In just 45 minutes, Sporting Lisbon’s Champions League dreams were shattered.
To concede four first-half goals at home is a nightmare for any team, but for Sporting, the pain was intensified by the fact that the players dismantling them—Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Ederson, and Joao Cancelo—were stars celebrated by their fiercest rivals, Benfica. The home crowd jeered and whistled every time the quartet touched the ball, but the City players seemed to relish it, powering Manchester City to a 5-0 demolition in February 2022.
After battling through a tough group with Ajax and Dortmund to reach the Champions League knockouts for the first time in over a decade, Sporting’s hopes of progression were swiftly crushed with three-quarters of the tie still to play. As the final minutes ticked away, the home crowd made their feelings known—but not with boos or anger.
Instead, the fans at the José Alvalade Stadium twirled their scarves in the air, chanting and bouncing in appreciation of the journey that had brought them to this stage. Even as Sporting’s players went through the motions of a crushing defeat, the supporters gave a rapturous response that continued long after the final whistle.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Sporting coach Ruben Amorim. “The fans understand the differences [between the teams], and they know the players gave their all. This was reflected in those last three minutes. We knew it was going to be tough against probably the best team in the world.”
Amorim added, “We started well, but then we conceded a goal. We tried, but every time City entered our box, they scored. It just shows how great they are. After the third goal, it wasn’t football anymore—it was suffering. But I’m proud of our players and our fans.”
It wasn’t Sporting’s night, but the fans celebrated the remarkable progress that had brought them there. Just four years earlier, in 2018, the club had been in turmoil, with furious supporters storming the training ground and attacking players, leading many of them to rip up their contracts.
Sporting’s sporting director, Hugo Viana, who is set to replace Txiki Begiristain at Manchester City in 2025, faced an immediate crisis when he took the job, but he rebuilt the squad with intelligent signings. In 2020, the club made a bold move, spending €10 million to hire Braga manager Ruben Amorim. The investment paid off: Sporting won the league title the following year, and although they finished second in 2022, they amassed an impressive 85 points.
Amorim and Viana had crafted something special, a project that resonated deeply with the fans. While Manchester City supporters are left to wonder about the future with Pep Guardiola’s uncertain plans, they can look forward to what Viana might bring. He has already proven he knows how to build a team worth cheering for.
