O Estádio do Dragão should be the stage for Matheus Reis’ farewell tomorrow, Monday, in the clash between FC Porto and Sporting, which will end the 21st round of the I League. The Brazilian defender has a very tempting offer in hand from Russia and will have everything lined up with the Lions to terminate his contract after the Classic, reveals the newspaper A BOLA, in this Sunday’s edition.
The 30-year-old player has a three-and-a-half-year contract waiting for him, with one more option, offered by CSKA Moscow and with many millions in the mix.
In practice, it is 3.5 million euros per season, which could earn Matheus Reis a total of 12.5 million euros if he fully fulfills the contract he is about to sign with the current four-placed team in the highest Russian division.
Sporting will not fit in
As CSKA Moscow is a Russian club, Sporting cannot do any type of business, taking into account the sanctions imposed by the European Union. For this reason, Matheus Reis’s option, taken in consensus with Frederico Varandas, president of the lions, involves terminating the contract that ends in June.
Therefore, Matheus Reis will remain a free player and will be able to choose his new club without Sporting being involved.
The Brazilian defender would not renew his contract with the Lions, as was already known, thus anticipating a departure that was only scheduled for the end of the season.
End of cycle in Alvalade
Matheus Reis arrived at Sporting in January 2021 and revealed himself as a very useful player for Ruben Amorim, managing to have the same status with Rui Borges. Still, the loss of influence became increasingly evident, despite the good responses given in highly demanding games, such as PSG and Athletic Bilbao, both in the Champions League.
In a total of five years with the lion on his chest, Matheus Reis scored three goals in 222 games, now preparing to leave Alvalade with three Leagues, a Portuguese Cup, a Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup and a League Cup in his portfolio.
It now remains to be seen whether Matheus Reis will be entitled to one last appearance in the Sporting shirt on this visit to FC Porto. The Brazilian defender had missed the Lions’ last two games, against Nacional (2-1) and AVS (3-2), after being sent off against Arouca, at a time when he was already on the bench.
The former Rio Ave player is, therefore, back in the options of coach Rui Borges, who is smoothing out the last rough edges in the team to try to beat FC Porto, in a game of capital importance for both teams. After all, first and second placed are now separated by four points and a possible victory for Sporting would reduce that gap to just one point.
At the same time, Benfica is on the lookout for the Clásico to try to get closer to first and second place, but to do so they need to beat Alverca this Sunday.
