Football · Leiria
Varandas admits Sporting are below expectations in the I Liga, backs Paulo Fonseca
At the 44th Rugidos de Leão gala in Leiria on Friday, 13 November, Frederico Varandas told around 1,500 members that the I Liga campaign has fallen short, while expressing confidence in new coach Paulo Fonseca.
AI text based on reports by SIC Notícias, SAPO and Observador. Published . How it is made
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In brief
Varandas said the club is below what it expected in the I Liga despite a good start in the Champions League, with about two thirds of the season still to be played.
Fonseca replaced Rui Borges in early November, and Varandas said players and staff felt his impact within one week and expects a cycle of many wins.
Ten players joined the squad, with newcomers averaging 21 years and the whole squad averaging 23 years, a value Varandas put at more than 410 million euros.
Organic revenue rose from 50 to 100 million euros and SAD turnover from 150 to 300 million euros, with five consecutive years of positive results and membership above 200,000.
A slow league start and a strong Champions League
On Friday, 13 November, Sporting president Frederico Varandas addressed around 1,500 members at the 44th Rugidos de Leão gala, held at the Quinta do Paúl in Ortigosa, in the municipality of Leiria. The gala is organised locally by the Núcleo do Sporting de Leiria, led by Bernardes Dinis, and it is the setting where the president usually reviews the club's position mid-season. Varandas said the team had begun the season well in the Champions League but had not met expectations in the I Liga.
“We started the season and, despite another very good start in the Champions League, in the national championship we are below what we expected.”
Lessons, not excuses
Varandas said the club must work out what it did wrong rather than reach for the excuses he associated with cowards. He asked that the message stay in the minds of all professionals so the team could return quickly to its usual level. About two thirds of the season still remains, he told members, and a great deal is still to happen. He also said the club had got used to competing to win again and that there was no going back.
A new coach given time
Paulo Fonseca replaced Rui Borges as head coach in early November. Varandas recalled the winning spells under Ruben Amorim and Rui Borges and said the club believed a similar run lay ahead under Fonseca.
“We believe very, very strongly that we will have a cycle with many victories with Paulo Fonseca.”
According to Varandas, players and staff had felt the impact of Fonseca's knowledge, experience and leadership within a single week, and he called him a great coach. Players Pedro Lima, Kaique Pereira and Luis Guilherme attended the gala.
A young and valuable squad
Varandas said ten players had joined the squad, with newcomers averaging 21 years. The whole squad averages 23 years, which he described as one of the lowest averages in the club's history. He put the squad's value at more than 410 million euros and said its market value still has considerable room to grow.
“Sporting has a young squad, with talent and potential, and that gives us a base that guarantees success for the coming years.”
Club finances since 2018
Varandas also reviewed the club's finances since 2018, when the current governing bodies took office. Organic revenue from the stadium, membership fees and merchandising rose from 50 to 100 million euros, and the turnover of the SAD doubled from 150 to 300 million euros. He said the club has posted five consecutive years of positive results and that equity moved from 13 million euros negative to 76 million euros positive. Membership passed 200,000, a record according to the speech.
- Organic revenue 2018
- 50 million euros
- Organic revenue 2026
- 100 million euros
- SAD turnover 2018
- 150 million euros
- SAD turnover 2026
- 300 million euros
Data from the article text
The speech framed the season as a stretch with about two thirds of matches still to be played, with the club's finances presented as the base for what comes next.
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Sources and context
- SIC NotíciasVarandas admits I Liga below expectations for Sporting, but refuses to give coward excusesVarandas admite I Liga "aquém" do esperado para o Sporting, mas recusa "dar desculpas de cobardes" · original in Portuguese
- SAPOVarandas on Paulo Fonseca and the start of the season: We do not look for coward excusesVarandas sobre Paulo Fonseca e o arranque de época: "Não procuramos desculpas cobardes" · original in Portuguese
- ObservadorWe must not look for the typical excuses of cowards: Varandas assumes bad start but ensures Sporting will not go back"Não devemos procurar as típicas desculpas, de cobardes": Varandas assume mau início mas assegura que Sporting "não vai voltar atrás" · original in Portuguese
- SAPOFrederico Varandas trusts that Paulo Fonseca can follow in the footsteps of Ruben Amorim and Rui Borges: We believe very, very much that we will have a cycle with many victoriesFrederico Varandas confia que Paulo Fonseca pode seguir os passos de Ruben Amorim e Rui Borges: "Acreditamos muito, mas mesmo muito, que teremos um ciclo com muitas vitórias · original in Portuguese
- Frederico Varandas
- President of Sporting Clube de Portugal who gave the speech at the Rugidos de Leão gala
- Paulo Fonseca
- New Sporting head coach who replaced Rui Borges in early November
- Rui Borges
- Former Sporting head coach replaced by Paulo Fonseca in early November
- Ruben Amorim
- Former Sporting head coach whose spell Varandas cited as a winning cycle
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