Sporting took another step back in the race to qualify for the Champions League. The draw to zero, yesterday, in Barcelos, against Gil Vicente, in the overdue game of the 25th round, interrupted a series of five consecutive victories in the League and represents a splash of cold water for the leonine universe that was already counting down three points in Minho, another three in the next round against Casa Pia and the loss of points by FC Porto in tomorrow’s derby against Benfica, a perfectly plausible scenario that would put Rúben Amorim’s team closer to the dragons in the fight for a place in the millionaire race, even if it was via third place (with pre-eliminations).
Nothing is lost, but it is natural that at SAD and within the squad itself, people are already starting to hope that the third place will be SC Braga and not FC Porto. For a very simple reason: the lions have an advantage in the direct confrontation with Braga, but they have a disadvantage against FC Porto. That is, the five points disadvantage for dragons would actually amount to more than that. It’s worth what it’s worth.
The numbers are illuminating: the team has 10 points less at the 26th round compared to last season, when the League finished in second place, which gave direct access to the Champions League – and even so Matheus Nunes had to be sold to the Wolverhampton.
It remains to be seen if this result will not make the Europa League the great objective of the leonine formation for 2022/2023, not only for the prestige, but for being the only competition in which Sporting depends on itself. And because that way he would get a direct place in the Champions League. Because the entrance through the door of the League seems to be getting tighter and tighter.
