Rúben Amorim’s farewell to the José Alvalade Stadium could not have been more spectacular, as his Sporting Lisbon side delivered a stunning 4-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League. It was a fitting send-off for Amorim, who will soon be taking the reins at his new club, but not before orchestrating an unforgettable night in Lisbon that left Pep Guardiola’s team reeling.

Manchester City appeared to be in control early on, with Phil Foden opening the scoring in the 4th minute, suggesting a challenging night ahead for Sporting. For the first half-hour, City seemed poised to assert their dominance. However, the tide shifted dramatically as the hosts found their stride.

Sporting’s turnaround began in the 38th minute when Viktor Gyökeres netted the equalizer, igniting the home crowd and setting the stage for a thrilling comeback. The second half was all Sporting, with Francisco Araujo pushing them ahead just seconds after the restart in the 46th minute. Moments later, Gyökeres doubled Sporting’s lead with a confidently taken penalty in the 49th minute. He completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute, rounding out the scoreline at 4-1 and sealing a memorable night for Sporting.

For Manchester City, the defeat marks a rare low point under Guardiola. This 4-1 loss not only represents City’s heaviest defeat since September 2020 but also caps a run of three consecutive losses—their first such streak since April 2018. The result highlights a rough patch for City, with recent defeats to Tottenham, Bournemouth, and now Sporting.

As Amorim leaves Sporting, he departs on a high note, having guided his team to a victory that will be remembered by fans for years. The next time he faces Pep Guardiola, it will be as an opponent in the Premier League, with the two set to meet again at the Etihad in a few weeks.