Pinotes Batista highlights Sporting's dominance in Portugal: not just hype | OneFootball

André Pinotes Batista revealed his belief in Sporting’s dominance in Portugal. The commentator and supporter of the Lions spoke about the good moment being experienced within the Club, ahead of Rui Borges’ team making their debut in the new edition of the Champions League, against Kairat Almaty – which already has a confirmed referee – and quotes recent statements from Frederico Varandas.

“On the verge of a fourth appearance in five years in the Champions League – with three championships and several cups in the bag – there’s a different atmosphere. In a recent interview with the highly respected Kicker, Frederico Varandas materialized what practical reality had already been showing: ‘Today we have regained our prestige and international image, but we want to cement and consolidate this image as the leader of Portuguese football’,” he recalled in the newspaper Record.

It’s not fanfare, it’s actually an act of determined humility, especially when interpreted together with the premise that no one doubts: “the perception of being the third biggest club belongs to the past.” Let’s call it parity without complexes: Sporting, Benfica, and FC Porto on the same theoretical level, with Sporting dominating the last five years,” he added.

In conclusion, André Pinotes Batista took the opportunity to preview Sporting’s opening match in the Champions League, against Kairat, mentioning the recent legends match at the Estádio de Alvalade: “On Thursday, José Alvalade will once again be filled with legends – not those in golden frames, but those of the present. Calm stars, with sleeves rolled up, who no longer whisper to us ‘next year is the one’, but instead tell us: tonight, anything can happen.”

“On the other side comes Kairat Almaty, debutants, making the longest trip ever in the Champions League, about 7,000 km, but they’ll arrive motivated by emotion and with nothing to lose – precisely for that reason, they’re dangerous. The serious attitude, commitment, cohesion, and focus under adversity seen in Famalicão is the antidote to distractions,” he concluded.

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