Guedes' personal rivalry with Sporting CP

Sunday sees another game for Gonçalo Guedes against an eternal adversary, as the VCF player was brought up through the ranks of Sporting CP's archrivals, SL Benfica.

Derbies between the two sides are always intense, even at junior level, and Guedes would take part in one such encounter when he was on the Under-11s team.

It was a game that he nearly missed: The young Portuguese had not behaved too well on a trip to Luxembourg to play a tournament, and was told by coach João Tralhão that he would not play him in the coming games if his indiscipline continued. He sent Guedes home for two weeks as punishment.
 

His return came against Sporting CP, but he would start on the bench for the derby. The Eagles were 0-1 down when the coach decided it was time to bring on his rough diamond, and Guedes' reaction was an effusive statement: "Boss, don't even think that we are going to lose against Sporting. I'm going to score, and we are going to win the league."

His words proved perceptive. The first ball that he touched was a shot that he drove home with his left foot, and he didn't take long in scoring a second, turning the result around and earning his side not just the win, but also the Under-11s league title.

Guedes played four times for Benfica against Sporting CP at senior level in the league, Supercopa and Taça de Portugal. He now has a chance to play them once again -this time in a Valencia CF shirt.