Varandas praised by PS MP, Sporting president riding high | OneFootball

André Pinotes Batista says he is very satisfied with the direction Sporting has taken in recent years. The PS deputy analyzed the recent statements made by Frederico Varandas, ahead of the match against Kairat Almaty – which already has a confirmed referee – and praised the President of the Lions.

“On the verge of a fourth appearance in five years in the Champions League – with three championships and several cups under our belt – 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 leaders of Portuguese football,’ he recalled in the newspaper Record.

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

In conclusion, André Pinotes Batista took the opportunity to launch Sporting’s opening match in the Champions League against Kairat, mentioning the recent legends match at the Alvalade Stadium: “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, making their debut, undertaking the longest journey ever in the Champions League, about 7,000 km, but they will arrive motivated by emotion and with nothing to lose – and that makes them dangerous. The serious attitude, commitment, cohesion, and focus under adversity seen in Famalicão is the antidote against distractions,” he concluded.

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