Virgílio Lopes issues warning before Porto v Sporting: title left | OneFootball

Virgílio Lopes believes that Sporting have enough going for them to beat Porto and secure a place in the Portuguese Cup final, downplaying the recent derby defeat to Benfica in a match from the 30th round of the Champions League.

"It is time to [start] winning again and Sporting have everything needed to win. The fact that they lost on Sunday is something that happens," said the former Sporting defender in comments to Lusa news agency. "Sporting were better, more organized and more ambitious than Benfica," who won 2-1, "but not because of incompetence or a lack of quality" from the two-time national champions.

Despite a demanding period - with elimination from the Champions League against Arsenal and their title hopes looking more distant - Virgílio Lopes believes the focus is clearly defined. "Today I think the mindset will be different. It will basically be: this is the [title] left, this is the one we are going to win. And that’s that."

The 1-0 advantage brought from Alvalade is, in his view, an important asset. "It is an advantage for Sporting that Porto have to play more attack-minded football because they can calmly make the most of counter-attacks and quick moves. And Sporting have good players for that," he said.

Even so, Virgílio expects a balanced game decided by small details. "These matches are always very tight" and are usually settled by "something extraordinary that someone does" or by a mistake, he recalled, remembering a goal by Mário Marques in 1987 at the old Estádio das Antas.

The former Sporting official expects an intense match, but one that stays within normal limits. "I hope it is nothing serious, that everything goes well, that the refereeing goes well, that there are no problems and, after all that, that Sporting are better and win," he wished.

Virgílio Lopes also did not hide his desire to see Sporting in the final, even admitting a special scenario: "I would be twice as happy, or much happier, if it were Sporting v Torreense", alluding to the other side of the bracket, where Torreense are battling Fafe for a place at Jamor.

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