Sporting CP 4 Estrela da Amadora 0

Sporting CP v Estrela da Amadora
Sunday November 30th, 2025
Estádio José Alvalade 
Matchday 12

The warm up

If football in Lisboa was made of tea then Sporting and near neighbours Benfica would be fine leaf whereas Estrela would be the fannings and dust scraped off the floor and used in teabags. Having to compete with a larger local rival is bad news for any of Portugal's smaller football teams. Having two of Os Três Grandes right on your doorstep is a significant Achilles heel. It should come as no surprise then that last season they finished one place above the relegation places and benefited ultimately from the financial meltdown of Boavista who finished bottom saving them from having to feature in the relegation playoff. It's been a significant summer of wheeler dealing that would have put peak Harry Redknapp to shame. With new signings and players returning from loans included a total of 29 arrivals and 30 departures however their net spend was still a paltry €1.35m. That said for a club or their size even that figure will represent a significant level of investment. Notable departures include Alan Ruiz who was released and Travassos returned to Sporting following his loan spell. They raised €680,000 from the sale of Chico Banza, €400,000 from Fábio Ronaldo and a further €300,000 from Régis N’do. They paid a reported fee of €1.3m for Ianis Stoica from FC Hermannstadt. €525,000 for Robinho, €400,000 for Ryan, €300,000 for Oumar Ngom and €200,000 for Bernardo Schappo. All other business concluded was done without a fee. 

Three names familiar to Sporting in the current squad in the form of forward Jovane Cabral who has finally found himself a permanent home, Renan Ribeiro the former Sporting first choice goalkeeper and fellow keeper Diogo Pinto who was unable to force his way into the first team though however he did deputise for the injured Adán and Franco Israel at the back end of the first Championship winning season and also in the loss to Porto in the Taça de Portugal. Renan, the current first choice keeper has featured in all 11 league games to date. 

This is their third straight season in the top flight and with their fight for eyes in the Lisboa region and without the TV revenues you'd find in other top European leagues every Euro in Matchday counts. So whilst having two larger neighbours is an obvious hindrance from attracting players to their academy through to spectators for games they can at least rely on large travelling support for two of their home fixtures. In their first season back 74,847 spectators across their 17 home games averaging 4,403 per match. That tailed off last season to 62,972 at an average 3,704. So far this campaign 18,901 at an average of 3,150. For reference they're based just 20 minutes from the centre of Lisboa. 

In the past there's been some confusion into the ownership of Estrela. It's now listed as them having been brought by the Indonesian company Pakuan Football Enterprise led by Dodi Irwan Suparno. It certainly had been suggested by Patrice Evra the ex-Manchester United and France defender that he had a stake in the club though whether that remains the case is not clear or how big his interest ever was. This iteration of the team is now five years old having come from the merger of Clube Desportivo Estrela and Club Sintra Football in 2020. The former was the brainchild of supporters of Clube de Futebol Estrela da Amadora which went out of business in 2011 owing to financial difficulties. The club had been declared insolvent back in 2009 and were unable to repay their reported debts estimated to have been over €37m. The merger in 2020 allowed the newly formed team to take their place in the third tier of Portuguese football and it clearly paid dividends with the club now in the top flight of Portuguese football. I'll leave you to chew over the ethics of that one. 

The new iteration of the club has met the lions four times to date and lost all four. Last season they lost the corresponding fixture 5-1 and will no doubt have been glad to see the back of Victor Gyökeres who scored four times with Araújo getting the 5th. At home Gyökeres scored just the brace whilst Quenda scored the third in a 3-0 loss in which they were on the receiving end of some generous match officiating to the benefit of the lions as they'd finish the game with just nine men. 

Estrela will come into this game having not played since before the international break whereas Sporting will have played both AC Marinhense and Club Brugge in the Champions League. Their current record played 11, won 2, drawn 5 and lost 4, GF 13, GA 14. Their record last campaign was played 34, won 7, drawn 8, lost 19, GF 24, GA - a whopping 50. Away from home they have the tenth best record in the division having played 5, won 1, drawn 3, losing just once. GF 6, GA 6. Of the 13 goals scored in the league 9 have come from open play, 3 from penalties and 1 from a free kick. Their XG currently 15.7. Sidny Lopes Cabral top scorer with 5, Kikas with 3, new boy Stoica and Paulo Moreira with 2 apiece and Fábio Ronaldo with the final goal albeit he won't add to his tally following his subsequent departure. Three clean sheets in total which is the sixth best in the division. To date they've missed 13 big chances. Sporting the most guilty with 32 in total. They've been awarded 4 penalties so those with good memories will realise that one of those was missed. 

Their campaign began with a 1-1 draw away to Estoril where Stoica equalised 15 minutes before time converting 1 of the 2 Opta defined big chances they created on the day. The XG 1.37 to 0.67. 

Home next to Benfica where Pavalidis converted a penalty on the hour mark to give the pigeons a 1-0 win. They missed all 3 big chances in a game that Trubin is listed as having the highest rating of any player. Although their XG lower at 1.41 to 2.41 their opponents figure will have been inflated by the 0.9 automatically awarded to a penalty whether it's converted or not. 

They welcomed newly promoted Alverca on Matchday 3 and both sides would finish with 10 men as they shared a point apiece in a 2-2 draw. Ronaldo’s goal in the 6th minute of additional time made the score 1-2 at half time. Cabral equalised just after the hour mark. Whilst Alverca converted both their big chances, Estrela guilty of missing 2 of their 3. Their XG and total attempts certainly suggestive that the home side would have been kicking themselves come full time with 2.6 to 1.08 and 19 attempts to just 6. 

Island hopping to the Azores for Matchday 4 away to boring, boring Santa Clara. Another point won however in a 0-0 draw. They register just 3 attempts all game and finish with an XG of 0.14 to 0.98. Their first game they've failed to create a single big chance.

Home to Vitória for Matchday 5 and a 2-0 loss with the second from Ndoye coming on the stroke of full time to compound their misery. For the second straight game they failed to create a single big chance and their ten attempts worth a combined XG of just 0.48 compared to 1.47 for the visitors.

Matchday 6 saw them play the other newly promoted side Tondela away from home. Given Renan Ribeiro was statistically the highest rated player in the game it probably speaks volumes of how the game went. 17 attempts for Tondela albeit just 1 big chance created which they missed. 2 big chances both missed for Estrela of their 8 attempts overall. XG about even with 1.22 to 1.09. Still both sides came away with a point as it finished 0-0. 

Matchday 7 and Christmas had come early as this season's whipping boys AVS visited. Having failed to beat either newly promoted sides they got their first win of the campaign with a Kikas brace and the second goal of the campaign for Stoica. 3-0 at half time remained the same at full time with both sides reduced to ten men over the course of the 90. Four big chances created and importantly 3 converted. AVS missed their solitary one. Their XG highest of their campaign to date of 2.58 to 0.79.

Matchday 8 saw them take on this season's surprise package Gil Vicente who despite finishing with ten men secured a 2-0 win through a first half brace from Pablo. For the third time this campaign Estrela failed to fashion a single big chance whereas the home side missed 2 of their 4 and the XG 2.39 to 0.88. 

The reason for Estrela’s long lay off compared to the lions is owed to their embarrassing 3-1 defeat at the hands of lowly Alpendorada in the Taça de Portugal. Despite taking a lead away from home in the fifth minute from a Pinho penalty, they would go in level at half time and concede twice more in the second half and be knocked out of the competition. 

Things didn't get any better for them on Matchday 9 as they recorded their third straight loss going down 2-1 at home to Rio Ave. Despite opening the scoring through Moreira, they conceded twice in the second half. Estrela once more guilty of missing both their big chances and despite having double the attempts finished with a lower XG of 0.82 to 0.86. 

Matchday 10 saw a glut of goals as they travelled to Casa Pia. Sidny Cabral bagged himself a hat-trick, Kikas and Moreira also on the scoresheet as the game finished 5-3 to the visitors having only led 2-1 at half time. Their second win of the campaign scoring all 3 big chances, noting Casa Pia also scored both theirs. Final XG 2.17 to 1.07. 

Matchday 11 brings us up to date as they welcomed Nacional and earned another point in a 1-1 draw. Despite going in at half time 1-0 down, Cabral made it 4 goals in 2 games just after the hour mark. Again guilty of spurning their opportunities missing 2 of 3 big chances, final XG 2.16 to 1.27.

Whilst the Tricolores may not yet have taken a single point from the lions they did cause them all sorts of issues at the José Alvalade the season before last coming from a goal behind to lead 2-1 before Sporting turned the game back on its head and eventually won 3-2. They also narrowly only won the away game 2-1 so we shouldn't expect them to simply rollover on Sunday night. However I never rated Ribeiro in goal during his time with the club and should be start I think we'll be treated to the familiar sight of him retrieving the ball from the net at the José Alvalade.

Thursday update - Club Brugge goalkeeper Nordin Jackers left wishing he'd only taken one in the knackers no doubt from Blopa at the end of the game. He left Lisbon with broken ribs and having done that myself in the past he has my uppermost sympathy. Get well soon. 

Champions League future opponents roundup

PSG v Spurs

The visitors took the lead on 34 minutes when the PSG keeper Chevalier went walkabout at the front post and the Brazilian headed in at the back from just 2 yards. The current European Champions equalised in style on 44 minutes as Vitinha struck viciously from the edge of the D and his effort went in off the underside of the bar to send the two sides in level 1-1 at half time. Four minutes into the second 45 and PSG were guilty of poor defending again as Spurs went in front for a second time. That lead lasted all of 3 minutes as Vitinha grabbed his second of the night curling the ball between 5 yellow shirts from 17 yards. PSG found the lead for the first time on the night when Ruiz swept home low from 16 yards into the bottom left hand corner. The game looked done as a contest when PSG made it 4-2 on 64 minutes however Spurs pulled another back on 72. Vitinha ensured all 3 points when a penalty was awarded for handball, sending the keeper the wrong way in the 75th minute to complete his hat-trick. Lucas Hernández received his marching orders for a straight red in additional time for the Parisians. The lions can take heart from the lack of quality in defending from PSG at times, however having to deal with their front line attack is another question entirely. Full time PSG 5 Spurs 3.

Arsenal v Bayern München 

The Gunners benefited greatly from the performance of Manuel Neuer who despite now being 39 years of age looked at times like he'd never played a game of football in his life. Arsenal opened the scoring on 21 minutes from a corner as Neuer waved excitedly at the ball like a small child at a passing train as it passed him into the net. The Germans did equalise with typical German efficiency on 31 minutes as the teenager Karl slotted home from just outside the six yard box. Poor defending from Bayern again when Madueke tapped home from 5 yards on 68 minutes. The visitors misery was compounded when Neuer was found outside of his area somewhere near Peckham and Martinelli slotted home into an empty net to seal the victory. Full time Arsenal 3 Bayern München 1.

UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE

Sporting CP v Club Brugge
November 26th, 2025
UEFA Youth League – Round 5
Alcochete

Starting XI

Gouveia, Felicíssimo, Taibo, Mota, Costa, Tomás, Mendes, Simão, Bafdili, Kissanga and G. Silva

Substitutes Used

Siza, Ferreira, Lopes, Soares and Almeida

The lions took the lead on 49 minutes with a cross from the right by Zaïd Bafdili met inside the box 8 yards out by Manuel Kissanga who guided it into the bottom left hand corner past Driessche in the Brugge goal. The lead doubled on 78 minutes. Sandro Ferreira managed to regain his balance after a challenge from a defender inside the Brugge half and maintained his run towards the area. Driessche was quickly off his line to try and clear however his efforts bounced back off the Sporting youngster and into the net from 20 yards. The Belgians pulled a goal back in the first minute of additional time as Yanis Musuayi headed in a near side corner from Naïm Amengai but the game would finish Sporting CP 2 Club Brugge 1. Like the full men’s team the lions currently sit 8th in the table. 

In the markets

Sporting CP 1/11
Draw 9/1
Estrela da Amadora 14/1

Team News 

Starting XI 

Silva, Fresneda, Quaresma, Inácio, Araújo, Morita, Hjulmand, Quenda, Trincão, Geny and Suárez 

Substitutes

Virgínia, Reis, Vagiannidis, Diomande, Kochorashvili, Simões, Gonçalves, Alisson and Ribeiro 

Two changes to the starting XI from the midweek win over Club Brugge. With one eye potentially on the Dérbi Quaresma comes in for Diomande and Morita replaces Simões. Pedro Gonçalves fit enough to be named amongst the substitutes. Mangas, Blopa, Flávio Gonçalves and Ramos all drop out of the Matchday squad. Debast now not set to return until the new year, Ioannidis, Nuno Santos and Bragança the other names on the injury roster.

Estrela Starting XI 

40.Ribeiro, 14 Schapo, 79 Chernev, 30 Patrick, 55 Cabral, 19 Moreira, 6 Ngom, 21 Montoia, 11 Cabral, 98 Kikas, 99 Marcus

First Half

Estrela kick us off. Sporting in black with what can best be described as a green wavy pattern on the front attack right to left. 

4 Moreira takes no chances with a cross from the right and concedes a corner far side. Headed clear for a second corner which again is too easily cleared 

5 Quenda lost his marker down the left, cut back inside to go cross and was clipped by Patrick. Free kick awarded 

6 GOAL Trincão with the cross from the free kick into the box found Eduardo Quaresma who headed home home from 8 yards to make it Sporting CP 1 Estrela da Amadora 0

8 Quenda fires over from 20 yards just grazing the bar. The visitors are rocked by that opening goal 

10 GOAL Sporting CP 2 Estrela da Amadora 0. All too easily for the lions as they slice through the visitors defence. Trincão with his second assist plays Suárez into the box. He used his strength to hold off Chernev and fires home centrally from 14 yards 

12 Trincão misses from 8 yards. I was halfway to France celebrating and didn't realise that hadn't gone in. Came from a throw to a defender by Renan that was won back by the lions. Trincão burst through into the area and his curled effort somehow missed the target. That would have been game over 

14 Araújo with the perfect twist mid air again. He's a shoe in for the Uruguayan Olympic team if he carries on perfecting turns like that in mid air. To be fair it was a foul in the defensive third on the left back I just marvel at his technique 

17 Inácio concedes a foul on Marcus on the right flank

18 Jovane cross easily dealt with by Rui who plucks the ball out the air 

19 Huge applause as Trincão chases back after a lost ball and wins possession back in midfield 

22 Midway through the first half and the visitors still to offer anything of note in this game as Fresneda sees a shot from 17 yards blocked 

23 Trincão wiped out by Jovane. Referee played advantage but when nothing became of it quickly pulled back play for the original offence. Free kick 30 yards out 

24 GOAL Quenda goes short to Geny whose cross from the right is met by the head of Fresneda from 7 yards which glances into the bottom left hand corner to make it Sporting CP 3 Estrela 0. I always said Renan was shit 

25 Yellow to Araújo for a foul on Cabral. That was silly by the Uruguayan who pushed his hand into the face of the midfielder. 

29 In the space of two minutes Jovane has left one in on Fresneda and Geny. Clearly not out to reacquaint himself in the good graces of his former employers 

31 We have a female assistant near side. Well done Portuguese football. We also have a break in play as Renan goes down injured after kicking the ball softly about ten yards 

32 ➡️⬅️ Chernev for Fernandes

33 Play restarts finally after a break of nearly two minutes for treatment. Close up on the bench of Chernev whose face is more Chernobyl like he's ready to explode with rage at being pulled off so early into the game 

35 Rui Solve races out 30 yards to clear the danger and potentially just for something to do 

36 Quenda shot blocked and out for a throw from 12 yards left of the area 

38 Cabral connects with the face of Araújo and whereas the referee couldn't get his card out of his pocket quick enough nothing shown the other way 

40 Finally an attempt for Estrela as Cabral fires through the legs of Araújo from 20 yards and out for a goal kick 

42 Kikas with time and space unmarked plumps to shoot from 27 yards. Straight into the hands of Silva and Estrela finally have an attempt on target 

44 Suárez bundled over in the box and nothing given. The whistles deafening inside the ground, we know what the home fans made of it 

Plus two shown 

Half time 

Sporting CP 3 Estrela da Amadora 0

Sporting were treated to the easiest opening 25 minutes of their campaign as they raced to a 3-0 lead and in truth it should have been 4-0. I'm still trying to work out how Trincão failed to make it 3-0 before Fresneda scored. The only real complaint is the quality of the lions corner kicks which have been woeful as per usual.

In truth Sporting have barely had to get out of first gear in the last 20 minutes of the half having gone 3-0 up. I think there is probably no one more popular when they score than Quaresma and it was a header of real quality to open the scoring. Unlike the corners, the cross from Trincão for the second and Geny for the third were of great quality and you do question why they can't produce that more often from the flanks. You have to think if they can then Ioannidis when fit again would certainly benefit from it. 

The visitors XG at half time 0.04 from their two registered shots which tells you how much the defence have had to do this half. Shame Sporting B played this afternoon winning 3-1 to Farense because this seems the perfect game to have blooded some of the youngsters in the second half. Same issue as having the under 19s play before the Champions League games but I guess that's the price you pay of having academy players capable of stepping up into the first team with ease. This game could almost do with an Estrela goal to kick the team back into life. They could easily finish with 5 or 6 if they fancy it. Whether they do or not we'll find out in the next 45.

Second Half 

➡️⬅️ Ianis for Montoia

➡️⬅️ Reis for Araújo 

The lions get us back underway. 

45 Marcus shoots from 18 yards straight into the path of Silva. He knows he needed to do better to stand a chance of beating Silva from that range 

46 Suárez spoons a cross from the right into the crowd from 12 yards 

47 Geny with his dancing shoes on passes Cabral who eventually manages to get back and concede a corner near side 

48 Reis straight into the action with a flying tackle in midfield to dispossess Cabral 

49 Estrela have started the half with two men at the back and 8 players across the halfway line. We saw Sporting play a succession of long balls to great effect against Club Brugge midweek so they'll be looking to take similar advantage here no doubt

49 Suárez twists and turns his way free from two white shirts but runs out of room and the ball goes out for a goal kick. Good strength from the Colombian 

50 Jovane with a hand across the side of Hjulmand's head and the Dane makes the most of it and wins the free kick 

51 Sensational move from the lions ended with a Geny shot from wide right of the six yard box which failed to even find its target. That would have been some team goal 

53 Cabral shot from close on 30 yards into the arms of Silva. Estrela getting increasingly desperate 

53 GOAL Sporting CP 4 Estrela da Amadora 0. Suárez with his second of the night with the easiest of finishes from 12 yards. Morita with the perfect weighted ball for the Colombian to run onto. The Japanese takes the congratulations and thanks of his teammates and has a smile a mile wide which lights up the Alvalade and Lisboa 

58 Apparently the 50th game for the mister Rui Borges in charge of Sporting. 5-0 would be the perfect scoreline would it not?

59 ➡️⬅️ Fresneda and Geny replaced by Vagiannidis and Gonçalves. The Spaniard it should be noted on the receiving end of a few late challenges during the game 

60 Suárez fails to control the ball in the six yard box and a chance goes begging once more 

61 Trincão shot from 20 yards blocked and out for a corner near side 

62 Reis tries to flick a Quenda corner goalwards from the edge of the area but his effort goes out for a goal kick 

63 Otavio knocks Trincão off his feet with a look of utter surprise on his face as if to ask where did you come from?

63 Superb from Hjulmand who throws himself to block a Cabral shot from 18 yards 

64 Last ditch defending from Otavio to dispossess Suárez who was off to the races down the centre 

65 ➡️⬅️ The home fans rise to their feet to applaud Jovane as he's replaced by Robinho. He waves in acknowledgement. Nice touch and a lovely gesture

66 Quenda claims for a foul but nothing given and Cabral raced from inside the half into the Sporting area where Quaresma with an incredibly calm challenge takes first the ball, then the man and clears the danger. He's loving being back in the team tonight 

68 Shot of the mister talking to Hjulmand on the sidelines and Borges eyes are twinkling at the Dane

68 The noise has risen around the stadium as the fans sing they want to see Sporting be champions. Fans bounce, scarves whirl, they're loving life right now 

70 It does seem very much a case of when Sporting score their fifth rather than if with twenty minutes left 

71 Reis shot blocked from 20 yards. I was going to suggest the Estrela defender was playing acting but I think he took that one fully in his plums. Not sure what the physios can do in those circumstances. Kochorashvili readied on the sidelines 

72 Schappo back to his feet. Alisson getting his last instructions as well from the mister as the lions set to make a double substitution 

73 Quenda misplaces a pass to Marcus and Inácio gets him out of jail and takes a whack for his troubles. Huge let off for Sporting there and Quenda in particular 

75 Applause as Inácio helped to the far side. Marcus is still thinking how the fuck have I not taken advantage of that mistake? 

76 Schappo mistake lets Suárez free on the left. His pass found Trincão whose shot is blocked from 20 yards and a let off for Estrela. Complacency creeping into both teams. Quenda won't get away with two similar errors this half in the Dérbi or against Bayern 

77 ➡️⬅️ Hjulmand and Trincão replaced with Alisson and Kochorashvili 

78 ➡️ ⬅️ Kikas and Marcus for Pinho and Gastão. Schappo thought he was coming off before the two Sporting players came on. Not sure if he went off in the end after the confusion. Perhaps his brains are in his knackers  

80 Suárez stings the hands of Renan from 17 yards who was smartly down low to his left to save. Schappo dispossessed by the Colombian so that answers the question above. You imagine the Colombian won't get a better chance to get his first hat-trick than tonight for the lions 

82 Quenda loses possession again. This on has favoured right hand side as well following the withdrawal of Geny 

83 Allison dispossessed twice in and around the area but his teammates come to his rescue 

83 Quenda mistimes a header into the box and Vagiannidis comes to his rescue 

84 This game seems to have died as a spectacle in the last five minutes 

85 Quick thinking from Kochorashvili found Gonçalves whose pass to Suárez was overcooked and the Colombian despite his best attempts couldn't keep it in play

86 Cabral pulls up and Suárez gives him a hand to stretch out whatever issue has got the midfielder flat on his back. Presumably cramp 

87 Cabral makes his way to the sidelines gel in mouth so presumably it was cramp 

88 Otavio leaves one in on the back of Quenda who refuses a hand up 

88 Alisson shot blocked from 20 yards 

88 Reis attempted pass inside the area deflects off a defender and Suárez reacts fast to try get on the end of it but Renan smothers the ball

90 Vagiannidis pass from the right flashes past Suárez. Looks like it's not going to be his night for a match ball

Plus five shown 

+1 Gonçalves stings the hands of Renan at the near post from 8 yards and the ball goes out for a corner near side  

+1 Replays of Kochorashvili with a wrestling move on Robinho in midfield. He looks like he might have dislocated his shoulder as he's helped off

+2 Alisson clears most of the stand behind the goal with a wild swing inside the D

+2 Inácio goes down under a strong challenge from Gastão 

Despite the stoppages in play in the five minutes additional time the referee didn't see fit to add any time on top and the final whistle blows. 

Full time 

Sporting CP 4 Estrela da Amadora 0

The final word

The visitors finish with an XG of 0.11 as they continue their appalling run against the lions since they reformed in 2020 and have now lost all five games. The game truly was dead after just 25 minutes and whilst Sporting added a fourth, with the Dérbi ahead of them next Friday night did little more than go through the motions knowing they were head and shoulders above the opposition in terms of quality. 

The lions draw top once more with Porto level on points who kick off against Estoril at the Dragão in twenty minutes time. It was all too easy for Sporting in all areas of the pitch and that probably reflected in the attitude of some of the players in the second half which was to put it politely lackadaisical at times. Quenda, especially guilty down the right hand side on four separate occasions and had to rely on his teammates to get him out of trouble. We won't get away with it in a Dérbi and against Bayern München in the Champions League so despite an easy win they need to keep their heads switched on. 

Silva won't have had many easier nights in the Sporting goal. All five shots mustered by Estrela came from 18 yards plus. When two of your defenders have scored and not done so in the last twenty minutes when chasing a game having been pushed forward but instead in the first 25 you know they've had a fantastic night. Reis was an able deputy for Araújo at half time and we saw more of him up front than at the back in truth. Diomande got to put his feet up for the full 90 and was never going to be called upon unless there was an injury to either centre back. 

Gonçalves will have benefited from a run out ahead of the Dérbi but offered little having come on. Kochorashvili looked good in the centre although fortunate not to get booked for the challenge on Robinho in additional time. There's definitely something about the Georgian, I fear consistency is his biggest weakness in his game but how much of that is owed to a lack of consistent opportunities we're not really in a position to find out yet as he sits fourth in the pecking order behind Hjulmand, Simões and Morita. 

If Trincão is in the same mood for the full 90 on Friday that he was for the opening 25 of this game we should be in for a treat. He was unplayable and his two assists really should have been capped off with a superb individual goal. A minor detail when you've won 4-0 but presented with the same opportunity in either the Dérbi or Champions League and he needs to be taking it. Suárez will be left to ponder how he's not come away with the first match ball of his Sporting career. His finishing certainly better than it was when he fluffed that chance for a second against Club Brugge but with every game it becomes all the more apparent as to why he was plying his trade in the Spanish second tier. It tickles me that certain sections of the fanbase keep on hyping Yeremay online when we've virtually no chance of getting the youngster going forward and given Suárez managed 30 plus goals in that league with Almería you have to question how bad a league it is and in turn how good the kid really is. 

Like the win against Estoril a great scoreline but in truth it wasn't a vintage performance by any stretch of the imagination. Estrela were poor, in fact they were piss poor and even that is being polite to them. It was like a training game for the lions. With that in mind I'll stop bleating on go with my four votes for man of the match. Quaresma with the first vote, he was loving life out there tonight. Fantastic timed challenge in the box to dig his teammate out of a hole. Came up with the opener with a superbly taken header and it's a shame we probably won't see him again Friday night because ordinarily after a performance like that he'd deserve to keep his place in the starting XI. Suárez was a handful all evening and capped his performance with a brace to add to his season's tally and extend his lead over Gonçalves as the club's top scorer in all competitions. His fault still lies in how many chances he needs in order to convert one for a goal. Still his finishing tonight was probably his best in a Sporting shirt and he's now scored in three straight games and we can only hope he goes on to make it four on Friday night. Morita gets my third vote, still not back to his best by any stretch of the imagination but provides the pass for the Suárez second goal and was the heart of the midfield and did the dirty work and heavy lifting for Hjulmand which gave him a relative breather ahead of the Dérbi and that's an added bonus. Final vote and my man of the match because I'm not swayed by goals scored goes to Trincão who finished with a pair of assists and in the opening of the game was head and shoulders above any other player on the pitch. He really is a joy to watch in that type of form and if he brings those levels to the Dérbi then Benfica will have a real game on their hands.