This Sunday, FC Porto beat Sporting (2-1) for matchday 15 of the championship, winning in Alvalade again, 11 years later. At the end of the historic match, Sérgio Conceição congratulated the three teams on the pitch and stated the blue and white victory was deserved, but also congratulated Sporting, for the “most demanded” match of the season. According to the coach, the championship “will be competitive until the end”.

The resume of the match
“First of all, congratulations to all three teams. There was no controversy, and all three teams were at a great level, as did the fans, both of FC Porto and of Sporting. Our fans were tireless in the support to the team and they believed until the end. As for the match, we started well, exploiting their fragilities, and it was in one of Marega’s runs that we scored the first goal. We controlled the match until the tie, with a goal that came from a mistake that cannot happen. Sporting did the best with it and tied. In the second-half, they were better in the first 20 minutes, and created difficulties. We were somewhat fortunate in that stage. After that, I felt Nakajima was having issues helping on the defence, so I put Otávio in the middle and Marega on the left. The players understood what I wanted perfectly. We deserved to win, as we faced a Sporting with great quality. It was the most demanding match of the season.”

The second-half
“We had to suffer at the start of the second-half, but we understood why we were suffering. Sporting had an interesting attacking mentality and we improved after moving Otávio to the centre. We blocked Sporting after that and that’s when we won the match. We scored a goal and created opportunities for more goals, but that would have been unfair for Sporting.”

Advantage of 12 points over the third place
“The advantage over the third is bigger now, but we are going to stay on this path, looking ahead and not behind. From what we saw in Guimarães, where Benfica had to suffer to beat a great Vitória, this championship will be competitive until the end.”

Pepe injured
“I’m sad, because I like to have every player available, but Mbemba went in and played well. We have a balanced squad and the players give a good response whenever they are called.”

The fight for the title
“I know my players and our quality. It’s their quality and our work that makes me believe we will become champions. I know that, if we remain like this, we will become champions.”

Mbemba and Diogo Leite will be starting in Moreira de Cónegos
“I’m going to do something I never do: Mbemba and Diogo Leite will be in the starting team in the match against Moreirense, which is worth three points, just as this historic match. We know it’s always difficult to play in Moreira de Cónegos, but I fully trust them. If nothing happens in terms of injuries, they will be in the starting team against Moreirense.”