Ruben Amorim admits focus is elsewhere as he brushes off Liverpool talk

Ever since Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso ruled himself out of the running for the Liverpool job, Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim has been the centre of attention. However, speaking at a press conference on Monday, he admitted he and his players' focus is firmly elsewhere.

Speaking ahead of his side's rescheduled game against Famalicão this Tuesday, the obvious question showed up again, this time in a different way.

When asked if his players had come to him to ask him about his future, the 39-year-old batted away the question with a healthy dose of humour.

“I didn’t say anything to the players," he said in quotes reported in O Jogo.

"When it was mentioned that I had an agreement with Liverpool, I felt the need to talk, but I left that part for the press conference."

Since then, he admitted: "I don’t get anything from the players, they just ask about days off!"

A title to win

While Liverpool may be fully engaged in their pursuit of a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, the fact is that Amorim already has his hands full as he focuses on trying to win the Portuguese Primeira Liga title with Sporting.

If they win against Famalicão tomorrow, they’ll go seven points clear of Benfica, putting them within touching distance of Amorim's second league title since joining the club in March 2020.

"We're nearing something significant, and there's no time to dwell on it," he said. "Our belief in winning the title is not just for ourselves but also to unsettle our rivals. We want to win badly, and we've been on the other side of this situation before."

"Sometimes you need to lift the spirits, while other times, you must maintain calmness," he added. "Understanding the moment is crucial [but] winning makes everything easier."