Sporting Lisbon President to Work as Doctor During Coronavirus Pandemic
Mar 20, 2020
FARO, PORTUGAL - AUGUST 4: Bruno Fernandes of Sporting CP with Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the end of the Portuguese SuperCup match between SL Benfica and Sporting CP at Estadio Algarve on August 4, 2019 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Sporting Lisbon President Frederico Varandas has announced he will work as a doctor during the coronavirus pandemic "as long as Portugal needs it."
According to ESPN FC's Adriana Garcia, Varandasis a specialist in sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. He is also a decorated army captain.
The 40-year-old, who has been president of Sporting since 2018, took to Instagram (h/t Garcia) to explain his decision:
"For the generations of our parents and grandparents, but also for this generation that cannot grow up in a country suffocated in another serious economic crisis. For all of them, for Portugal ... come on. Each in its own way.
"Some taking care of the sick, others making bread, others informing the Portuguese people, others working on their services to keep the economy and the country up. I served my country; today I will return to do so as long as the state of emergency continues...and I will return to do so always as long as Portugal needs it. Let's do it. Let's do it with everything."
Portuguese football was suspended indefinitely last week after it was initially decided all matches should be played behind closed doors:
⚠ Liga NOS is suspended indefinitely due to the #COVID19 pandemic ⚠
There have been 785 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Portugal and three deaths, per the World Health Organization. Portugal's President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in a bid to control the spread.
As with the rest of Europe, it is impossible to establish when football may resume in Portugal.
Sporting's last fixture was a 2-0 home win over nine-man Desportivo Aves on March 8. Andraz Sporar and Luciano Vietto were the goalscorers.
It left them fourth in the Primeira Liga after 24 games, four points clear of fifth-placed Rio Ave but 17 back from Benfica in the second UEFA Champions League spot.
Bruno Fernandes Says There's 'No Need' to Force Sporting CP Exit
Nov 16, 2019
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 10: Bruno Fernandes of Sporting CP during the Liga Nos round 11 match between Sporting CP and Belenenses at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 10, 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Bruno Fernades won't force his exit from Sporting CP and isn't listening to transfer rumours continuing to link him with a move away to Lisbon.
The dynamic midfielder expressed his happiness at his club ahead of Portugal's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against Luxembourg on Sunday, per Sky Sports:
"I'm not worried at all [about transfer window speculation]. Since 2016, there's been talk about my possible departure. I'm well, doing my job and doing the best I can. I have dreams to fulfil but I have no need to force my departure. I feel the love here and if I have to leave, I hope I leave good memories."
Fernandes has long been linked with teams from the Premier League. He was mooted to be on the radar of Manchester United throughout the summer. Meanwhile, Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed how United domestic rivals Tottenham Hotspur bid €45 million (£40 million), with the offer of a further €20 million in bonuses, for Fernandes.
As Sport Witness detailed, Sporting are committed to fetching the largest fees possible in player sales because of their financial restrictions:
Bruno Fernandes | Sporting would only have got €12.1m from Tottenham's €45m offer.
Agent €4.5m Bank share €22.5m* Sampdoria €3.6m Boavista €2.3m
Yet there is plenty of incentive for interested clubs to meet Sporting's demands for one of the more gifted players on the continent. Still just 25, Fernandes is approaching his peak years as a box-to-box source of goals and assists.
Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 15 goals in 16 games for Sporting CP this season in all competitions:
Fernandes' performances for club and country are sure to have interested parties again looking his way. United could use a midfielder who marries industry with ingenuity and end product with so much consistency.
Paul Pogba doesn't fit the bill despite the Frenchman's natural flair and physical power. Meanwhile, Fred and Scott McTominay have produced some solid performances this season, but neither is blessed with the core talent Fernandes possesses.
While the Red Devils have an obvious need for Fernandes, it's a different story for Spurs, provided summer imports begin playing to their potential. Club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele has shown only glimpses of his enviable combination of strength and skill:
Tanguy Ndombele for Lyon in Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season:
Apps -- 3⃣8⃣(3⃣) Goals -- 3⃣ Assists -- 7⃣
Tanguy Ndombele for Tottenham in the Premier League and Champions League this season:
With Harry Winks also emerging as a useful playmaker, Spurs can feel justified believing they have enough quality in the engine room to avoid entering a bidding war for Fernandes.
Whoever does stump up the right amount to tempt Sporting into a sale would acquire a complete player good enough to be a talisman for his next club.
Sporting CP Would 'Be Very Proud' to Rename Stadium After Cristiano Ronaldo
Oct 12, 2019
Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Cristiano Ronaldo's name adorning Sporting CP's stadium is a dream club president Frederico Varandas isn't prepared to give up on.
Varandas told Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia) why renaming the stadium is the best way to honour Ronaldo, who turned heads as a youngster at Sporting before becoming a global star for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus:
"It's a theory we will not shelve and obviously we'd be very proud to have his name associated with us.
"Cristiano is and always will be one of the greatest symbols in the history of our club. We're already keeping his values on the walls of the youth academy, focusing on passion, sacrifice, discipline, leadership and determination. Cristiano is certainly the best Portuguese player of all time and one of the best athletes in the history of the sport."
Ronaldo is chasing the 700th goal of his career, a mark he can hit if he features and scores during Portugal's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier away to Ukraine on Monday.
The rare landmark is a testament to how prolific he has been since his breakthrough at Sporting almost two decades ago:
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first player to play for Sporting CP's U16, U18, U19, U21, B team & senior team in one season. pic.twitter.com/wnW9o7a7VR
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) June 6, 2019
A young and promising Ronaldo began his ascent to the top of the European game when he caught the eye of the Red Devils during a preseason friendly in 2003:
🇵🇹👑 #OnThisDay in 2003, Sporting CP lined up at their new Jose Alvalade stadium in a friendly against Man Utd
This was Cristiano Ronaldo's audition for the Manchester club, in which a £12.24m deal was sealed hours after the game!#MUFCpic.twitter.com/XlPoCXuajj
United scored a major coup by securing the deal, not least because it meant the club had beaten archrivals Arsenal to Ronaldo's signature.
During an interview with ITV's Piers Morgan (h/t Metro's Phil Haigh), Ronaldo detailed the near-miss with the Gunners: "Very close. One step. Seriously. It didn't happen, but Arsenal, I appreciate what they did for me, especially Arsene Wenger, but football you never know where you are going to play, life is like that."
Instead, Ronaldo helped United re-establish dominance, both domestically in the Premier League and on the continent in the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo won the latter trophy once with the Red Devils and four times with Real, making him the best endorsement for the quality of Sporting's youth academy:
Eduardo Quaresma is a product of a famous Sporting CP youth system – one of the most highly regarded academies in Portugal and Europe which raised such great footballers like Luis Figo, Simao Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma, Cristiano Ronaldo & Nani.
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) September 1, 2019
While Sporting can feel proud about having unearthed Ronaldo, there must be some regret at the Lisbon-based club about letting him go too soon. Sporting haven't won the Primeira Liga since 2002, a drought that surely would have ended sooner had a precocious Ronaldo stuck around for a few more seasons.
Yet it's unlikely the rise of such an obvious natural talent could have been slowed down. Not only has Ronaldo bossed the club scene, but he has also set new standards for his nation which a fresh generation are attempting to match:
🇵🇹 Joao Felix makes his @selecaoportugal debut aged 19 years, 207 days – he scored 20 goals for Benfica last season
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) June 5, 2019
Having a stadium named after him at the place where it all began would be an appropriate reminder of what Ronaldo went on to achieve. It would also act as a lasting ode to Portugal's enduring ability to produce some of Europe's greatest players.
