´Weight lifted off´ as Sporting wins first Primeira Liga title in 19 years

Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim admits he felt a weight which has been lifted after helping the club to their first Portuguese Primeira Liga title in 19 years.

The Lisbon club defeated Boavista 1-0 on Tuesday to secure their 19th league title and first since 2001-02.

Sporting splashed out €10million for Amorim when he was appointed in March last year, becoming the third most expensive coach ever, behind Andre Villas-Boas and Brendan Rodgers.

“I felt a weight and now it’s off,” Amorim told Sport TV after Sporting’s win.

“People really wanted to celebrate this championship for the value and the risk the club took, but I wanted to win for the players, for the club and for other reasons that I won’t disclose.”

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Amorim hailed his group of players who have gone 32 league matches unbeaten.

“I have a group of fantastic players, the merit is for the players,” Amorim said.

“They fought, they grew a lot, they are very humble. It was another two hours of suffering.

“It is the reflection of our season. We played better, we were much better, we did not get the second goal and we suffered until the end.”

Former Portugal international Amorim, 36, added that he had no plans to leave Sporting, with whom he has a €20 million buyout clause.

“I’m not going anywhere, unless they pay for everything,” the ex-Benfica midfielder said.