The hot summer of 2018 announced a disastrous season for Leões. A sequence of destructive measures led the club to lose several important players; some of them were recovered; some other weren’t.
2018-19 was not that much of a failure, though, and much because one of those players that came back was Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder single-handedly led Sporting into at least keeping a place on the top three.
New coach Marcel Keizer had a good impact when replaced Peseiro around December, but soon Sporting’s game plan was spotted by opponents, and Leões went into a rough period. It all improved in the last months, which was enough to pass Braga and hold the third place.
Bas Dost spent a considerable time out in injury; curiously, he missed the best period of the team, which makes one wonder about how the Dutch striker limits the team’s game, despite the goals he scores.
Coates and Mathieu were the rock that sustained Sporting at the back, with a good help from Renan who was a decent adding in goal. Wendel finally got game time and proved to be an obvious reference for this Sporting in the centre.
Next season, the fans won’t be so tolerant, and will certainly expect the team to be back at challenging for the title. That won’t be easy, though, especially since Bruno Fernandes is not expected to be around anymore.
