In the 2021 farewell in Alvalade, Sporting experienced a difficult scenario, but Paulinho was the firefighter on duty, resolved the game with Portimonense (3-2) and guaranteed that the lion enters the lead in 2022. Like him, in the league’s goalscorers table.
“He’s played better games, but it was decisive,” said Rúben Amorim, given the striker’s hat trick, which made him the team’s top scorer in the competition (six goals), ahead of Pedro Gonçalves (four), the top scorer lion in all competitions (11). With half a dozen successful shots in the championship, the leonine jersey joins three others, signed in the Champions League.
After fasting for three games – he went blank against Ajax (Champions group stage), Gil Vicente (15th round of the Championship) and Casa Pia (Portuguese Cup round of 16) – Paulinho calmed the fans, returning to show efficiency and thus approaching the goal that was registered in a bet with Fernando Meira, his manager. «Paulinho should reach 10/15 goals without much difficulty. In fact, there is already a bet between us in this direction», revealed the agent, to Sport TV, in September.
Paulinho reaches the end of 2021 with six goals in the League and three in the Champions, nine in total, thus being closer to reaching the established goal and winning the bet. Remember that last season the striker scored 13 goals (six in the league, three in the Europa League, three in the League Cup and one in the Portuguese Cup).
Supporters also did not let the 29-year-old striker’s performance go unnoticed, electing him the man of the game, in a vote with Matheus Reis and Nuno Santos, on social media, where his teammates also had their say. «Congratulations my boy», wrote Ricardo Esgaio on Instagram, «if Paulinho shows his teeth…», shared Daniel Bragança, and «no one deserves more than you», published Pedro Porro, among the various reactions of the squad at the end of the encounter.
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