Sporting CP 1 Villarreal 0

 

Sporting CP v Villarreal 

Friday July 25th

Estádio Nacional, Jamor

Troféu Cinco Violino

The warm up 

Sporting swap the Algarve for Jamor as they welcome old friends Villarreal for what is now becoming almost an annual pre-season friendly. With the José Alvalade pitch currently looking like a giant sand castle building competition, we return to the scene of Portugal's biggest crime of 2025 to date. Well that's how Benfica tell the story. The lions call it winning the Taça de Portugal. At stake the prestigious Troféu Cinco Violino. Perhaps Arsenal should launch their own equivalent one off game so their fans can remember what's it like to win a trophy because as we all know in Portugal whilst the Supertaça is counted, the Charity Shield certainly doesn't. Yes dear reader I'll be taking a swipe at the Gooners at every opportunity and yes that's what their fans liked to be called up until it became a sexual parlance for something entirely different. 

Big season in Spain last time around for the side they call El Submarino Amarillo (The Yellow Submarines) as they finished 5th level on points with Athletic Club with 70 a piece but unfortunately for them they were the club who missed out on the chance to play in this season's Champions League. Yes, those with sharp memories, we did play Athletic Club last July, the lions winning 3-0 and yes that was the Troféu Cinco Violino game. Is that what Elton John was singing about in the Circle of life? No? Oh my bad. Villarreal do however take their nickname from the Beatles song apparently adopted one, because they play in yellow shirts and two, apparently someone was playing the record on a terrace during the game. Did fans take record players to games in the 1960s? I mean you could hide a flare down your trousers but that's a 12 inch of a different sort. No the record. Get your mind out of the gutter. 

Busy summer for the submarines in the transfer window but it appears someone pulled the plug out of the bath as a flood of players have left and so far very few names coming back in for the fans to enjoy. Thierno Barry the big name departure for Everton in a £25m deal because as everyone knows the Toffees do love a Barry. Or maybe they love a Gareth but Bale said no to their advances? Thiago Ajeda to Cultural Leonesa (nope me neither), Álex Baena to Atlético Madrid, Kiko to Getafe and Ramon Terrats to Espanyol. Fuck, shit, bollocks. Oh no wait my bad, that's Tourettes. Eric Bailly and Raul Allibol released as free agents, Carlos Romero again to Espanyol and Andrés Ferrari to St.Truiden. £2.1m for a 22 year old Ferrari seems about right to me. 

Incoming CB Rafa Marín from Serie A champions Napoli on loan and LW Alberto Moleiro from Las Palmas for £13m. Yes eagle eyed readers the same Las Palmas where we parked Essugo and made Chelsea think they were buying a Bentley. Ask any Sporting fan what they think of the youngsters talents and we can't tell you because all we saw of him was having a good cry on the pitch and nothing to suggest he'd end up in the Premier League. 

I'm imagining with La Liga's cost controls and failure to qualify for the Champions League has accounted for the exodus of players. I say cost controls. If you've time to walk me through how they seem to not fully apply to Barcelona on an annual basis I'm more than happy to listen to you do the maths for me. 

2023/24 season Villarreal finished 8th outside the European places on 53 points with 14 wins, 11 draws and 13 defeats. GF and GA a level 65. Fast forward 12 months and 5th place was an improvement of 17 points with a record of 20 wins, 10 draws and just 8 losses which for me is incredible for a club of their size. The Estádio de la Cerámica has a capacity of just 23,008 so that's not me being sniffy. My Spanish is as great as my Portuguese which is to say not at all. Does their stadium name equate to potteries and ceramics and if so does that make them the Spanish Stoke City? Might do. Someone will be stupid enough to Google it. Top scorer last season was Ayoze Pérez with 19 goals which seems a smart bit of business considering they paid €4m to take him from Real Betis. 

They feel like relative babies in footballing terms at the age of 102 but being founded in 1923 does feel a little late to the party. The lions founded in 1906 by way of comparison. 

As mentioned in the opening, the lions do like to play with their nautical Spanish counterparts in pre-season. The last meeting came in July 2023 which Sporting won 3-0 with goals from Edwards, Gonçalves and Paulinho. Oh so Pote does know where the ball goes in pre season, he just needs reminding not to continually hook it into the stands. Maybe it's the Algarve heat. 

July 2022 finishes 1-1 and wouldn't you know it Gonçalves with the only goal for Sporting. OK maybe we all pile in and take him to score anytime on Friday. 

2016 and the sides finished 0-0 with Villarreal winning 4-3 on penalties. OK so maybe I embellished when I said it's like we almost play them annually in pre-season. Transpires when I put on my glasses two of those games listed were actual competitive games. February 2019 saw a two legged knockout tie in the Europa League. The submarines left the José Alvalade with a 1-0 lead and despite a Bruno Fernandes goal on the stroke of half time in Spain levelling the tie at 1-1, the Lions were reduced to ten men on 50 minutes and finally succumbed to a Pablo Fornals goal 10 minutes from time to put them through 2-1 on aggregate for anyone who hates all maths, even the most basic of calculations. De Nada which I believe is the same in Portuguese and Spanish. They'll be calling me Dua Linga at this rate dear reader. 

One pre-season game for them so far and another tonight, that being Tuesday as I type. 3-3 the scoreline away to Basel. Pérez once more against the goals, Danjumma with an 88th minute winner and a good reminder to me he's not Dan Jumma. An own goal making up the third goalscorer. <TBD> flying for Basel with a brace. Maybe he's a cousin to trialist? 

*St. Gallen today's opponents by the way who do at least put a space in between the St. And the club name. Maybe it's a Belgium thing. 

For those who enjoy a good coincidence and Arsenal bashing at the same time, Villarreal is now home to Nicolas Pépé, the one time record Gooners transfer who they spunked £72m on and who they then let go on a free transfer. Clearly someone had no issues waving the chequebook back then compared to now. 

Oh Danjumma’s first name is Arnaut which where I'm from spoken in the local dialect most would call farmer would sound very much like the Harry Enfield character that went I know. Or was it on the Mary Whitehouse experience? Bugger me don't get old people it's not all it's cracked up to be. Oh wait, was it in the BBC Broom Cupboard? Beat the Anarok. Well done brain for their eventually. If only I had a sub editor that would hit delete for me. Just like A Bola needing a sub editor when they confirmed Sporting had required the remaining 90% of Geny Catamo’s rights for a staggering world record fee of €2.25 BILLION. You'd think the rest of the world's media might have picked up on that. You had one job… ONE JOB! Smooth segue though no? Confused? Well not as confused as a lot of people commenting on the possible transfer of Luis Suárez to the lions with one even going as far as to helpfully add a photo of the Inter Miami player despite having typed Almería in the body text. Still it made me chuckle. 

So two pre-season games in for Sporting. I'm not counting the two behind closed doors because if I didn't see it with my own eyes it doesn't count. The 2-0 loss to Celtic followed up with a 1-0 win against Sunderland last night with a goal from Trincão from a Conrad Harder assist. The mister Rui Borges is still experimenting with formations with the Villarreal game and the Supertaça against the neighbours before the season starts for real. The lions still in the market for a right back and presumably a new forward if we ever sell the Swedish Voldemort. 

I'm guessing no more two pre-season games in one day so the lions should field a full strength first XI for this game which should give us a better indication of how we will lineup in the season opener away to Casa Pia.

* 2-2 the final result for the Yellow Submarines. Eyong equalising for the Spanish side with 14 minutes remaining only to fall behind again before Comesana equalised with one minute of normal time remaining. After 10 goals in two outings let's hope for an equally entertaining game Friday night.

Transfer News 

Ligue 1 Lyon have confirmed the signing of Afonso Moreira in a €2m deal. Franco Israel just awaiting on his paperwork to be signed as the new goalkeeper for Serie A side Torino in a deal for €4.5m. Sporting set to retain a 50% sell on within the contract. I'd suggest that's as valuable as when Felipe Anderson signed from West Ham to Lazio with the same condition only to see him leave on a free down the line. Having been told by his parent club Panathinaikos that a transfer to the lions was off the cards until the Champions League qualifiers against Rangers had been played, Giorgos Vagiannidis took matters into his own hands last night in the first leg at Ibrox and got himself sent off. Not as dramatic as dumping your girlfriend and going on strike but it may prove effective. We'll watch this space. 

In the markets

Sporting CP 21/20

Draw 29/10

Villarreal 2/1

Team News

Starting XI

Virgínia, Fresneda, Diomande, Inácio, Reis, Hjulmand, Morita, Geny, Gonçalves, Trincão and Harder 

Substitutes 

Calai, F. Silva, St. Juste, Debast, Quenda, Kochorashvili Alisson, D. Moreira, Esgaio, Simões, Rayan Lucas, Quaresma, Mendonça, Ribeiro and D Travassos.

From the side that started the side that started in the midweek win against Sunderland a change in goal as new signing Virgínia replaces Rui Silva who isn't even named amongst the substitutes. Fresneda replaces Quaresma and Geny in for Quenda. 

Villarreal 

1 Junior

2 Marín

4 Navarro

5 Nambwala

7 Gerard

10 Pereio 

18 Gueye

19 Pepe

21 Yeremy

24 Pedraza

29 Eyong 

First Half

Sporting back in a more traditional green and white horizontal striped kit attack right to left in the opening 45. Technical difficulties my end so apologies for a lack of details in the opening minutes. 

7 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Villarreal 0. Hjulmand with the penalty duties calmly slots home into the bottom right hand corner. 

9 Junior rushes way outside his box to clear the ball into the stand to negate Harder's run down the left wing 

12 Sporting sat in a defensive 3 with Hjulmand screening centrally once more. 

13 Replays showing Virgínia saving low to his left from a Villarreal shot outside the box 

16 Reis with a drag back and flick with the instep draws a foul for Sporting. 

17 Hjulmand finds Geny wide on the right who beats his marker but his cross is beaten away by Junior to safety

18 Fast counter attack from Sporting. Trincão set free Fresneda on the right who was looking for Harder in the centre but his cross cut out by Junior again. Both Geny and Fresneda have attacked the same spade in the last couple of minutes 

20 Yellow Reis. Replay wasn't conclusive and I can't speak Portuguese. Possible handball

20 Yellow Yeremy for a foul on Hjulmand from behind 

21 Geny dances round his marker and feels he's fouled inside the box with a shove to the back but the referee unmoved 

21 Virgínia quickly off his line to smother the ball as Villarreal looked to attack centrally 

23 Referee stops play as Gonçalves lays on the ground. Clash of knees with Pepe. No malice from the Villarreal forward and the free kick wasn't awarded at the time 

25 Virgínia out of his area to clear twice in the last minute. Villarreal like Sporting concentrating their attacks very much on the right wing.

25 Drinks break because of the heat. Replays in the meantime of the opening goal. Hjulmand sat the keeper down before he even struck the ball. Interesting to see if he's given responsibility over Gonçalves who was originally designated penalty taker

28 Poor first touch from Trincão gave away possession in the attacking third 

28 Hjulmand catches the heal of Yeremy who appeared from nowhere as the Dane was about to strike the ball. Shades of St Juste for the penalty against Sunderland 

29 Virgínia once more alert to the danger on the far left of his area and smothers the ball to stop another Spanish attack. Brave stop at the door of the attacker. 

31 When Hjulmand goes forward we see that transition at the back again with the three central defenders and one man pushing slightly forwards to cover the back line. This time it was Diomande shielding with Inácio centrally and Fresneda and Reis wide. We saw this in the Sunderland game throughout 

33 Villarreal defending with a tight 4-3-2 crammed into a space of no more than 15 yards. Corner Sporting far side 

33 Neat play from the visitors as they pass their way out from their area into the Sporting half. 

34 The Spaniards in possession for close on a minute. Play finally broken up as the ball put out for a throw. 

36 It's like someone has switched a flick on for the Spanish side who've enjoyed their best couple of minutes in the first half. They've gone from defending to having the majority of possession and Sporting on the back door 

32 Junior replaced in goal for Villarreal by Gómez. Strange substitution. Not sure if he was carrying a knock 

38 Yellow Eyong for a foul on Inácio who looks like he made a meal of that challenge by his reaction. He clutches the top of his foot like he dropped a piano on it. Eyong stands looking perplexed at why the referee shows the yellow to him 

39 Villarreal pack their central area in the box again and clear another cross. All too easy for the visitors with so many numbers behind the ball

40 Header over the bar from six yards by Eyong who got that all wrong. You could see he was trying to get the power behind the effort but it went up and over 

41 Reis manages to jump out of the way of a challenge by Navarro whose fortunate he didn't make contact 

42 Trincão with a burst of pace loses his marker and found Harder whose header from 8 yards is straight into a Villarreal defender 

43 Yellow Harder. Pereio goes down under a challenge from the Dane and is then laying on top the ball and the youngster tries to kick it free twice. 

44 Yellow Navarro for going through the back of Harder on the touchline. 

45 Gonçalves last man back draws a foul from Eyong which is probably fortunate because I'm not sure he'd have won a foot race there 

Plus two indicated

+1 It takes three men to stop Trincão in the area. He beat the first but ran into a wall 

+2 Poor pass from Gonçalves as the ball goes straight to Gómez in the Villarreal goal. 

+2 Geny with 5 yellow shirts around him gets a shot away from 15 yards which goes wide of the left hand post. He's looked so more effective on the right than Quenda did midweek 

Half time 

Sporting CP 1 Villarreal 0

I'll assume apart from the replay I did see of a strike outside the box saved by Virgínia that the visitors didn't have any clear cut chances before then. On the basis of the 41 minutes I did manage to watch the lions just shading it. I've now watched the penalty award for the first time. Can I tell you what it was given for having seen it from all angles? Honestly? No. I don't think there was a suspicion of handball as Gonçalves ball on the edge of the area found Harder. There's the slightest contact on the Dane but he doesn't go down from it but rather a second or two later. My litmus test always would I be pissed if we had it awarded against us and the answer would be yes. 

Plenty of needle from both sides. We've barely seen a yellow in the games against Celtic and Sunderland but the referee has been busy in the opening 45.

Hjulmand again thriving in his new role defensively and offensively. Virgínia looks way more comfortable than I ever remember him when he last played for Sporting. Gonçalves has been a virtual passenger again this half for the third game on the trot. Harder needs to watch his reactions to everything. He's a lot of learning and growing up to do. 

Second Half 

Debast set to come on. He's in the new black kit so either Sporting are about to come out in different colours or he's going to have to do a Superman.

Villarreal out with the lions nowhere to be seen. Four players on the sidelines for the Yellow Submarines waiting to come on. 

The Sporting subs first out. You'd hate to be their kitman with them dressed in green shirts, black shirts with pink bibs. Finally Sporting back out and indeed a change of kit into all black. Despite the club stating Kocho was amongst the subs prior to kick off he's sat out of training kit with Araújo, Nuno Santos, Bragança, Calai and Silva. So three kits to sort and wash later. Hardly an eco friendly club are we? 

Villarreal start the half kicking the ball back to Gómez. Pepe and Moreno amongst those off for the visitors who looked two of their better players in the opening 45. Debast on for Diomande. 

46 Debast clears a goal bound header from the corner of the six yard box. 

47 Entran Foyth, S. Cardona, Cabanes and A. Moleiro the players on for the visitors. Thank you Villarreal admin and copy and paste function. Squad numbers would have been handy. Can't have it all. 

48 Reis block inside the box breaks down another attack 

48 POST Snap shot from 8 yards by Eyong rattles the post. It's been all Villarreal in the opening exchanges 

49 Change of kit and a change of system to a central back four for the lions with an extra man on the flank trying to cut out crosses. That's a technical breakdown of saying backs to the wall 

50 Virgínia goes long trying to find Harder but the ball comes straight back. 

51 Turn and shot from #20 Moliero 12 yards out and the ball goes a wide yard of Virgínia's

right hand post. Lions hanging on

52 Quenda stripped and ready to come on 

52 #3 Concedes a free kick for a foul on halfway against Harder. The lions punting long from keeper to Harder. The Dane with no support. It's like watching Allardyce football at West Ham with Harder the new Andy Carroll 

54 ➡️⬅️ Quenda and St Juste on. Inácio and Gonçalves make way 

57 12 minutes into the half and the lions have offered the sum total of fuck and all. 

57 #33 causing all sorts of problems on the right wing, disguised pass into the box. Shot with the outside of the boot goes well wide. Another let off for the lions

59 #33 At the heart of it again sees his shot go behind for a goal kick. He's the difference maker since he came on for the yellow submarines. An equaliser doesn't look far away as it stands 

60 Quenda fouled 25 yards out. It's every man back apart from Harder still 

61 Harder fouled 30 yards from goal. Sporting need some quality from this free kick. Quenda finds the head of a Villarreal defender. Corner Sporting. Waste of both set pieces 

62 Sporting again guilty of conceding possession in the centre. It's like the players are deliberately trying to deliver the mister a message that we don't like this system 

65 Geny concedes a free kick wide left with a sliding tackle. 

66 Allison and Quaresma ready to come on 

66 Sporting defend the free kick. Throw in far side. Lions will wait to make their changes until the danger passes 

67 I'm trying to remember the last time we played as badly as this discounting European games. Probably under João Pereira domestically or maybe in the 2-2 Clássico when we went in 2-0 down at half time. To be fair to John Pear Tree we weren't this bad offensively 

68 Eyong off in a number of substitutions for the visitors. He's come closest to equalising this half with his shot onto the post 

69 ➡️⬅️ Geny, Fresneda, Reis off. Quaresma, Esgaio and Allison on. Sporting in no hurry eeking out time with their changes. 

70 Game finally back underway. Danjumma amongst those on for Villarreal 

71 Harder now with a man either side, Allison left and Trincão right. He's cut a lone frustrated figure for the opening 26

72 I'm hoping we've no extra time and straight to penalties if they equalise. I can't watch any more of this than necessary 

73 Virgínia dives at the feet of #9 to keep the scores level

74 Hjulmand currently one of the two central defenders. I'm guessing that's the fluidity aspect Borges is trying to introduce

76 There's an irony that my anxiety was through the roof trying to find a feed to watch this game and on this showing second half I'm gutted I found one

77 Theirno Barry on? I thought he'd signed for Everton? 

77 Quenda with a first touch like a trampoline. 

77 Morita off for Simões, Rayan Lucas for Trincão and Harder for Ribeiro

79 Quenda dispossessed and Debast clears to save the youngsters blushes 

80 Clumsy late challenge by Rayan penalised in midfield 

81 Quenda dispossessed again. Quick counter attack. #33 shanks it high behind goal from 15 yards 

82 Close up on back of shirt of Ryan Lucas. Which is right Rayan or Ryan? 

83 Esgaio takes a lump out of #33. Has he started dying his hair? 

84 Lucas blocks a shot from wide right by #33 and out for a corner 

84 Debast down clutching his leg. Is there a fire drill? Hundreds of fans had enough and making for the exit. I don't blame them. Far better things to do on a Friday night than watch this shit 

86 Allison cross from the left into the centre just misses its target. That's about the first thing of note for Sporting in this half 

88 Sporting playing keep ball at the back. A lot of time to be added on for substitutions 

88 Inácio's face watching on is how we all feel. Bored to tears 

89 I've got commentary but the feed has frozen. 

Plus five shown 

+1 Gutted my feed has unfrozen. Virgínia hooks the ball clear onto the stand near side

+3 Hjulmand hooks the ball centre looking for Esgaio but the keeper equal to it inside the Villarreal box 

+3 Shit the bed. How did he miss there? #20 Heads wide from 8 yards for the Yellow Submarines. He and #9 totally unmarked inside the box 

+5 If nothing else we know how quickly Jamor can empty 

+5 #33 blasts the last kick of the ball over into the stand behind Virgínia's goal. The misery finally ended as that's the final kick of the game. 

Full time 

Sporting CP 1 Villarreal 0

The Final Word 

Given I call my round up the final word I'm tempted to just write one. Wank. No … bollocks. Crap? Dire? Take your pick. Twelve months ago I genuinely did have a vision of this season and what it would be like and the question I asked myself is what would life look like post Amorim and Gyökeres? The presumption being life would now be under João Pereira. No one could have foreseen that he'd have already come and gone and technically Gyökeres is still a lion as I write but was on a plane to London with his agent today. I had a vision of 7th or 8th place and the football served up was basically what we saw in the second 45. I only became aware of fans flooding out about five minutes before the end of the game but it wouldn't surprise me if someone said it had started much earlier than that. Someone have a beer for this recovering alcoholic. 

That is as bad a half as I have seen Sporting play in a very long time. We've been very, very spoiled. They quite literally offered nothing from an attacking point of view. The sum total of fuck and all. I get that Borges' wants to keep trying new formations. However the two he tried in either half are quite literally poles apart. It took him 25 minutes to concede the fact that Conrad Harder is not Andy Carroll. I think of all the substitutes that came on second half only Debast comes away with any credit and he looked steady at the back once more. I wrote it after Sunderland and I will reiterate it again a back three of him, Diomande and Inácio with Hjulmand screening looks the perfect option. 

Quenda looked utterly disinterested when he came on, was dispossessed twice leading to chances and the one time he was in space his first touch put it straight out of play. I wish you all the best trying to add anything to post about him on social media to hype him into a player I've never seen any evidence of in the first team. I'll be genuinely surprised if Chelsea don't flip him next summer or at the least put him straight out on loan. 

Gonçalves is just as bad. When he came back from his long lay off he was awful for the first few games and he's nowhere near my starting XI right now. If we play as badly as we did second half tonight against Benfica in the Supertaça then we'll get battered. You think voting with your feet is bad enough at the end of this game, if that happens in the Dérbi, Borges' will be looking over his shoulder to see how many knives are being aimed at his back. 

Look it's pre–season and I'm moaning about a game that we won. Don't I always write it's about fitness and not the result? So shut up man. We were quite good in the first half. Take a chill pill… And maybe I could if I wasn't being honest in writing that we should have probably lost 4-1 had they taken their chances second half. That win owed more to them than it did to us. That was like watching Santa Clara and look up my three posts on them from last season if you want to know my full thoughts. 

Why clubs can't have names on their shirts at this stage of the season is beyond me. Whoever you are #33 you were a constant thorn in our side. I'll try find out with the magic of the internet just to do you the service you deserve. Where Sunderland were worse midweek for their changes at half time they certainly improved and from minute one they looked like a side you would pay your money to watch. Other than the award of the penalty I think if you were a Villarreal fan you'd not be complaining after that performance. Yes unlike me whoever said that at the back. 

The most excited I got all half was seeing Rayan Lucas come on with Ryan Lucas on the back of his kit. You had one job. That'll be a collectors item. I write that assuming we don't have a Ryan Lucas and a Rayan Lucas? No I definitely think that's an error. 

Right let's stop the moaning. Positives. Virgínia looked really good in goal. Very impressed and surprisingly so. I thought we might have seen Calai at some point by now. I've been busy today so not in the loop. I'm assuming his signing was only confirmed today and that Israel has gone to Torino. If we got €4.5m for him and that's what Virgínia is capable of as a back up then I couldn't be happier with that situation. See I can do positivity. For the opening 45 the defence looked far less troubled than they did against Sunderland. I like the back 3 with the player sitting protecting and the interchange. It's not perfect yet but it looks way more effective than what we were served second half. Geny looked electric at times in the opening 45. Quenda doesn't even get a look on for me if it's a choice in the starting XI between the two. Beat his marker on a few occasions and was unfortunate with his effort when surrounded by a sea of yellow shirts. Hjulmand again looked comfortable as did Diomande and Inácio. I can't think of anything to write against Fresneda or Reis on either flank to boot. Morita wasn't effective but at least against Sunderland he reminded me of what he can do in comparison to Gonçalves. Trincão is like an Alfa Romeo right now. Looks great when he gets going but conks out and needs a kick to restart. Oh Conrad, Conrad, Conrad. Word is clearly out that you're really easy to wind up my boy. You knew exactly what you were doing when you got booked at the end of the first half. If he was still a toddler he'd have been sat on the naughty step. If the game plan is to pump balls up to him from the keeper as they did second half then what's he supposed to do? Give him something to run onto into space, give him something to attack with his head. I'm loathe to criticise his second half performance when you're thinking what more could he have done? 

Oh I lie the other exciting thing second half was trying to work out if Esgaio has dyed his hair over the summer. If you didn't watch the game, or missed the second half that's it, that's the tweet - who wrote Ryan Lucas on his shirt and does Esgaio now dye his hair? 

Sorry let's end this therapy session. Man of the match. Why have I said I'm going to try for four names and whittle them down to one? That won't last. Debast, man of the match for me midweek, came to the rescue twice to keep the scores level. Looked solid, pleasing performance. Hjulmand again solid for his first 45, scored the winner with a calmly taken penalty. He'll be the one we need to spend 12 months saying goodbye to this time around. Enjoy him while you can Sportinguista's. Geny, as mentioned above looked electric at times out on the right wing. Positive, always looking to beat his marker and was a constant threat. Finally Virgínia in goal. Came to the lions rescue on numerous occasions, excellent debut and more than a few times they cut to the players not involved sat watching on and Rui Silva did not look happy. On that performance he's not just here as a back up he's clearly aiming for the number one shirt and that can only be beneficial for Borges because neither keeper has conceded a goal in pre-season. The two goals for Celtic of course coming against Israel. All those people worldwide crying out on how to solve the Israel problem? Sell him to Torino? Oh that's not what they were angry about? Just me. I apologise profusely. Virgínia hands down man of the match. No one came close which is never a good sign but I'm not going to insult your intelligence. 

Dérbi de Lisboa awaits in the Supertaça. We can only hope the lions from the opening 45 turn up and not the version that finishes the game. We hit them early in the 1-1 then clung on. We hit them late in the 3-1. I'd suggest trying to smash them for a full 90 and set down a marker after their exploits in the Club World Cup. Gyökeres is finally set to be named as a Gooner tomorrow, if he doesn't fail his medical. Luís Suárez apparently already in Lisboa today ready to sign as a lion. Have Sporting deliberately drawn out the Gyökeres soap opera for another week? I think so and good on them when your agent advises your client not to turn up for pre-season. Varandas publically stated he would be sold unless his agent is an issue or words to that effect which he was and he's lost out on his 10% and cost his client a further £2 million in wages and probably a host of lucrative sponsorship deals. Couldn't happen to a nicer pairing. I have no qualms with how Varandas handled the negotiations it's fair to say. 

Post game admin - Nambwala handball was the reason the penalty was awarded. Don't think I was doing an Arsene Wenger when I said I didn't see it. I genuinely didn't see it and the replay wasn't obvious at half time. Moleiro misses the header in the third minute of additional time. To the best of my knowledge Pau Cabanes is the #33 mentioned above but the internet is as much help as chocolate teapot trying to clarify a name to a squad number.