Paulo Fonseca has been chosen by Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas to succeed Rui Borges as the new head coach of the club. The Portuguese manager, currently 53 years old and leading Lyon in France, is set to be officially announced this week at Alvalade. Following his departure from the French club, which was marked by an emotional farewell to fans, Fonseca will take over a team that recently saw Tiago Fernandes, the current coach of Sporting's B team, assume interim command. Fernandes will lead the squad in tomorrow's Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Rui Borges officially left his position at Sporting after nearly two years in charge, during which he secured one national championship and one Portuguese Cup for the club. The departure was confirmed by an official statement released late yesterday evening.
In other news regarding social unrest, housing protests remained calm overnight in both Lisbon and Porto without police intervention. In Lisbon, most of the thousands of demonstrators who had occupied Rossio dispersed around midnight, though some tension arose after three firecrackers were set off, leading to a chase of an alleged undercover agent who sought refuge in a restaurant. The Public Security Police (PSP) denied the claim that the individual was an infiltrated officer, identifying him instead as a 41-year-old manager. Earlier tensions also occurred when police began fining drivers honking in solidarity with the protest.
In Porto, fifteen tents were set up in Praça Dom João I, where authorities opted for a discreet presence allowing demonstrators to spend the night on the street. A popular assembly rejected an invitation from Porto Mayor Pedro Duarte to meet with protesters. Meanwhile, President of the Republic António José Seguro expressed willingness to meet with the demonstrators, a proposal welcomed by Henrique Blanc, a spokesperson for the Porto camp. The President is scheduled to convene the Council of State at Belém Palace today at 15:00.
Political reactions to recent police operations have been sharp. Chega leader André Ventura blamed Prime Minister Luís Montenegro for the street tensions, arguing that the issue stems from government inaction rather than police conduct. The Livre party called for the resignation of the Minister of Internal Administration and plans to submit a complaint to international human rights bodies regarding police actions. Additionally, the Journalists' Union is filing a complaint with the Ombudsman against the PSP over alleged aggression and intimidation of reporters covering the protests in Lisbon and Porto.
On the international front, US President Donald Trump suggested he may deliver a final blow to Iran, stating at a congress in Iowa that his only reason for not ending the conflict sooner is a desire to be sympathetic. In Formula 1, Kimi Antonelli became the youngest world champion in history at age 20 after securing the title at the Mexican Grand Prix with Mercedes.
Sources: Observador.