Diogo Rosado will again face Sporting, the club where he will train as a player, after the draw for the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup put Leça do Campeonato de Portugal on the path of Ruben Amorim’s team. Almost thirteen years after having finished Alvalade and after having traveled halfway around the world, the 31-year-old midfielder, in conversation with the more football, warns you from the start that you won’t celebrate.

«We already knew that we would always have a complicated opponent, Sporting and FC Porto as the strongest at this stage, but any other would always be difficult for us, who are in a lower level. Personally, I liked the draw. Hosting Sporting at my current club will be a mixture of emotions”, he began by telling.

The president of Leça, António Pinho, was “overjoyed” with the result of the draw, a state of mind that extends to the entire squad. «It’s a game that any player wants to play. Everyone wants to enjoy the experience of being able to play against the current national champion. It will be a very big showcase for the younger ones. The motivation will be up there », he commented.

Sporting de Ruben Amorim has not yet conceded a single defeat in national competitions this season, but Diogo Rosado remembers that the Cup is ripe for surprises. “It will be extremely difficult. But I know one thing, in football there is always room for surprises, especially in a competition like the Portuguese Cup. Now we are aware that these are completely different realities between the two clubs », he highlighted.

In addition to the extra motivation for facing a great League, Leça will be able to count on the support of their fans at home. “Our fans are tireless and irreplaceable. With them, a motivation and ambition to win is always at its maximum. They are fundamental in all games », he said.

Diogo Rosado, this season, has ten games and one goal scored. A decisive goal in the Portuguese Cup as it served to remove Gil Vicente (1-0) in the fourth round, after Leça had also forgotten Arouca along the way. The midfielder hopes to help his team with more goals, but being scored against Sporting, out of respect, he has no intention of celebrating.

“I was injured in the last two games, including the last one in the Cup against Paredes. What I hope is to be clinically available that day. Now that Sporting is here, I think we can dream, even knowing that it will be extremely difficult. If we can win with a goal my best, but I won’t celebrate. Not that. Sporting was my home for ten beautiful years », he said.

Diogo Rosado spent ten years at Sporting, but he left for thirteen years, there will be many references in Ruben Amorim’s current squad for the midfielder at Leça. «There is no one from Sporting’s current squad, in fact, there is the great Tiago, who is now the goalkeeper coach. For the rest, only for someone from the clinical department, besides Paulinho (wardrobe) who is always there », he commented.

This will not be the first time that Diogo Rosado faces Sporting. In the 2013/14 season, when he represented Vitória de Setúbal, the midfielder added a few minutes, in an epic draw at Bonfim (2-2), started with a penalty, converted by Ricardo Horta, in the 88th minute. Diogo Rosado entered precisely in the place of Ricardo Horta to play the correction minutes. «I believe it was only once. Then, at Paços de Ferreira, I even went to the bench against Sporting, but I didn’t play ».

Diogo Rosado made a good part of his career abroad, passing through England, France, Cyprus, Angola and, more recently, Romania, but he always kept the expectation of returning to the first echelon of Portuguese football. The game with Sporting in January, with an open market window, may open new expectations for the 31-year-old player.

“I don’t think it’s a game that will define my future at this stage of my career, but I believe it could be one more game to join all the others at the time to help me aspire to other stages. Nowadays, there is a closer observation of the lower divisions, and that is good for those who have talent, but don’t have the opportunity”, commented Diogo Rosado.