Sporting Lisbon fans were split on Ruben Amorim after the manager’s first appearance since his move to Manchester United was confirmed.
United announced the appointment of the Portuguese coaching sensation on November 1, but also revealed that he wouldn’t be arriving for a further ten days.
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That gave Amorim the chance to say farewell to Sporting’s supporters, having earned legendary status at the club by taking them back to the top of the league for the first time in decades.
However, his incredible achievements seemingly weren’t appreciated by all.
The 39-year-old’s farewell tour began with a home league match against Estrela da Amadora, and fans’ goodbyes began even before the team bus arrived at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.
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The first was a rather cold response too, with a large banner pinned en route which read: “Amorim, this is no longer your home, thank you!!”
However, that didn’t sum up the mood of the entire fanbase.
When the team bus arrived for the match, supporters greeted it with chants of ‘we are the champions’ in reference to their second Primeira Liga title under Amorim last season.
Once at the stadium, supporters waited eagerly for their greatest coach in a generation, and when he finally walked out pre-match, the stadium rose in applause.
A smattering of boos could be heard, but overall they were drowned out by the admiration for a man who has transformed the club.
On an individual level, some fans went to extraordinary lengths.
Those indebted brought banners of praise, while one fan was even wearing an official Sporting shirt with the manager’s name on the back and the number two to symbolise his number of league titles.
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However, among the boos one fan was seen holding a laminated A4 piece of paper which read ‘Amorim Judas’.
Those fans who arrived to the Alvalade upset and angry soon had their moods changed, as Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring in 19th minute before completing a first-half hat-trick.
