I can't believe it: Sporting star faces Alvalade curse, responds | OneFootball

Fotis Ioannidis enjoyed a perfect return to action. The Greek forward came off the bench and still had time to score Sporting’s seventh and final goal in the 7-0 thrashing of Strasbourg, in a warm-up match for the new season.

"I’m very happy to be back. Of course I enjoyed the game and now I just hope to keep helping the team," said the 26-year-old Greece international in comments to channel ‘V+’, after getting minutes again in the green-and-white shirt.

Ioannidis said he is available to perform different roles in Sporting’s attack, whether as the main attacking reference or in a more mobile position. "I’m a striker, a ‘9’, but I’ll play wherever the coach wants me to. I know the movements of centre-forwards very well, so I’m ready to play wherever needed," he explained.

The player also commented on choosing the 'number 7 shirt', known for being cursed at Alvalade, making it clear he is not worried about any superstition after the problems he faced last season. "I don’t believe in those things. The bad luck was last season, but that’s over. The number 7 shirt gave me a good start, because I came on and scored, and I feel things are going to start going well," he added.

Asked about the many changes in Sporting’s squad, Ioannidis played down the departures and showed confidence in the choices made by the club’s hierarchy. "It happens at big clubs… Players leave and other good players come in. They are decisions made by the club and the coach," he concluded.

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