Intro:

Sporting Lisbon secured an important but far from decisive 1-0 victory over English Premier League leaders Manchester City in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 match in Lisbon on Thursday (8th March).

City manager Roberto Mancini was disappointed his side couldn't convert their chances, but expressed optimism the Sky Blues could turn it around in Manchester next week.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English)

SUPER CAPTION: Roberto Mancini, Manchester City manager:

"Was it a surprise? No, because in football everything can happen when you play. But I don't think that we deserved to lose this game. I think that maybe we didn't play very, very well, but we had a chance to score, we didn't score and we concede a goal, so-so, but that's it."

SOUNDBITE: (English)

SUPER CAPTION: Roberto Mancini, Manchester City manager:

"I think that we have another 90 minutes. We have a bigger chance to go through because I think it will be a different game... and when we have a chance to score, we score."

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese)

SUPER CAPTION: Ricardo Sa Pinto, Sporting coach:

"I don't agree (with Mancini opinions about the match) but I respect him. I have a lot of respect for Mancini, I always respected him as a player and now as coach. He's a coach of great value who I admire but my opinion is different. I think we played a perfect match, the way we positioned ourselves on the pitch, the way we attacked had it's logic, as well as the inner gaps that we filled - none of this happens by chance. We know the value of our opponent, we are humble enough to understand the great value of our opponent."