The president of Sporting, Frederico Varandas, highlighted this Saturday the obligation of Portuguese clubs to sell soccer players to generate income and remain competitive in European competitions, at the Thinking Football conference in Porto.
“Right now, while the football system is being established, We don’t have another chance to compete with the top five European leagues if we don’t sell players. It is a must. With merit, there were teams that passed the group stage of the Champions League. It’s hard for the fans to understand certain things, but the day the ‘big ones’ stop selling, they won’t have the opportunity to ride in the ‘Champions’”, warned the leader, in a panel on the “commitment to training” and “financial sustainability” of the people of Lisbon.
Designating Sporting a “mission” since it was elected in September 2018, Frederico Varandas prioritized “investment” in the “Alcochete Gym, in the José Alvalade Stadium, in the digital transformation and in the growth of the brand” to support the ‘lions’.
“In other championships, training can be a treat, a pleasure or an option. For us it is a matter of survival and that is why we are very good at it. The clubs that are not good at training will not be in the ‘Champions’. What makes us resist in a country further away from the European Union is producing and selling players, ”he added.
The national runners-up have already contributed “67 athletes” from the quarry to the main squad, which turned 20 in June, of which 22 have been designed in the absolute category during “the last four years”, endorsing a “reality that is to maintain”. .
“The titles we won are proof that this path leads us to victories. It is very important that this is the case, because there are many topics in which Sporting has to invest. We invest ensuring its sustainability for the future, without this preventing us from earning. These four years were the best of Sporting’s last long seasons in terms of titles. The model is sustainable, but also a winner, ”he pointed out, in a high mandate by winning the 19th national champion title in 2020/21, 19 years later.
Re-elected on March 6, with 85.8% of the vote, ahead of Ricardo Oliveira and Nuno Sousa, Frederico Varandas, 43, classified the captain of the national team Cristiano Ronaldo, formed in Alcochete (1997-2001). , who made his debut with the senior team (2001-2003) before signing for Manchester United.
“It is the name of the academy and it is one of the pride of Sporting and sports fans. The creation of this academy was a fundamental step for training in Portugal, but Sporting’s training began earlier and is pioneering. Of the four best in the world, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo, Eusébio and Paulo Futre, three graduated from Sporting”, he exemplified.
The Thinking Football summit takes place between Friday and Sunday, at the Pavilhão Rosa Mota, in Porto, under the unprecedented organization of the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP).
Source: Observadora
