Sporting Lisbon are left with six players for Sunday’s match with Pacos de Ferreira after president Bruno de Carvalho suspended 19 of the club’s players following a Facebook spat with the majority of the first team.

De Carvalho instigated the spat by criticising some of his players for their “stupid” performance in their 2-0 Europa League defeat to Atlético Madrid. Defenders Sebastián Coates and Jérémy Mathieu were singled out for extra criticism.

In response to the comments, 19 of the club’s players released a joint statement across their social media accounts expressing “our disgust with the president’s public statements … he is supposed to be our leader”.

“We always fight for our club, for our supporters and ourselves,” said the statement. “For this reason, we express in this message our displeasure at the public comments of our president after a game in which we did not get the result we wanted. No matter what the situation, all such matters should be resolved within the group”

The Sporting president was unhappy with this rebellion, retaliating by suspending those involved. “All the players who wrote the message below are suspended with immediate effect and will face the club’s disciplinary procedures. I’m fed up with spoilt children who don’t represent anything or anyone,” he said. “This time, my patience has run out for those who think they are above the club and any sort of criticism.” However, this Facebook post was later deleted.

Jorge Jesus, the team’s coach, was due to hold a press conference on Saturday but this was postponed by three hours as reports emerged that he would be forced to field the reserve team in their league match against Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday. On Friday the club had been forced to deny the players refused to train in protest of the situation.

Sporting are third in the Primeira Liga, six points behind city rivals Benfica.

