Chapter 6: Bad time in the first team and change coach again (part 1)

Every day, Quaresma comes to the training base to develop his ball touch skill and train hard to keep his ball feeling in good shape when do not have a chance to play in the game.

Today, coach Mendes makes a list of players for the match with Paços de Ferreira, and Quaresma continues to appear on the bench.

17/12/2000

In round 15, Sporting plays against Paços de Ferreira and wins with a score of 1-0.

70' minutes, coach Mendes finally gives Quaresma time to play in this game to replace striker Acosta.

85' minutes, Quaresma receives a pass from teammates and he cut inside from the right wing to make a trivela shot, it flies to the far corner to help Sporting end this game with the score 1-0.

After the game, many reporters still did not pay much attention to Quaresma because they think he is a young talent but has a bad temper and was easy to fall behind so they look down on him and just want interview Quaresma's teammates or coach Mendes about the game.

The league has a short break before continuing so Quaresma goes home to enjoy the Christmas holiday with family and prepare for New Year.

06/01/2001

In round 16, Sporting Lisbon vs Campomaiorense at home and has a victory with a score of 2-1.

17' minutes, André Cruz helps Sporting open the score to lead 1-0.

38' minutes, Rodrigo scores to widen the goal for Sporting to 2-0.

88' minutes, Miguel Vaz scores to help pull back a goal for Campomaiorense 1-2.

The game ends, so Quaresma still sits on the bench but he feels very angry and does not know where to vent cause coach Mendes looks down on him so not want to let him play.

12/01/2001

Primeira Liga round 17, Sporting Lisbon faces Marítimo and has a win 2-0.

63' minutes, Bruno fouls Rodrigo inside the penalty area and receives a red card from the referee so Rodrigo does not miss a chance to open a score on the penalty spot 1-0.

65' minutes, Rodrigo scores his second goal in the game for Sporting lead 2-0 to the end of the game.

Quaresma continues to appear on the bench, his teammates know coach Mendes does not want to use Quaresma, they don't want to offend the head coach and then miss a chance to.

Quaresma knows this so he continues to train hard and wait for opportunities to shine.

21/01/2001

Primeira round 18, Sporting Lisbon plays against Farense and gets a draw 2-2.

In this game, coach Mendes rotated many main players at the start so Sporting Lisbon's plays are not very smooth.

42' minutes, right back Rui Jorge makes mistake and scores an own goal letting Farense take the lead 1-0.

57' minutes, striker Marco Nuno shoots the ball to the far corner and changes the score to 2-0.

70' minutes, coach Mendes wants Quaresma to bear the responsibility for this game if they lost so he gives Quaresma a chance to play and replace Mpenza.

90' minutes, Quaresma makes a cross for Pedro Barbosa to score a header to pull back a goal for Sporting 1-2.

90+2' minutes, Quaresma takes the ball breakthrough space between two defenders to face the keeper and makes a toe poke shot to equalize the score 2-2.

Because of this draw, Sporting Lisbon becomes disadvantaged on the road to the championship, and Boavista with Porto is ahead.

Coach Mendes wants to find Quaresma's mistake in this game and then push him back to the reserve team but the manager does not please with what he leads the team after 4 games so Manuel Fernandes replaces him as the head coach to the end of the season.

Replace the coach before the next game and just has 6 days to adapt to a new formation, this makes Quaresma kind of tired.

27/01/2001

Primeira round 19, Sporting Lisbon vs Vitória de Guimarães at home and has an easy victory with the score 3-1.

13' minutes, Acosta opens the score for Sporting 1-0.

46' minutes, Acosta was fouled inside the penalty area, and on the penalty spot, he easily defeat the keeper to change the score to 2-0.

48' minutes, central defender William Amaral scores a header to pull back a goal for Guimarães 1-2.

71' minutes, Acosta scores his hat trick in this game and Sporting continues to lead two-goal 3-1.

Quaresma appears on the bench in this game makes him feel kind of sad cause he practices so hard but still, miss has a chance to play.