Sérgio Conceição and the “gratitude” behind Porto, Pinto deal | OneFootball

Sérgio Conceição recalled the period of FC Porto’s presidential elections in 2024, which marked the end of Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa’s 42 years in charge of the club and the victory of André Villas-Boas. The coach, who would eventually leave the club at the end of the 2023/24 season, said that it was only a few days before the election that he was called in by the former president to discuss a contract renewal.

“I always stayed out of it until two or three days before the elections. I was invited by president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa to go to his office, where Pepe was present, and then he left, but he explained to me that he would also renew Pepe’s contract; if he were re-elected president of FC Porto, Pepe would stay with him,” he said in an interview with Maisfutebol/CNN/TVI.

The elections took place on 27 April 2024, with FC Porto’s contract renewal with Sérgio Conceição until 2028 being announced two days earlier. The coach, who recently left Al Ittihad, also explained what led him to accept Pinto da Costa’s proposal.

“He opened up a little, spoke very emotionally about his illness, explained the strategy he had for FC Porto over the coming years and I, out of friendship, respect, and gratitude, accepted,” he said.

Sérgio Conceição ultimately left the Dragão after seven years in charge of the team. In 2024/25, he succeeded Paulo Fonseca at Milan, where he won the Italian Super Cup, but failed to secure qualification for European competitions. In the season that has now ended, he also took over Al Ittihad midway through, leading the team to 5th place in the Saudi league.

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