Article: Sporting Clube de Portugal - An Insight
History of Sporting Clube de Portugal
Hailing from the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon, they are better known to UK football fans as Sporting Lisbon.
They were originally founded on 26th of August 1902 under the name of Sport Club de Belas, by a group of youths including the young Francisco Brothers, but played only one competitive game of football under that name. In 1904 they became Campo Grande Football Club and on the 1st of July 1906, Sporting Clube de Portugal emerged.
In their only game, Belas played in a white shirt and blue shorts, with the white shirt continuing on as the shirt of Campo Grande. In 1906 they became Sporting Clube de Portugal and changed their shirt colours to green and white. 16 years later, they won their first Championship of Portugal in 1922/23.
Sporting reached a high point of European success in winning the European Cup Winner's Cup in 1963/64 in a campaign lasting only 3 games, that saw a spectacular 5-0 win over Manchester United and a goal-fest against Apoel de Chipre: With Sporting winning 16-1, which is still the record for most goals scored in a European match.
In 2004/05 they were Uefa Cup Runners-Up, losing out to CSKA Moscow in the final which was played in their own stadium.
In 1974 Hector Yazalde of Sporting, won the European Golden Boot with 46 goals. His record still stands to this day.
In 2002, Rangers nearly man, Mário Jardel became the second Sporting player to win the European Golden Boot.
They have won 22 League titles. The last time being in 2001/02.
The 6th of August 2003 witnessed the dawning of a new era for Sporting Clube de Portugal, with the inauguration of the new Estádio José Alvalade. Capacity 50,075.
In May 2005 it was granted UEFA 5 star status and hosted the UEFA Cup Final that year, which as earlier stated Sporting lost 3-1 to CSKA Moscow.
Getting to the Stadium
By Subway, use the GREEN or YELLOW LINE to CAMPO GRANDE STATION.
By Bus, use CARRIS BUS Nos: 1, 3, 7, 36, 47, 77, 101, 106 or 108.
Form This Season
Sporting currently sit 3rd in the Portuguese League with 22 points from 13 games, which is 13 points behind leaders Porto and 5 points behind Benfica.
Their League form has been very inconsistent both home and away, having Won 6 (2 Home, 4 Away) Drawn 4 (3 Home, 1 Away) and Lost 3 (1 Home, 2 Away).
They entered the Europa League at the 3rd Qualifying round. Where they won 1-0 away and 2-1 at home to Nordsjaelland.
In the next round, they lost 2-0 at home to Brondby, but won 3-0 away, with the important 3rd goal being scored in injury time.
In the Group stages, they won Group C with 12 points. The Group included Lille, Gent and Levski Sofia. They won their 3 home games, scoring 5 against both Gent and Levski Sofia and won away to Lille, but lost away to Gent and Levski Sofia.
Squad 2010/11
Goalkeepers
1. Rui Patricio - Age 22 - Has played in all 13 League games. Came through their youth set up and has been at club since he was 13. He has 1 cap for Portugal, but never made the 2010 World Cup squad.
16. Tiago - Age 35 - Has been 15 years as the No.2 goalkeeper playing only 84 games in that time.
30. Timo Hildebrand - Age 31 - No.3 goalkeeper from Germany. Released last season by German side Hoffenheim.
Defenders
2. Marco Torsiglieri - Age 22 - Centre Back or Left Back. Has made 4 League appearances this season. Signed at the beginning of the season from Argentinian side Velez for 3.4 million euros, but has struggled to hold down a regular starting place.
3. Daniel Carrico (Captain) - Age 22 - Centre Back. Has played in all 13 League games. Scored 1 Euro goal. Product of the youth acadamy. Has been at Sporting since age of 13. Made Captain this season after departure of Moutinho.
4. Anderson Polga - Age 31 - Centre Back - Has played 6 League games this season. Scored 1 Euro goal. Not a regular starter. Made 11 appearances for Brazil back in 2002.
5. Evaldo - Age 28 - Left Back - An ever present this season, playing 13 games in the League and all 10 Euro games. 1 Euro goal. Signed from Sporting Braga this season for 3 million Euros.
18. Leandro Grimi - Age 25 - Left/Centre back signed from AC Milan in 2008 for 2.5 million Euros. The Argentinians form has been disappointing and he is currently no more than a squad player, having no League starts this season.
41. Cedric Soares - Age 19 - Reserve Right back has been at the club since age 9. Yet to start a game this season.
44. Nuno Coelho - Age 24 - Centre Back - Played 7 League games. Scored 1 Euro goal. Signed at start of season for 1 million Euros from Porto.
47. Joao Pereira - Age 26 - Right Back - Played all 13 League games. Signed at beginning of season from Braga for 3 million Euros. Recently become regular right back for Portugal having started last 3 games.
78. Abel - Age 32 - Right Back, but has been played in Right Midfield this season. Has played 7 League games and scored 1 goal. Signed in 2006 from Braga.
Midfielders
6. Pedro Mendes - Age 31 - Central Midfield. Not a regular starter having played only 4 games out of 23 this season (3 League/1 Euro). 12 caps for Portugal. Recalled and played in all 4 games at 2010 world cup. Well known to us, having played 39 games for Rangers between 2008/10, scoring 3 goals. Most famous of which was v Celtc.
7. Marat Izmailov - Age 28 - Midfielder plagued by injuries in recent years and hasn't played this season, due to a knee injury. 31 caps for Russia.
8. Maniche - Age 33 - Midfield - Has played 11 League games. Scored 1 goal and 3 Euro goals. Much travelled midfielder now at his 9th club, having had spells with Benfica, Porto, Dynamo Moscow, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan. Released after 1 season at FC Koln and signed on a free transfer. 53 caps for Portugal, last one was in 2007. Best years are behind him.
14. Matias Fernandez - Age 24 - Attacking Midfielder - Has played 8 League games, scoring 2 goals and 1 Euro goal. Signed in 2009 from Villareal for 3.8 million Euros. 39 caps for Chile. Played 2 games at 2010 world cup. South American Footballer of the year in 2006.
15. Jaime Valdes - Age 29 - Attacking Midfielder. Has played 10 League games and is top scorer with 4 goals. Spent 10 years in Italy with Bari, Fiorentina, Lecce and Atalanta, before signing this season for 3 million Euros. Apparently has a 25 million Euro release clause in his contract. 3 caps for Chile, but didn't make 2010 world cup squad.
21. Alberto Zapater - Age 25 - Hard tackling midfielder. Has played 7 League games. Signed this season from Genoa as part of deal that took Miguel Veloso in the opposite direction. His value in the deal ranges from 2 million to 4 million Euros. Has 14 caps for Spain under 21. Last one in 2006.
26. Andre Santos - Age 21 - Midfield - Has played 11 League games, scoring 1 goal. Another who has been at the club since he was 11. Spent the last 2 seasons on loan. Has 15 under 21 caps for Portugal.
55. Tales de Souza - Age 20 - Attacking Midfielder - On loan from Inter Milan. Has a record 74 caps for Brazil at youth level, but has yet to make an appearance for Milan or Sporting.
77. Simon Vukcevic - Age 24 - Attacking Midfielder - Has played 11 League games, scoring 2 League goals and 2 Euro goals. Signed in 2007 for 4 million Euros from Saturn Moscow. Has 31 caps for Montenegro.
Forwards
9. Carlos Saleiro - Age 24 - Striker - Played in 12 League games, scoring only 1 League goal and 1 Euro goal. Came through the ranks having scored more than 300 goals at youth level, then spent the last 5 seasons on loan at lower level clubs, with little success. Given the No.9 shirt this season, but has done little to justify it.
20. Yannick Djalo - Age 24 - Winger - Has played 9 League games, scoring 1 League goal and 1 Euro goal, which was the all important injury time winner v Brondby in the 3rd Qualifying Round. Another who has come through the youth system and has been at Sporting since age of 11. Received his 1st cap for Portugal this year, getting 6 minutes as a sub v Cyprus.
23. Helder Postiga - Age 28 - Striker - Has played 11 League games, scoring 2 League goals and 4 Euro goals. Has played in all 10 Euro games. Previously with Porto (twice), Spurs, Saint-Ettiene and Panathanaikos. Signed in 2008 for 2.5 million Euros. 37 caps and 14 goals for Portugal, including 2 in a recent friendly v Spain. Is their top scorer overall this season and is definately a danger.
31. Liedson - Age 33 - Striker - Has played 9 League games, scoring 1 League goal and 2 Euro goals. Signed in 2003 for 2 million Euros after scoring 29 goals in 47 games in Brazil. Born a Brazilian, but now a Portuguese citizen, scored on his international debut for Portugal in 2009 v Denmark and now has 14 caps. Scored 111 goals for Sporting in 197 league games till last season. But his scoring touch has deserted him this season.
33. Diogo Salomao - Age 22 - Winger - Has played 3 League games and scored 2 Euro goals this season. Winger signed at the beginning of the season for 100,000 Euros from Real Massama.
Coach - Paolo Sergio - Age 42 - New coach with little experience. Took over at the start of this season from Carlos Carvalhal, after only 1 season at Vitoria Guimaraes. Likes to play attacking football, but has used 20 outfield players in 13 League matches, suggesting that he is unsure of his best 11.
Recent Transfer Activity
At the end of last season Sporting sold their 2 best players: Joao Moutinho going to Porto for 11 million Euros and Miguel Veloso going to Genoa for 9 million Euros. One time Rangers target, centre back Tonel, also left for Dinamo Zagreb.
To compensate, new manager Paolo Sergio brought in 9 new signings, 1 loan signing and recalled 1 player from loan.
Our Record v Sporting Lisbon
European Cup Winners Cup 1971/72
20/10/71 - Rangers 3 - 2 Sporting Lisbon
03/11/71 - Sporting Lisbon 4 - 3 Rangers (AET) 90 mins 3-2
This of course was the famous night whereby we 'lost' on penalties, only for it to be established that our away goal in extra time meant that the referee had made a huge mistake and the game should not have gone to penalties. As a result, Rangers were declared winners of the tie.
Match report..... http://www.followfollow.com/feat/edz...20/index.shtml
UEFA Cup 2007/08
03/04/08 - Rangers 0 - 0 Sporting Lisbon
10/04/08 - Sporting Lisbon 0 - 2 Rangers
9 Players from each team survive from the 2008 games:
Rangers: McGregor, Broadfoot, Weir, Papac, Davis, McCulloch, Whittaker, Naismith and Alexander.
Sporting Lisbon: Rui Patricio, Abel, Polga, Grimi, Izmailov, Liedson, Vukcevic, Djalo and Tiago.
Of course both of these victories against Sporting were significant in that they both came in seasons that saw Rangers go on to compete in the final of each tournament. Winning in Barcelona '72 and losing in Manchester '08.
Their Thoughts On Us
Speaking after the draw for the first knock-out stage of the Europa League, the Club's Director of Football, Francisco Costa, took a moment to share his thoughts on his side's pairing with Glasgow Rangers. Here is what 'Costinha' had to say in full:
"The draw has handed us a tricky opponent, but there were no easy teams. Rangers are a team with a strong character and we will have to play in an environment that won't be very facilitating to us. I hope that when we arrive at the 17th of February that the squad is up to the challenge, but the game is still months from now and right now all I am interested in is the game against Vitória de Setúbal and the reaction, character and ambition that the payers will show at Bonfim (Setúbal's stadium). I say that, because I am really disappointed about how we have played over the last two games."
Summary
We could have done a lot lot worse than draw Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Although they still have 9 players from our 2008 meeting, they have lost their 2 star players in Moutinho and Veloso, as well as Tonel who was a solid centre half.
They have a new inexperienced manager, who brought in 11 players during the close season. Does that sound familiar?
He also likes to play attacking football, which should suit Walter's 'suck them in and hit them on the break' European tactics.
Another clean sheet at Ibrox will help us well on the way to reaching the next round, as I reckon their is a good chance of us scoring in Lisbon.