What Liverpool’s No 1 candidate to replace Klopp is REALLY like – Mail Sport visits Lisbon to investigate just how Mourinho-like Ruben Amorim is… and how he’s ‘wedded’ to a formation that’s rarely seen at Anfield

Streams of fluorescent green smoke and odors of Bifanas pollute the breezy air outside Estadio Jose Alvalade. The Super Bock flows and thousands of Sporting fans, led by the Brigada ultra group, add their voices to a war cry.

Considering the league title has only landed in the green half of the Portuguese capital once since 2002, there’s a sense of dread in the air and the cacophonous sound feels rather tribal. So the leader of the tribe is former Benfica midfielder Ruben Amorim.

His face adorns an elderly fan’s T-shirt, next to the phrase ‘e se corre bem?’. Asked by Mail Sport for a translation, the gentleman offers little more than: ‘Ruben? I love’. At least in this corner of Lisbon, and in the ivory towers of various European clubs, that sentiment is shared.

Enough to express ourselves as a British journalist in a cheerful way, Google kindly informs that the phrase is a nod to Amorim’s first press conference as a fresh-faced 34-year-old who took the job at Sporting after just 13 games of top management and their fourth boss of the term to much furore.

When asked a host of questions about what he would do if his term ended as catastrophically as his predecessors, with an undertone of understandable skepticism from the local media, Amorim simply replied, “And if things go well?”

Mail Sport was in Lisbon to watch 39-year-old Amorim in action on the sidelines as he guided his side to a deserved 2-1 win over bitter rivals Benfica in the league on Saturday evening.

Amorim is a hero among Sporting fans after leading them to the Portuguese title in 2020-2021

And it went well. Better than anyone could have expected. After securing a well-deserved 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Benfica on Saturday evening, Amorim look set to win a second league title in four years – with an upcoming cup final on the horizon. With one match to go they are four points ahead.

The importance should not be underestimated. Before Amorim’s arrival, Sporting had won the league just twice in four decades. Only five teams have ever won the Portuguese title – compared to 24 in England. Benfica and Porto account for 76 percent of this.

There is an old saying in Portugal: ‘Portugal is Lisbon, the rest is landscape’. Amorim has changed the landscape and it was breathtaking to see him up close in the Derby de Lisboa on Saturday evening.

Liverpool fans hoping for a Jurgen Klopp clone will be disappointed. At least they will get a manager who looks more like Pep Guardiola – in his mannerisms at least. He patrolled his technical area like a man possessed, metaphorically kicking every ball from the touchline.

He paced back and forth like a lion waiting for feeding time and crouched down when he could no longer bear the fear of the blood-and-thunder fight. Every now and then he would jump up and bark orders to his stars, calling some aside to grill.

Despite his energetic style, he rarely lost his cool, even when Benfica’s Angel di Maria was sent off for a raised fist. The only time Amorim broke the peace was when his midfielder Morten Hjulmand made two backward passes within seconds.

The arms went around and the young coach had seen enough, after which the Danish player was substituted a few minutes later. Amorim can make mistakes in both penalty areas, but he does not stand for negativity. Although a draw was enough for the title race, he bravely went in search of victory.

Amorim patrolled his technical area like a man possessed, metaphorically kicking every ball

But he kept his composure to guide his side to what could be a crucial win in the title race

Many believe Amorim will be the ideal replacement for Klopp when he leaves Anfield this summer

Cameras focused on Amorim’s idol Jose Mourinho, along with the shrimp sandwich brigade – or is it the Iberian ham dish brigade in Portugal? – who had a wry grin. Amorim was dubbed ‘Special One 2.0’ on these pages a fortnight ago. He’s laughed that head off ever since.

“I’m just the Sporting coach,” he said. But there is no doubt about the similarity in his press conferences. Amorim has a confident air, the audience’s eyes are glued to his every word, and he manages to get a few chuckles from seasoned hackers. Easier said than done.

During media briefings around the match against Benfica, he was bombarded with questions about Liverpool. ‘I can’t guarantee I’ll stay at Sporting’ and ‘I won’t talk about my future anymore’ were his two main sentences when asked if he could ‘do a Xabi Alonso’ and rule himself out.

Mail Sport reported last week how those close to Amorim are actively exploring a possible move to England. Every Lisbon-based reporter seems convinced he is heading to Merseyside, with local media ramping up their speculation less than an hour after beating Benfica.

Nothing has reached an advanced stage yet, but there is calm among both parties. Liverpool were keen to respect Sporting’s title claim, but April is a key month in the process of recruiting Klopp’s successor. As we saw with the German’s departure, Liverpool are good at keeping things secretive.

Amorim will make demands on his backroom staff. He sees his trusted circle as an extension of his principles rather than a hierarchy, with Adelio Candido, Emanuel Ferro and 29-year-old Carlos Fernandes all flying out of their seats on the bench at times on Saturday.

On the pitch, Sporting lined up in their 3-4-3 formation – which Amorim is said to be ‘married’ to – and the media box at the back of the stadium provided a perfect vantage point from which to watch a brutal, pressing game with fast players to observe. , vertical football.

Amorim’s idol is Jose Mourinho and he is called in some circles the Special One 2.0

Sports fans love Amorim, but they and the local media have resigned themselves to an exit this summer

At Sporting, Amorim has played a ruthless, pressing game with fast, vertical football

The build-up was exciting, with former Coventry striker Viktor Gyokeres playing a crucial role both on and off the ball. Amorim’s fists rolled into thin air as his team passed the ball back and forth instead of trying to exploit spaces with passes through the lines.

His ball-playing defenders, led by veteran and Liverpool captain Sebastian Coates, are also crucial. According to Portuguese sources, Liverpool have had scouts at many sporting matches, with the left-footed Gonçalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande being highly rated by many clubs.

“Ruben is our GOAT (greatest of all time) as a coach,” says fan Martim. “That’s it, attacking football, but his personality and the way he speaks and organizes his speech is the best thing about him. I’m going to miss him very much.’ Another, Jorge, says, “He made our people happy.”

Judging by the fans’ reaction after the win over Benfica, happiness reaches its peak, with celebrations continuing well into the night in the Bairro Alto and Alfama districts of this beautiful city. Due to his lack of experience he has doubters. But as he would say… and are things going well?

What Amorim’s Liverpool side could look like in the 3-4-3: Alisson; Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Alexander-Arnold, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Robertson; Salah, Nunez, Jota