Sporting ending was written like this, says Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim, the outgoing coach of Sporting Lisbon, has signed off in style with a stunning UEFA Champions League victory over Manchester City in his final home game. The victory comes after four and a half years of transformative leadership at the Portuguese club. "It was written it had to be like this," said an elated Amorim after Sporting's emphatic win over Manchester City, their third defeat in a week and their heaviest defeat since September 2020.
Amorim prepares for new challenge at Manchester United
Amorim is about to take on a new challenge as he prepares to lead Manchester United, a team that has been living under the shadow of Manchester City's dominance for a decade. He did admit that the difference between his current and future roles, saying, "At Manchester United you cannot play exactly like this. You cannot play so defensively and so there we will have to adapt."
Amorim's views on Manchester United
Amorim added that the Premier League and Manchester United will be different. "It will be a completely different world, a different team, we won't have that much time to train and we will begin from a different starting point. People can make their own judgements but I say to the people of Manchester that this was a one-off," the Portuguese said.
Amorim's tactical approach sparks interest at United
Amorim's defensive strategy, which often involves three central defenders, has piqued interest within Manchester United. The club believes that calling Amorim a coach who plays with three central defenders is an oversimplification. They argue that his tactics can vary and could include inverted full-backs or more traditional wing-backs, depending on the situation.
Amorim's coaching style observed during City game
Amorim's coaching style was evident during the game against Manchester City. He was expressive but not too much, often pointing for specific reasons. Unlike some coaches who are always in the technical area, Amorim sometimes let members of his backroom team take center stage. This was especially evident when Sporting were leading 4-1 against City.
Viktor Gyokeres smashes hat-trick in Sporting's 4-1 win
Viktor Gyokeres smashed a hat-trick in Sporting's 4-1 win. He drove home a 38th-minute leveller to Phil Foden's early opener before keeping his cool after the break to beat goalkeeper Ederson twice from the spot. City started the second half on a poor note as they went behind seconds after the restart when Maximiliano Araujo raced onto a through ball and fired into the corner. Gyokeres then scored in the 49th and 80th minute respectively to stun the visitors.
