Viktor Gyokeres’ response to Sporting CP fans was telling following their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday night. It’s been a turbulent period for Ruben Amorim‘s ex-team as they notched their fourth loss in a streak of five disappointing matches since the exit of the now-Manchester United boss.
Reeling from a bruising encounter with Arsenal at home in their last European match-up, Sporting stumbled once more, this time on Belgian turf. Post-match, while offering applause to the travelling supporters, the team was met not with cheers but with flares.
Front man Gyokeres gestured incredulously to the fans’ actions. Captain Morten Hjulmand swiftly shepherded his team-mates away while Conrad Harder also expressed his sentiment.
A bemused Gyokeres commented on the incident: “We went there and wanted to thank them for coming here to support us.
“But it’s sad when things like this are thrown at you when you’re trying to win every game. We go to the field and that’s all we try to do. It hasn’t been an easy period for us and we understand that it is also difficult for them, but it would be much easier if we got through this phase together.”
Since the departure of Amorim last month, Gyokeres has only managed to net once in Liga Portugal and failed to score in their previous two Champions League matches. Sporting have suffered consecutive losses in the league since their 4-2 comeback against SC Braga, which marked Amorim’s final game at the helm.
Rivals Benfica and FC Porto have narrowed the gap to a mere two points. The 26-year-old striker, who moved to Lisbon from Coventry City just last summer, is rumoured to be considering a move away despite his recent arrival.
Speculation is rife about a potential reunion with Amorim at Old Trafford, and a winter transfer could indeed be on the horizon if things don’t improve under new manager Joao Pereira.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk