Sporting Lisbon will fight for the title, says Benfica coach Jorge Jesus – Liga Sagres News
Benfica coach Jorge Jesus has reiterated that their cross-city rivals Sporting Lisbon will be genuine title contenders this year alongside http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Porto-c39186, just like he has claimed on multiple other occasions.
The Reds have opened the 2011/2012 season in imperious form. After managing to qualify for the money-making UEFA Champions League, they have also kicked-off their Primeira Liga fixtures with a bang.
Having not tasted defeat this term, Benfica are 2nd in the Liga Sagres table and narrowly miss out on the top spot due to an inferior goal difference. In the European side of things, they have exceeded their expectations and drew a point against
Manchester United despite the odds being stacked against them.
Their bitter nemesis, Sporting Lisbon, have also begun the season in similar fashion. Although Domingos Paciência’s men cannot boast about being unbeaten this campaign, they made it 6 wins out of 6 after securing three points against Lazio in the UEFA Europa
League.
Sporting mainly owe their great run of form to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ricky-van-Wolfswinkel-c31131, who joined Jose Alvalade this summer as a part of a major changeover. The Netherlands striker has netted 6 times in 6 games and has been arguably their most effective attacking outlet
so far.
Alongside the Dutch forward, the likes of Emiliano Insua, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Stijn-Schaars-c34229 and Jeffren Suarez also signed for the Lisbon outfit during the transfer window and have turned the club into major title contenders.
With Sporting also being labelled as one of the teams slugging it out for the championship, the race is definitely a four-horse one.
Besides both the Lisbon clubs, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/SC-Braga-c40460 and FC Porto will be the ones who are hopeful of lifting the Primeira Liga trophy in May.
Current reigning champions, Porto, are the biggest threat to anyone but Benfica boss Jorge Jesus believes that other teams will also be in the mix this term.
Speaking to reporters, the tactician said that Sporting had gotten stronger as a result of their summer investment and along with the usual suspects will be the ones competing for Portugal’s biggest footballing prize.
"I have already said that this is a sporting team that is stronger than in the past and that would improve as the league advances. Therefore, I believe they will, along with Benfica, FC Porto and Braga SC, will fight for first place,” Jorge Jesus was quoted
as saying.
Tags: