A few minutes after conceding the first two goals in this edition of the championship, Diogo Costa analysed a game in which the Dragons started “well” and showed Sporting “our strength”. "As time went by, we started missing our timings to know when to press or move back" and, facing an "intelligent" opponent in hiding their weaknesses, the team lacked the ability to "change the game".

"We have to react", stated the captain of a team that will make the "trip back home thinking about the next game, despite the stoppage for national duty." All this because one cannot “think about what has been won”, but rather about what there is “left to win”.

The Classic analysis
“We got in well, in the first 15 or 20 minutes we showed our strength to Sporting and they felt it. As time went by, we started missing our timings to know when to press or move back. We didn't make the best of our game as much as we should have, Sporting were prepared for the deep attacks, it was clever of them. We had to change the game and we weren't able to. Now we have to keep working because there is also a lot of championship ahead.”

Fairness in the result
"The victory is fair because, as time went on, they were better, they scored two goals, they won and the result shows that it was fair."

Reaction starts already on the way home
“We have to react. Today we make the trip back home thinking about the next game, even with the stoppage for national duty. Our players have to be on constant alert as early as possible to make it easier.”

Eyes on the future
“We're off to a good start, but it's in the past. We have to look to the present and the future. We can't think about what we won already, but rather what we have left to win.”