Sa Pinto: “We earned the respect of European football”
Match reaction to Sporting win over Premier League giants
 Sporting coach Sa Pinto and his players were naturally delighted with the outcome of the match at the Etihad Stadium tonight. The squad spoke as one in enthusiastically celebrating the victory, but recognising the need to keep their feet on the ground.
Sa Pinto, Sporting coach:
“Of course I suffered at the end, but I never lost confidence in the team. After a fantastic first half I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with the second half, without taking away merit from Manchester City, who have great weapons. We fell badly both physically and psychologically.
“It was worth believing. That was the message I transmitted. In football it is not individuals who win matches, but the collective. This was proven tonight. It’s not easy coming to a team who had beaten United 6-2, Tottenham 5-1 and won a lot of matches by four or five goals.
“What we achieved was historical and we earned the respect of European football.”
Rui Patricio, Sporting goalkeeper:
“We came here with the aim of winning and in the first half we did that, scoring two goals at a very difficult venue. Afterwards Man City fought back, but with everyone pulling together we managed to hold on.
“The Hart header? We have to be ready at all times, until the final whistle. Of course we all dream of making the final and winning the competition, but we have to be calm, and think only about enjoying the moment then seeing who we get in the quarter-finals.”
Matias Fernandez, Sporting midfielder:
“It’s a defeat with a very sweet taste. I felt immense happiness in scoring the goal because I felt we were closer to winning the tie. We knew we’d have to score to make things easier for us. Step by step we’re making progress. Now we’ll wait and see who is next up. Whatever the draw decides will be good.”
Diego Capel, Sporting winger:
“I believe the team showed a winning attitude. We are very confident and we have to continue in this vein. If we keep this up we can go very far. Knocking out a team of the magnitude of Manchester City gives us enormous motivation. But we have to take things step by step. We’ll enjoy this, but on Monday we have an important game and it’s important to try and keep up this dynamism. Afterwards we’ll think about who’s next in the tournament.”
Insua, Sporting left-back:
“We are all enjoying this moment. We knocked out a great rival - Manchester City. Know let’s see what the draw brings. Aguero wasn’t an easy adversary? No, but I also think it wasn’t easy for him. They said we were a young team, this and that, but today we showed we have great quality.”
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I congratulate you Sporting. Thank you for carrying the Portuguese flag forward.
You can't give enough praise to this squad. They did a fantastic job.
As for City fans they have failed to realize that even though you may be able to buy a talented team, it still takes time to develop that belief in European football.
Their main focus should be the league this season. Next season maybe go a bit further in Europa, while still remaining a challenger for the EPL title.
Just in case people forgot, there's idiot fans everywhere, not just in Portugal.
Wake up and pray you never meet us ever again for your own sake, you have annoyed a lot of City fans with your mouthing off."
LOLOLOLOL are you serious? Time to wake up buddy. Sporting deserved to win not Man C even though they did almost come back. Man C thought it was going to be a walk in the park both legs and that's why they do not deserve to continue on in the EL.
And please really what kind of threat is Lets hope you never see us again? Sporting Fans were making more noise AT YOUR HOME STADIUM. LETS HOPE YOU DON"T MEET SPORTING AGAIN.
Do not get me wrong MAN C has a good and talented squad but no not think your club is all high and mighty with all that money, they was proven in these last two matches.
@ Jason England, I'm not done with you, if "we deserved to lose" as you nicely put it, then why didn't we lose. Also, how much pride do you feel in having scored a gifted penalty kick. If you want to play that game, you should've only tied us. So sad. Why didn't you win the first leg? Answer me that question?
Are you serious? Ooooooooohhh, I'm so scared! How old are you? Do you even remember when Man City was the laughing stock of the EPL? Grow up.
Parabens e forca Sporting (I think I got that right), for the whole of the first leg and for 60 minutes last night you outplayed one of the most expensively assembled squads in the world of football, and you showed them why underestimating your opponents isn't something you can get away with in European competition.
Congratulations, and I hope you can go all the way.
You deserved to lose and we deserved to win, shows how fecking deluded you lot are if you think Sporting were amazing.
Wake up and pray you never meet us ever again for your own sake, you have annoyed a lot of City fans with your mouthing off.
Taking nothing away from the Lions, but from watching the match (especially the last 20 minutes), it does look like Mancini's poor tactical choices contributed as much to the win.
Of course, SCP would not be complaining though! Great for the Portuguese teams, although I am sort of worried for Benfica due to whom they will now face in the CL.
Take all your money and go buy some players with less of an attitude problem and smaller ego's.
I'm sure one of these years City's foreign provided riches will buy them a European Trophy, but it's not going to be this year.
As for the CRYING English:
"Hahaha, naaa naaa naann booo booo." Cry me a river you hypocrites. Our country doesn't have a quarter of the financial clout that your clubs exhibit and we still get it done...you know why? Because Joga Bonito means Good Game. Whipe youself off youre bleeding! (Juntao) LOL
Pereirinha had a separated shoulder and stayed in the game. That's not cheating. That's colhões. (and I admit that I was wrong about him)
Get over it, you lost. I mean no disrespect to Manchester City, but you were outplayed in the tie and lost. I am happy for you because after an entire existence of playing in the shadows of England's great footballing powers, you have newfound money to finally help you compete.
Now remember to be humble because while you might be excited now, with all this cash, the rest of the educated football world knows you for who you are: a former mid table English side that is the new money kid on the block. It will take a while for you to be a cohesive, universally lauded and respected team.There is nothing wrong with that. Putting together an expensive collection of paychecks doesn't create an institution, it creates a project and that is what you are, an expensive new project. It will take time, but you will get there. You have the money and the talent. Playing through losses and adversity will give you respect and when you win a title, you will be honored. Your situation is very similar to when Abramovich bought Chelsea. Look at them now, they have won titles and they played as a team in their great victory over Napoli on Tuesday night.
Until then, be humble and support your team properly and please don't cry about "time wasting", "play acting" and "diving" and please don't say our victory is "tainted" because these actions you are crying about are done by every team that plays. If your team was in our shoes you would have done the EXACT same thing. How about Aguero's outlandish swan dive when Renato Neto tripped him up outside the box which gave you a free penalty goal. You don't see me crying about that. All I'm saying is not to cheapen your club by being infantile about your loss and crying about how you were beaten. Be men and rightfully support your club as it should be supported. I wish Manchester City luck and thank you for a thrilling tie.
P.S.
Get rid of that sulking loser Balotelli if you want to get anywhere in the future, that guy is a liability. Mancini should also tell his players including that Neanderthal Edin Dzeko who has yet to do anything of merit that it is not wise to disrespect their opponents in the media before a match by saying he had never heard of anyone on the team. Mancini knew us well as he had lost to us before when we beat Inter in rhe Champion's League. I can assure you now that Dzeko knows Sporting really, really well.
However, your victory is tainted by blatant time wasting tactics - we lost to Swansea, a club with no history of success on Sunday because they outplayed us and didn't cheat. Their victory was with honour and yours was not.
Please don't start mouthing off about it though. City weren't at their best until the last 30 mins & Sporting were very professional. This doesn't mean City are a poor team. Bear in mind they knocked out a better Portuguese team in the last round. It is your day so enjoy it, but don't belittle City, we are here to stay, we will be around in European competition every year from now on & will only get better.
historically, sporting is the goliath here, and the englosh should have had more respect
@Jason I think you can find the whole world thinks Man City is the biggest joke for getting outclassed by a team that cost less than 10% of your team.
Get over it my friends.
What a joke Portugese football is, now I truly know where Cristiano ronaldo got his diving and cheating from.
I have a very lovely feeling Sporting will be knocked out of Europe in the next round, it will serve them right for cheating.
Fantastic result for Portuguese futebol. This is why our league is ranked top FOUR in Europe.
Big bucks buys a lot of pretty stuff, but today it wasn't enough.... Take that to the bank.