I figured I would get this thread up and running in anticpation of the game Wednesday at the Alvalade. Eight Sporting players missed training today due to injuries (physical and mental), including Marcos Paulo, Tello, Paíto, Nélson, Custódio, Sá Pinto and Jardel.
Sporting gets somewhat of a reprieve in that Ronaldo will miss the match. Still, the Lions will be prohibitive underdogs. Cannavaro may make his debut for Inter, who lists its available players as: Goalkeepers: Fontana, Toldo Defenders: Adani, Cannavaro, Coco, Cordoba, Materazzi, Pasquale, Sorondo, J. Zanetti Midfielders: Almeyda, Conceicao, Dalmat, Di Biagio, Guly, Morfeo Forwards: Corradi , Kallon, Vieri, Recoba http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/aug12f.html
According to its website, RTPi will be showing the Inter-Sporting match live today at 4pm. This is indeed great news. http://programas.rtp.pt/EPG/RTP-EPG.php?canal=5&ac=d&sem=e
Sporting’s list of players for today’s game incluyes new signee (on loan from Milan) Kutuzov. Starters (probable) Tiago, Beto, Quiroga, Contreras, César Prates, Rui Bento, Paulo Bento, Rui Jorge, Ricardo Quaresma, Niculae and Pedro Barbosa. Bench (probable) - Nuno Santos, Hugo, Ricardo Fernandes, Toñito, Carlos Martins, Danny, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Filipe and Kutuzov.
Starters announced: INTER - Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Córdoba, Materazzi, Coco, Sérgio Conceição, Di Biagio, Dalmat, Morfeo, Vieri and Kallon. Reserves: Fontana, Guly, Cannavaro, Corradi, Recoba, Almeyda e Pasquale. SPORTING - Tiago, Contreras, Beto, Quiroga, César Prates, Rui Bento, Pedro Barbosa, Rui Jorge, Toñito, Niculae and Quaresma. Reserves: Nuno Santos, Hugo, Kutuzov, Ricardo Fernandes, Paulo Bento, Luís Filipe and Cristiano Ronaldo. Great to see Sergio among the starters for Inter; you never know with Cuper. I am surprised that Paulo Bento does not start.
These last minute announcements are really annoying. I have been checking the RTPi programming guide for days, and couldn't find any listing on Sporting x Inter. Boom, all in a sudden this game is televised live. I mean, I didn't find out about this telecast until 2 hours after the final whistle. I suspect they put the telecast on the listing only on game day. This is the type of non-planning that turns viewers off.
Sporting Clube de Portugal 0-0 Internazionale FC Sporting stifled by Inter Internazionale FC emerged the happier party from their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first-leg match against Sporting Clube de Portugal as they held their hosts to a scoreless draw in Lisbon... UEFA
Sporting squandered a great opportunity last night to gain an advantage on Inter Milan. I thought Sporting held play for most of the game, until Recoba entered and completely took over. Sporting fans are still angry over the non-call on Niculae, who was pulled down in the box by Cordoba. Pedro Barbosa was all over the field, but probably should have done better with an opportunity late in the first half, when he tried a chip to Niculae who was on a far post run rather than taking a shot himself. Sporting keeper Tiago made a couple of brilliant saves to preserve the shutout. All in all, not a bad effort from Sporting since it was missing its two key offensive players -- JVP and Jardel.
BTW, for Sporting fans who saw the game (if anyone is not on vacation), you have to be encouraged by just the sheer talent of Quaresma and Christian Ronaldo, who was a second half sub. Both of these teenagers promise to develop into something special. While they still have a ways to go and much on which to improve, you can argue with the inherent skills that are already there at a very tender age.