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Sporting 5-3 Benfica: match reaction

Joao Moutinho, Sporting midfielder:

“After a poor first half we showed the union of the group and with the support of our fans we deserved this victory, mainly because of how we played in the second half. What did Paulo Bento say at the interval? He said what we needed to hear. It was essential but that will remain between us.

“We’re in another final but now we’ll concentrate on another big objective of ours which is finishing in second place. We’re going to work towards this goal and then we’ll think about the final.

“I’m enormously proud to be captain of this great team. We showed that today and now we want to continue this form. This match will go down in history, but history will also be the final if we manage to win it.”

Vukcevic, Sporting forward:

“We’re going to remember this game for a very long time. It was a phenomenal match and 45 excellent minutes, where we deserved to score five goals against Benfica. It was the best match of my life. I’m happy but the season hasn’t finished. Now we’re going to prepare for the Liga.”

Derlei, Sporting forward:

“It was an important goal but even more important was the talk we had in the changing room at half time. All the work of a whole season was at play. Benfica dominated the first half and deserved their lead. We talked and said the season couldn’t end like that, with everything we’ve achieved up till now.

“This match will go down in history. It was a special game. FC Porto are also in the final with merit and we hope it’s another fantastic match, like today.”


Sporting 5-3 Benfica: As it happened

Miguel Veloso, Sporting midfielder:

“The feeling right now is of immense happiness. Things in the first half didn’t go as we wanted. The boss told us what we had to do to improve and we managed to turn around the match.

“My celebration with Yannick? As well as a team-mate he is a great friend of mine and I’m happy when he scores goals. Now we’re going to focus on our next games.”

Liedson, Sporting striker:

“It’s just as well that this game will be unforgettable for positive reasons. In the second half we showed our union. The team is to be congratulated on this victory.

“The final is going to be against a great club, which are the national champions, but it’s early to think about that. We’ve got four matches left in the Liga and we want second place – we are fully focussed on that.”

Nuno Gomes, Benfica forward:

“In the name of the team I want to thank the Benfica fans in the stadium because they deserved a victory more than anybody. It wasn’t possible but I want to thank their incredible support. Again they showed what is means to be a Benfiquista.

“We played a fantastic first half, putting into practice what the coach had told us. Then we had a terrible half hour in the second half. We have to hand it to Sporting who reacted well. For people who like football it was a great spectacle, with eight goals, but obviously we are disappointed at being knocked out.”

Quim, Benfica goalkeeper:

“Our first half was very good. In the second half there was a period of 15/25 minutes in which the team became disoriented. We tried to react but we didn’t manage to. I don’t mind conceding four goals as long as we score five. Unfortunately today that didn’t happen.

“But we’re not going to blame the defence, the whole team made mistakes. We’ll now concentrate on the next match against FC Porto, where we hope to get a good result.”