Octávio Ribeiro says two Sporting players aren't good enough for the club | OneFootball

Octávio Ribeiro analyzed the latest round of the Portuguese League. The journalist begins by pointing the finger at Ricardo Mangas and Georgios Vagiannidis, arguing that, despite their effort, they do not show enough quality to be Sporting players.

“Mangas and Vagiannidis, players who give everything they have, but without showing football of this level.” Pedro Gonçalves was also criticized: “Would Pote lose any of his talent if he became more aggressive defensively?” he asked in the newspaper 'Record'.

The columnist even criticizes a specific action by the attacking midfielder in the match against Santa Clara, pointing to a lack of commitment: “Pote’s attitude in the move leading to Santa Clara’s first goal is unacceptable, that lazy stretch of the leg, careless, almost insulting.”

Even so, in the overall picture of the round, Sporting emerge as the main beneficiaries: “So, only Sporting came through this round unscathed. There are still points to be dropped by all the title contenders”, he writes, stressing that the Lions managed to remain steady at a time when their direct rivals dropped important points.

Finally, Octávio Ribeiro reinforces that Porto should look inward and not at the refereeing: “Ice, lots of ice, in the heads of Porto’s officials, is the necessary remedy at the Dragão to reach the title.” In closing, he leaves a message ahead of the European clash against Arsenal: “May Pote stand firm in defense of the collective; and may the less gifted be blessed with the talent they lack.”

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