. 

Di María will take the first penalty. It's taking place at the end without the stand behind the goal. Israel goes left and the Argentinian calmly plants it down the centre. 0-1

Gyökeres fires into the left and sends Trubin right. Punches the air with delight. 1-1

Amoudini to take Israel goes the right way but well taken penalty goes into the left hand corner 1-2

Hjulmand steps up for Sporting. Sends Trubin to the left as he calmly slots the ball bottom right 2-2

Otamendi to take the third. Go on please miss. Fires into the bottom right sending Israel the wrong way. 2-3

Harder with Sporting's third. Pings it into the bottom right with a short run up past the outstretched Trubin. Great penalty 3-3

Aktürkoğlu with another great penalty makes it 3-4. Israel had no chance 

Araújo with the little stutter pops it bottom left and Trubin falls to his knees. 4-4

Renato Sanchez makes it 4-5. I think Israel got a hand to that in fairness though don't quote me. 

Debast puffs out his cheeks and slots it home like he's on the 18th at Augusta. 5-5

Israel sent totally the wrong way again. 5-6. Be helpful if they showed who was taking these penalties. Barreiro I think. 

Quenda straight down the centre puts Trubin on his knees again. He's got a career in a different industry if he wants it. 6-6

Luis pings it into the net. Israel pointed to his right and dived left and that's where he put the ball. Irony 6-7

Trincão goes low to the right and it's saved by Trubin. 6-7

The final word 

Sporting's final horror continues as they lose their third straight following defeats to Porto in the Taça de Portugal and Supertaça. Had that been a league game neither side could have complained at a point won but it is a final and someone had to win and penalties are let's face it a lottery. Out of the four domestic trophies on offer let's be fair if you were offered a win in one it's the league that matters most and Sporting for now are the reigning champions. 

Benfica shades the first half and I don't think there was anything to separate either team second half so on countback I'd not take any umbrage with their fans saying they just about deserved the win. Whether you want to say Trincão missed or Trubin saves the penalty it matters little. It summed up his night really in which he offered very little.

Retaining the league title is the thing that really remains the focus for Sporting. Whether that's possible remains to be seen but it's a possibility in the here and now and that's as much as we can hope for. Losing any derby is a bitter pill to swallow but the players have not let themselves down, they matched Benfica in all areas of the pitch. We need bodies whether that's returning players or new bodies. Last season it was around the end of February into early March when the fatigue really started to show so you hope lessons will have been learned a year on. 

Kudos to Fresneda who looked good again coming on for Quaresma. I thought he warranted a start based on his Porto performance and we'll see if that's his last game for Sporting based on whether Alberto Costa has actually decided to stay or that's a tactic from Vitória. Right now I'd be more than happy for him to remain. Getting a new keeper in is far more of a priority and I believe Rui Silva was having his medical earlier today. 

Araújo did surprisingly OK in the left back slot although he needs to work at his tracking back it has to be said. Diomande and St Juste continue to gel as a first choice centre back pairing. It's genuinely lovely to see the Dutchman have a run of games after so much misfortune during his time in Lisboa.

Hjulmand left it all out on the pitch and he must have been fouled in excess of a dozen times during the game. If I was Manchester City right now I think I'd be looking at this termination clause which I believe is around the €80m mark and paying it. I really believe he'd have no issues with the step up to the Premier League. 

Geovany Quenda looked a world beater at points tonight and the second coming of Michail Antonio in others. I think all through the game he was going to be my man of the match but three or four times his final ball just let him down time and time again over cooking the pass. Diomande looked solid in defence. Gyökeres was his usual aggressive handful up front. But I think the Dane gets it for his overall performance and the fact he had lumps taken out of him meant he literally left it out on the pitch. Start of the season he looked like he was liable to have a heart attack with the pressure of the captaincy weighing maybe a little too heavy with some of his heated reactions. He clearly wants to win but he's grown into the position immensely. Only once around minute 92 did you see him growl at the referee and quite rightly too many I add when a decision went against him when he clearly won the ball. So Hjulmand it is. 

Rio Ave away awaits with a 6pm kick off on Saturday. Sporting's players won't know what to do with themselves with all that time after the final whistle. Right now you imagine they'll all toddle off to bed early and get some well earned rest.