Paulo Futre reveals who he wants to win the Sporting v Porto cup clash | OneFootball

Paulo Futre believes that Sporting and Porto go into the Portuguese Cup semi-final on equal footing, refusing to name a clear favorite. In his preview of the first-leg match, scheduled for Estádio José Alvalade, the former player emphasized that he wants “the best team to win.”

“One team can be in great form and lose, another might not be doing so well and still win. When the referee blows the whistle, anything can happen. I carry both clubs with me forever. Sporting was like a father and mother to me in football, but I also wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Porto and what I achieved there. May the best team win,” he told Agência Lusa.

The former winger believes that the emotional factor can have an influence, but only in specific circumstances. “There’s only an emotional advantage if someone makes an unfortunate statement, says they’re better or that they’ll win easily. The other team goes in angrier. Nowadays, that almost never happens,” he explained.

As for the outcome of the tie, Paulo Futre reminds us that everything is decided over two games: “A semi-final is played over 180 minutes. The first match is just the first half. Even if someone loses at home, nothing is decided. It can be settled by a moment of genius, a mistake, or a set piece. And it could even go to penalties. Some people don’t believe in it, but I believe in luck. That little bit of luck is very important in these moments. Porto is doing well, Sporting is also having a great season. For me, it’s 50% for each side. I expect a great tie and may the best team go through.”

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