Amorim Delivers Witty Ferguson Quip Before Guardiola Face-off

Ruben Amorim sought to defuse any mind games and mischief ahead of Sporting CP’s UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester City on Tuesday.

Amorim will lead Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade for the final time against Pep Guardiola’s side before a last game in charge at Braga this weekend.

The 39-year-old will then take charge of Manchester United as Erik ten Hag’s long-term successor on November 11.

City and Sporting have each taken seven points from their first three league phase matches and are well-placed to progress as a result.

However, Amorim imminently taking up residence across town from Guardiola has added some unexpected narrative spice to the encounter – something. the man at the centre of it all is acutely aware of.

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“The conclusions drawn from this game are not important to me,” Amorim told a pre-match news conference. 

“If the result is negative, expectations will drop. If we win, they will think that the new Alex Ferguson has arrived! 

“What interests me is winning, saying a good farewell to Estadio Alvalade. What I want is to make the fans and my players happy.”

Speaking at the same briefing as his outgoing boss, Sporting captain Morten Hjulmand lavish praise on United’s new head coach.

“Ruben was one of the reasons why I came to Sporting,” he said.

“The way that he manages the team both on and off the pitch is not like anything I have seen in my short career.

“I think Manchester United are in good hands with Ruben.”

When City and Sporting met in the Round of 16 in 2022, the Premier League champions ran out 5-0 winners.

However, the Jose Alvalade does not hold all positive memories for Guardiola. Sporting’s home ground was the scene of City’s humiliating 3-1 Champions League quarterfinal defeat to Lyon in 2020.