Sporting Lisbon's Outlook Without Ruben Amorim in Arsenal Champions League Showdown

The Portuguese club is currently excelling, holding the second spot in the European standings with one draw and three victories in their first four games. Their impressive performance includes a dominant 4-1 win over English Premier League champions Manchester City.

Sporting appointed reserve team coach Joao Pereira earlier in November to replace Amorim and he enjoyed a 6-0 victory in his first outing against minnows Amarante in the Portuguese Cup on Nov 22.

Striker Viktor Gyokeres was among the goalscorers, continuing his own red-hot form this season.

The former Coventry striker boasts 21 goals in 15 matches between the Champions League and Portuguese top flight.

Sporting’s big stylish victory increased hope the club’s continuist approach by appointing Pereira will help them maintain their form.

“Everything stayed the same, including the ball progression, which was identical to what the team was doing under Ruben Amorim,” said Tiago Fernandes, Sporting’s former interim manager in the 2018-19 season.

“He didn’t have time to work with most of the footballers (after international break),” he continued.

“The best thing was to keep what was already in place.”

Former right-back Pereira was part of Amorim’s Portuguese title winning team in 2021, helping to end a near two-decade wait for domestic triumph.

The 40-year-old coach spent three spells at Sporting as a player and even came with a seal of approval from the departed Amorim himself.

“Joao Pereira is making his mark, I think he is an excellent coach,” said Amorim in May. “He has all the conditions to become Sporting’s coach.”

Arsenal have not won on the road in their last five Champions League matches, with Sporting aiming to extend that bad run at Estadio Jose Alvalade in the Portuguese capital.

Amorim’s Sporting were able to knock out Mikel Arteta’s side in the Europa League last 16 last season on penalties after draws both home and away.

The thrashing of third-tier Amarante was a sign that the squad is still focussed, and Pereira’s assistant Tiago Teixeira said the players had approached that match as if they were facing the Gunners.

“I think we were all calm, all the members of the coaching staff, it was an excellent debut, not only because of the result, because of another victory, but because of everything the players managed to do,” said Teixeira.

“We had little time to train and they were already able to take on board some ideas.

“They approached this game as if it were a final, as if it were the game against Arsenal – that’s what we wanted.”

The win was Sporting’s ninth consecutive victory across all competitions.