TSporting had just beaten Shakhtar Donetsk, at Stamford Bridge, 0-1, in a match counting for the fourth round of the Champions League league phase, and Paulo Fonseca was already looking to ‘break through’ among the crowd of journalists waiting for him, at Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon.
The Portuguese-Mozambican promised to speak “later”, but couldn’t resist admitting that he was “very happy to return to Portugal and Sporting”. The plan, he never hid it, was to pursue his career abroad, but it was “clear” that the ‘call’ of the club he always called ‘his’ led him to change his mind.
After these (short) statements, he got into an official vehicle with a green and white emblem, and continued on his way. Everything points to the next chapter beginning this Wednesday, with the presentation of the new Leonine coach, replacing Rui Borges, who could not resist the start of the 2026/27 sports season.
This should also be the occasion on which Frederico Varandas will, once and for all, comment on this ‘game of musical chairs’, after having refused to do so, on Tuesday, when confronted by journalists, after the duel with the Ukrainian team.
The contract and values ​​on the table
As already reported by the Sport at the Minutethe 53-year-old helmsman will sign a contract valid until June 2030, which will coincide with the end of the current term of the president, Frederico Varandas, with a salary in the order of three million euros net per season.
The termination of the contract he had with Olympique Lyon (which would end in just over half a year) is practically complete, with the French team being reimbursed close to five million euros. A value that, however, should not even reach your coffers.
This is because the compensation they will be entitled to will be roughly equal to the amount they still have to pay to Sporting, due to Afonso Moreira’s transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, around five months ago, so, in essence, the debt will simply end up being forgiven and the accounts settled.
Paulo Fonseca already has his debut at Sporting in sight
If everything goes as all parties involved hope, Paulo Fonseca’s debut on the green and white bench will take place next Sunday, at 8:30 pm (Mainland Portugal time), at the José Alvalade Stadium, in the match of the 11th round of the I League, against Moreirense, where the team is prohibited from wavering again, at the risk of seeing the current ‘gap’ of nine points for the leader, FC Porto, increase even further.
A break for international commitments will follow, which he himself will take advantage of to begin introducing new dynamics, before a hellish cycle, which will begin with consecutive duels with União da Serra (for the Portuguese Cup), Manchester United (for the Champions League) and FC Porto (for the I League), which could prove to be decisive on all fronts.
