Leonino exclusive: Paulo Iago causing Sporting a real headache | OneFootball

Paulo Iago has not managed to establish himself with the expected regularity at Sporting due to successive physical problems. The arrival of the Spaniard was seen as an investment for the future, but the injuries have left the green and white management apprehensive about the player’s development, according to Leonino.

The structure, led by Frederico Varandas, is concerned about the fact that the 18-year-old has not yet managed to confirm his potential since joining the Club, not even being an undisputed starter for the under-23 team.

The situation has worsened recently with a new surgical intervention that the left-footer underwent. The last game Paulo Iago played for Sporting was almost four months ago, back in early November 2025 in the Youth League.

Despite the enormous talent he showed throughout his development, where he was considered one of Real Madrid’s great prospects, it was expected that the footballer would already be fully adapted to the reality of the green and white club, something that has not yet happened.

Since joining Sporting in September 2024, he has played only 17 games for the under-23 team (scoring one goal) and one for the junior team. In the current 2025/26 sports season, he has only nine appearances (285 minutes).

Check out these moments from Paulo Iago:

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