With much at stake, Jesus articulated that the hosts will need to be brave, fearless and score if they want to take anything from the game. MARCA managed to catch up with him as he prepared his young side to face another huge challenge.
How do you analyse the match against Real Madrid?
"Just like the one we play in Madrid. We know they are the strongest team in the world right now, that's why they won the Champions League, but Sporting are keen, confident and we will play the match as in Madrid: a lot of quality and a lot of confidence. "It's very important for us because we need the points not only for the Champions League, but also in the case of the fallback option in the Europa League."
Sporting did very well in Madrid, dominating for 83 minutes. What happened afterwards?
"We lacked a bit of experience during the last 10 minutes, something which the Real Madrid players had. "When you're winning 1-0 after 83 minutes but then don't see out the game, the least I expect is not to lose. "The boys learned a lot, with that result."
Your president, Bruno de Carvalho, was very angry with the referee that night. How do you see it today, after having time to reflect?
"We didn't lose the game because of the referee, we lost it because we didn't have the experience that was essential for those eight minutes. "The final minutes of a match are played differently."
Besides the obvious, for example the support of the public, what are your chances of winning against Real Madrid?
"If we want to get a good result against Madrid we must score. "We have to be a team that plays without fear and with many risks, but the result still depends on some genius of a Madrid footballer who does all the work."
You study obsessively everything that surrounds a game, from the temperature of the grass to any small detail that gives you something. Are you worried that the supporters will afford Cristiano Ronaldo too much affection - to the detriment of your own team?
"No. The supporters are keen to applaud the boy who grew up here, they have a very special affection, but as soon as the game starts ... no one will think about Ronaldo. "Of course it is important to have affection for one of the sons of Sporting - but only before the match."
It must be a headache for you: every year players stand out, leave and then you have to start over. This season you're without Joao Mario or Slimani. Next, we'll see what happens with Gelson, William Carvalho or Rui Patricio ...
"This has always been my life as a coach, including at Benfica. "Look at Nico Gaitan in Madrid. It makes me happy when a player leaves because it shows that they have qualities for a huge club and for us it is financially interesting."
Do Sporting take some merit from Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph? Four of the team (Rui Patricio, William Carvalho, Adrien and Joao Mario) were your players.
"Yes, it's very important that the merits belong to everyone because international teams depend on how well the clubs work. "For example, with Spain, Lopetegui depends on the good work done by Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico because he won't have enough time to work hard with his players tactically, physically and emotionally. "Fernando Santos did a brilliant job as coach and I'm proud that the only players in the squad that are still based in Portugal were from my team."
Your 'friend' Lopetegui ... were you surprised that he was named as Spanish national coach?
"No. For me he is a good coach, he did a good job at Porto against a strong Benfica for two years. "His job was to create a team, as I have done now in Sporting, against an opponent who has been working with the same players for some time."
In Spain we were very interested to see the president sitting on the bench. How do you feel about that? It's like having the boss right behind you....
"On the bench the boss is me. The president does not pose a problem."
But does he talk during matches?
"No. The president knows what he is doing and in any event, I am in charge at all times. "In Portugal, it's not the first time it happened because Pinto da Costa did it. "If he wants to sit there, it doesn't bother me at all."
Before the first leg, the president told MARCA that one of his missions was to get Ronaldo to retire back to Lisbon. Is that feasible?
"Any coach wants to train a player like Cristiano Ronaldo. I never worked with him and I would love to, of course."
But managing a team with a footballer like Ronaldo or Messi makes a trainer's job a lot harder right?
"Of course it changes the dynamic. The mentality, the quality, the passion. "But things change for the better because great players are never a problem, quite the opposite in fact. "They take away problems. I think Cristiano has a great passion and I would not be surprised if he played until 40."
You are second in the Portuguese league. Last year you were very close to winning it. How do you see this year?
"We believe very much in our value and we are overcoming the moment of transition of having lost several top players. "New staff have to get used to the mentality of the club and the commitment to the team and that is not achieved in a month." "If we want to get a good result against Madrid we must score. "We have to be a team that plays without fear and with many risks, but the result still depends on some genius of a Madrid footballer who does all the work."
You study obsessively everything that surrounds a game, from the temperature of the grass to any small detail that gives you something. Are you worried that the supporters will afford Cristiano Ronaldo too much affection - to the detriment of your own team?
"No. The supporters are keen to applaud the boy who grew up here, they have a very special affection, but as soon as the game starts ... no one will think about Ronaldo. "Of course it is important to have affection for one of the sons of Sporting - but only before the match."
It must be a headache for you: every year players stand out, leave and then you have to start over. This season you're without Joao Mario or Slimani. Next, we'll see what happens with Gelson, William Carvalho or Rui Patricio ...
"This has always been my life as a coach, including at Benfica. "Look at Nico Gaitan in Madrid. It makes me happy when a player leaves because it shows that they have qualities for a huge club and for us it is financially interesting."
Do Sporting take some merit from Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph? Four of the team (Rui Patricio, William Carvalho, Adrien and Joao Mario) were your players.
"Yes, it's very important that the merits belong to everyone because international teams depend on how well the clubs work. "For example, with Spain, Lopetegui depends on the good work done by Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico because he won't have enough time to work hard with his players tactically, physically and emotionally. "Fernando Santos did a brilliant job as coach and I'm proud that the only players in the squad that are still based in Portugal were from my team."
Your 'friend' Lopetegui ... were you surprised that he was named as Spanish national coach?
"No. For me he is a good coach, he did a good job at Porto against a strong Benfica for two years. "His job was to create a team, as I have done now in Sporting, against an opponent who has been working with the same players for some time."
In Spain we were very interested to see the president sitting on the bench. How do you feel about that? It's like having the boss right behind you....
"On the bench the boss is me. The president does not pose a problem."
But does he talk during matches?
"No. The president knows what he is doing and in any event, I am in charge at all times. "In Portugal, it's not the first time it happened because Pinto da Costa did it. "If he wants to sit there, it doesn't bother me at all."
Before the first leg, the president told MARCA that one of his missions was to get Ronaldo to retire back to Lisbon. Is that feasible?
"Any coach wants to train a player like Cristiano Ronaldo. I never worked with him and I would love to, of course."
But managing a team with a footballer like Ronaldo or Messi makes a trainer's job a lot harder right?
"Of course it changes the dynamic. The mentality, the quality, the passion. "But things change for the better because great players are never a problem, quite the opposite in fact. "They take away problems. I think Cristiano has a great passion and I would not be surprised if he played until 40." You are second in the Portuguese league. Last year you were very close to winning it. How do you see this year? "We believe very much in our value and we are overcoming the moment of transition of having lost several top players. "New staff have to get used to the mentality of the club and the commitment to the team and that is not achieved in a month."
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