Conceição and Villas-Boas: behind their inevitable split | OneFootball

The controversial departure of Sérgio Conceição from the Dragons, after seven years and 11 trophies – including three championships and four Portuguese Cups – is also a topic of the book. “The first tête-à-tête between Villas-Boas and Sérgio Conceição happened on April 30, 2024, at Olival, two days after the home match against Sporting for the championship. It was immediately clear that the club and the coach would have to go their separate ways, but they would talk again at the end of the season to decide how to finalize the split.”

The meeting took place on May 30, at Villas-Boas' residence, and Sérgio Conceição “was already prepared for the break, but still wanted to test the club leader about the rumors of potential successors on the bench.” Villas-Boas presented several scenarios and did not rule out that Vítor Bruno, Conceição's assistant, could be an option. At that point, “Sérgio Conceição was in turmoil,” especially because Vítor Bruno had already communicated his intention to pursue a career as a head coach and even had an offer from Qatar.

Outraged by what he considered a betrayal, Conceição shared the situation with his close circle, and the episode eventually reached the media. The free release he desired was at risk because “Sérgio felt he was being stabbed in the back” and could demand payment for the remaining four years of his contract (extended with Pinto da Costa on the eve of the elections).

The book also recalls that it was not the first time Vítor BrunoPinto da Costa when Sérgio Conceição, upset with Luis Diaz's departure to Liverpool, threatened to pack up and leave. Worse: the former president even verbalized it to a not-so-small group of people, arguing that if it worked once (when, in 2011, Vítor Pereira took over from Villas-Boas), there was no reason it couldn't work again.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.