If the recent rumours made it look like Rui Patrício was close to leaving Sporting this summer, the events from last night have further encouraged his departure. Linked with Wolves and others over the past week, the goalkeeper didn’t have a brilliant weekend.
The Portuguese international has fallen out with fans after the 2-1 defeat against Marítimo, and now it doesn’t seem like he’ll have much of a future at the club.
Things started when Patrício couldn’t make an easy save, when the game was still 1-1. His mistake, leading to Sporting’s loss, wasn’t taken very well by fans who are well aware the player may be leaving anyway.
The squad went to thank the support at the away end at the end of the game, but as soon as Patrício saw the fans’ reaction towards him, he turned his back to them and was the only player who left the pitch early.
Patrício was taken to a ‘more private’ area, then left the stadium in his car. The fans were at the exit cursing every single player who left the ground, but as they couldn’t really see who was in the cars, the treatment to the goalkeeper wasn’t much different from the others.
The situation obviously makes a departure more likely, and it’s quite surprising to see that none of the local newspapers mention this is today’s stories.
Napoli and Wolves have been claimed as the most likely clubs to sign the goalkeeper in the next transfer window, as Jorge Mendes would be sorting things out.
But with Sporting still having a cup final to be played next weekend, maybe these clubs have to wait a little bit before things get serious.
