After Sporting’s 3-2 triumph over Boavista, this Saturday, December 14, João Pereira analyzed the match at the press conference. The coach was asked about the Club’s alleged interest in coaches such as Abel Ferreira or Sérgio Conceiçãobut he didn’t seem worried.
“No, nothing bothered. It’s normal to talk. When a team doesn’t win, especially one that always won, it’s normal to have disputes and criticism. The players and I are focused on our work”, said the coach, before discussing the victory, in Alvalade.
“The important thing was to get out of this losing phase. We entered the game well again, scoring goals, creating many opportunities and the result could have been better for our side. We suffer, we react, we suffer, we react again. It’s a fantastic job from these players, who with many minutes on their legs, tiredness, never give up. I have to take my hat off to them.”
“The victory convinces me. Due to the attitude of the players. I don’t think it was a divided game. If we look at the opportunities, the expected goals. Boavista goes there and scores a goal with the first shot. I think Sporting’s control was absolute, and in the last minutes it was tiredness. The players want it, but their legs are starting to feel heavy. It was an important victory for our future.”
“We felt complete and absolute control of the game. Losing balls is part of the game, there isn’t a team that doesn’t lose the ball. So it’s about seeing how we react to loss. Yes, there are some mistakes, but we need to improve. At first it was because we didn’t play well, then because we didn’t create opportunities, now it’s because we conceded goals… I’m very happy with the team’s evolution, they were at the level of Sporting’s players”, he concluded.
