At 32, Sporting academy product admits he wants to return: it's home | OneFootball

The Monaco defeat against Sporting (2-0), in the Cinco Violinos trophy, also marked Eric Dier's homecoming. The English centre-back, who spent ten years in Sporting’s youth system, did not hide his pride at setting foot in the José Alvalade Stadium again, while also expressing a wish for the future.

"I hope one day I can come back", he told Sport TV microphones. The 32-year-old made 31 appearances for Sporting’s first team between 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. He scored one goal and also provided two assists before moving to Tottenham.

The defender showed great happiness at returning to a place he knows well. "Yes, it’s very special for me to come back here. It’s my home, I spent so much time here since I was 8 years old. It’s always special. The first time I came back was for the Champions League in a more serious match, so I couldn’t enjoy it as much as today," he revealed.

Eric Dier also assessed the Club’s current situation, praising the work of Frederico Varandas. "Sporting have been incredible, especially over the last six years. Since the president arrived, he has done a great job, and even my friends who come here to watch the matches talk about the spectacular atmosphere and how different it is from when I was here, along with many very positive changes. I’m very happy," he commented.

The Monaco player is still taking in the ideas of his coach, Filipe Luís. "The start has gone very well. We are at a different stage from Sporting; they have the same coach and players who have been together for a long time, while we are in our third week with Filipe Luís. We are learning his ideas and this is only our second match," he said.

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