chelseaThe obliging Giovani Quenda finally got the moment he's been waiting for, and it holds extra meaning for the winger.
The 19-year-old ended a goal drought of more than five months this week, scoring again for Sporting ahead of his expected summer move to Stamford Bridge. He scored in the 90th minute in a 4–1 win at Rio Ave.
Undoubtedly, their goalless period was due to a serious injury Which kept him sidelined from December 2025 to April 2026.
And obviously, it meant a lot to him.
Promise fulfilled before leaving for Chelsea
According to Portuguese outlet to ballQuenda made a personal promise to himself that he did not want to leave Sporting for Chelsea without scoring again for the Lisbon club.
The winger had not found the net since November 26, when he helped Sporting beat Club Brugge 3–0 in the Champions League tie stage. Shortly thereafter, he suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal that interrupted his season.
Between injury, rehabilitation in London and a difficult process of regaining his rhythm, Kwenda played nine matches without scoring. But that race is over now.
The goal may not completely erase the disappointment of the past few months, but it feels symbolic given everything that has happened to his season.
Tough season still ends with strong statistics
Giovani Quenda's campaign never fully recovered after the injury setback.
Before the fracture, he was one of Sporting's most explosive attacking players and one of the biggest stories of Portuguese football. Chelsea's agreement to pay him around £43.5m (€50m+) increased the headlines around him.
Then everything stopped. Chelsea took charge During the recovery process in London, he was kept at Cobham for months while he built up his muscles and prepared himself physically for Premier League football.
When he returned there were clear signs that he still lacked some sharpness and explosiveness. Portuguese press openly raised questions Was the move to Chelsea coming at the right time?
Still, the numbers remain impressive for a 19-year-old dealing with such a major setback. Kwenda now has 6 goals and 6 assists in 27 matches this season.
Last two games before Chelsea
Unless something unexpected happens, Kwenda only has two Sporting matches left before he officially moves to Chelsea. And He is absolutely ready.
The Portuguese title race is already over, with Porto confirmed as champions, meaning there is little pressure heading into Sporting's remaining league clash against Gil Vicente.
However, there is still one more trophy available. Sporting will face lower-league team Torreense in the Taça de Portugal final, which should represent Quenada's final match before starting their Chelsea adventure.
For months, Kwenda's season was dominated by injury discussion, recovery plans and debate over Chelsea's project. Now, at least briefly, the focus is back on football.
And the important thing for him is that he will not leave Sporting without scoring one last time.
