Paciencia safe at Sporting for now

Sporting Lisbon president Godinho Lopes has knocked back the possibility of the club axing coach Domingos Paciencia.

The Estadio do Alvalade outfit had to endure whistles from around 50 fans at Lisbon’s airport on Saturday after the club suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at Maritimo.

The result puts Sporting eight points behind third-place Braga in the race for a Champions League berth, but Godinho Lopes has given Domingos a vote of confidence.

“I cannot smile, nor be happy with the results,” Lopes said. “I am Sporting’s president, but I am also a supporter and I cannot be happy with the results.”

“The work of technical staff is different from the results, we need to consolidate the project and create conditions for it to succeed.”

“I speak with Domingos every day and our concern is to create conditions for the team to achieve good results.”

Sporting, who are now equal on points with Maritimo after Saturday’s result, will take on Legia Warsaw on Thursday in the Europa League round of 32.