Amorim Discusses Manchester United Expectations and Ferguson Comparison Ahead of City Match

Ruben Amorim, the manager of Sporting, indicated to reporters that supporters of Manchester United might perceive “the new Alex Ferguson has arrived” should his squad triumph over Manchester City in their Champions League fixture on Tuesday. Amorim, aged 39, is scheduled to manage Sporting for two additional matches, including the Champions League encounter against the rivals of his prospective club, prior to assuming his new role at Old Trafford. Amorim stated: “If the result is very negative, expectations will drop and I don’t think that’s a bad starting point, when you begin at Manchester United.” He continued, “If we win they’ll think the new Alex Ferguson has arrived, which is very difficult to maintain.” The coach also acknowledged, “I’m fully aware that I’m going to be judged as a manager on this game, and only on this game, and I realise what [people] can take from this depends on the result.” Sir Alex Ferguson secured 38 trophies over his 26-year tenure as manager of Manchester United before his retirement in 2013. He is set to depart from his position as club ambassador at the conclusion of the current season. Sporting has achieved victory in 14 of their last 15 matches, with their sole defeat this season occurring in the Portuguese Super Cup. Both Manchester City and Sporting currently hold seven points after three Champions League fixtures. In 2022, City eliminated Sporting from the competition’s last 16 with a 5-0 aggregate score. Amorim remarked, “I feel like I’m a better coach [now].” He added, “Unfortunately what I feel is that Pep Guardiola has also become an even better coach, so the gap remains.” He further described City as having “[City have] the best team in the world and the best coach in the world.” Bernardo Silva, a Portuguese midfielder for Manchester City, played alongside Amorim at Benfica during the 2013-14 season. Silva commented on Monday, “He always showed he could read the game because he played different positions – as a defender, on the left, as a midfield player.” Silva also noted, “When he arrived Sporting hadn’t been champions for 20 years. He changed the playing paradigm of Sporting. They are the best team in Portugal by far.” He concluded by saying, “He will be a rival but I am glad someone else from Portugal is in the best league in the world.” Adding, “When Ruben becomes coach of Man United, we will worry about that then. Right now we want three points to get to the top eight.” Simon Stone, BBC Sport’s chief football news writer, reported on his attendance at Sporting’s pre-match media session on Monday, where he was seated near Ruben Amorim, who was observing one of his players respond to inquiries. Stone extended a greeting and shook Amorim’s hand, receiving a civil acknowledgement. Following 20 minutes of questions delivered in his native Portuguese, Amorim was then posed additional questions by the English media. He continued to respond in Portuguese, and when an English TV journalist inquired if he could provide an answer in English, he declined. His press officer subsequently stated that English journalists would receive numerous answers in their native language once Amorim officially commences his role at Manchester United on 11 November. A video of the interaction between Ruben Amorim and the English media gained significant traction on social media. The Sporting manager clarified his decision not to answer further questions in English during Monday’s pre-match news conference, stating: “Sorry, sorry. They will miss me in Portuguese so I have to speak Portuguese.”