Leonino exclusive: Varandas rethinks future at Sporting | OneFootball

João Gião’s renewal has suffered a setback, Leonino has learned. Sporting’s hierarchy has chosen to review the process and now has a meeting scheduled to discuss the future of the B team coach, due to poor results in the second half of the season.

According to our newspaper, in a Leonino Exclusive, the structure led by Frederico Varandas still believes in the coach’s abilities and, until very recently, intended to show that with a new contract. However, the work shown in the final stretch of the season requires greater reflection.

The truth is that a total ‘overhaul’ is planned in the coaching staffs of Sporting’s academy teams and João Gião was seen as one of the exceptions in Alcochete. In addition to the work done with the B team, the Lions’ under-19 side’s run in the UEFA Youth League is valued by the club’s hierarchy, which has still not completely ruled out a renewal.

From a sporting perspective, participation in the 2025/26 Segunda Liga was not the best. Sporting’s reserve side finished the season in 13th place in the table, with 42 points from 34 matches, in which they managed 13 wins, three draws and 18 defeats. Their goal difference stands at 41 scored and 34 conceded.

He arrived at Sporting at the end of March 2020, after João Pereira’s departure to Turkish side Alanyaspor. Since then, the coach — who worked in Benfica’s academy and was assistant coach at teams such as Sacavenense, Pinhalnovense, Melaka United, Académica, Grasshoppers, Lausanne-Sport and Paços de Ferreira — has led 51 matches between the juniors and the B team, winning 23, drawing eight and losing 20.

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