Sporting Lisbon fans make their feelings towards Ruben Amorim very clear at first game since his move to Man United was confirmed
Ruben Amorim was busy on Friday.
Shortly before midday, Manchester United issued a club statement confirming the 39-year-old’s move to Old Trafford was a done deal.
The statement announced that Amorim would take over as United’s new manager on November 11 once he had ‘fulfilled his obligations to his current club’.
One of those commitments was Sporting’s home match in the Portuguese League against Estrela Amadora on Friday evening.
Before the kick-off of that match, almost 50,000 Sporting supporters at the Jose Alvalade Stadium made their feelings towards their current – but soon to be former – manager very clear.
Amorim was greeted with emphatic applause everywhere as he took his place in the home dugout for the penultimate time; his last home game is Tuesday evening against Man City in the Champions League.
Videos taken by crowd members captured the outpouring of support and gratitude for Amorim, who was also cheered as he arrived at the stadium.
Sports fans also sang a passionate rendition of their club anthem, “O Mundo Sabe Que,” which they sang to the tune of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
Amorim has been in charge of Sporting since March 2020.
He has won five trophies, including two league titles, while his side currently sit top of the Primeira Liga this season after collecting 27 points from their opening nine games prior to Friday.
Amorim’s move to United was confirmed by the Premier League club four days after his predecessor was sacked.
Erik ten Hag’s two-and-a-half-year reign at Old Trafford ended on Monday, less than 24 hours after his side lost 2-1 at West Ham.
That result puts the Red Devils in fourteenth place in the Premier League.
United – eighth in the league last season – appointed Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim manager on Monday and two days later he secured a 5-2 win over Leicester in the Carabao Cup.
More to follow.
