Sporting Lisbon manager Ricardo Costa minced no words after his team’s Champions League defeat to Nantes on Tuesday. He called the game a complete “disaster,” a sentiment that suggests real trouble for the Portuguese giants. Costa took the blame squarely on his own shoulders, admitting he failed to prepare his squad properly.
“First, congratulations to Nantes,” Costa began, also expressing hopes for a swift recovery for Nantes player Gregory, calling it “the most important thing.” He then returned to his team’s performance. “This match was a disaster. We tried to fight in the second half, but our dreadful start made winning in the Champions League impossible. I take full responsibility for the loss. My preparation was not good enough, unlike our opponents who were very focused.” Costa added that it wasn’t the time for harsh criticism, but acknowledged his team’s display was “very weak.” He conceded that Nantes proved they were the better side. “If we stray from our basic game plan, we become just an average team,” he stressed. “We need a different attitude and more passion. Our goal remains to finish in the top six and move forward in the competition.”
However, not everyone at Sporting shared Costa’s exact view on where the blame lay. Captain Salvador spoke out after the game, disagreeing with his coach. While Costa had previously labeled the first half a “disgrace,” Salvador pointed fingers more directly at the players. “This was our worst game in the Champions League in two years,” Salvador stated bluntly. “We made the mistakes, stupid errors, and showed no attitude. Yet again, our fans did not abandon us.”
On the other side of the tunnel, Nantes assistant coach Dimitri Florence spoke in place of the main coach. He couldn’t hide his delight. “This result is a dream for us,” Florence said. “We prepared very well, focused on defense from the start, and showed great respect for Sporting.” Their meticulous planning certainly paid off against a struggling Sporting side.