Much like the constant associations to his former club Benfica, questions regarding Sporting’s attributes as potential Liga NOS champions are never too far away from a Jorge Jesus press conference.
On the eve of their away fixture versus Paços de Ferreira, Jesus highlighted the fact that just one of his squad members had been crowned as a league champion in Portugal before – João Pereira.
Indeed, a lack of experience may well prove to be one of the few things that can derail Sporting from its ultimate goal. It’s arguably what cost FC Porto’s talented crop last season. After Benfica defeated Arouca to go 1st in the Liga NOS table, many rival fans would have been sharpening their teeth at the prospect of Sporting slipping up against Paços de Ferreira.
Ingredients for a slip-up
So far this season, only Vitória de Guimarães can boast about defeating Paços de Ferreira at the Estádio da Mata Real, with Sporting failing to defeat the ‘Pacenses’ in each of their last three league meetings, which explains why Benfica were half expecting an upset to be on the cards.
The performance and, most importantly, the result Sporting managed to register told another story. Ex-Benfica man Bruno César and the in-form Islam Slimani gave Sporting a 2-0 lead, and despite a late goal from Paços de Ferreira’s Bruno Moreira threatening to set up a nervy end to the game, Slimani’s second goal of the match ensured it’d be nothing more than a consolation as Sporting returned to the top of the table with a 3-1 win.
Although it wasn’t the most glamourous of occasions, Sporting did overcome what many considered as a certain banana skin with relative ease, and for that they must be commended. To say the ‘Jesus Factor’ is playing its part would be an understatement, and it was evident all throughout Sporting’s line-up last Saturday.
Player development
Jesus’ arrival played a big part in Slimani diverting his attentions away from a move to the Barclays Premier League and renewing his contract with Sporting instead. Approximately five months down the line, the Algerian striker has already surpassed his goal tally for last season in the Liga (12) and doubled the eight goals scored in his first year at the club, undoubtedly increasing the financial reward awaiting both the club and the player should he move next season.
João Mário, one of Sporting’s very best performers this season, is another player who has gone from strength-to-strength since the start of the season and is sure to be pushing for a significant role in Portugal’s Euro 2016 squad this summer. His compatriot, Adrien Silva, has taken the role of Jorge Jesus’s lieutenant within the first team; often drifting to the sideline for quick words with the manager and ensuring his presence is felt.
Despite a series of underwhelming displays, William Carvalho is another who seems captivated by the current mood surrounding the club. It could be so easy for him to drop his head and cave in to the pressure, but he continuously looks to play in the manner we’ve all come to remember him so fondly for. Last Saturday, he repaid the faith shown in him by Jesus and turned in a far more familiar looking performance, which was vital for Sporting’s tricky clash against Paços de Ferreira to be as tranquil as it was.
Even Naldo, once deemed surplus to requirement at Granada and Udinese, has settled in Jesus’s plans as the firm partner to the ever impressive Paulo Oliveira in defence.
Belief
The aforementioned impacts are likely to be replicated throughout much of Sporting’s squad, and it has been made evident with each approach they take to games. From the 11th hour Slimani goal away to Arouca to the 3-2 comeback in Sporting de Braga’s visit to Alvalade, it seems Sporting believe they can win under any circumstance. Such an attitude has currently left them in 1st place, two points ahead of Benfica, and who knows where it’ll take them come May.
Despite João Pereira being the only man to have tasted success domestically, the company of Jesus may well be all Sporting requires to end their 14-year wait for a league title.
By Patrick Ribeiro
