Excitement at painful odds with reality as Renato Sanches makes Swansea bow | Nick Ames


Mitigating factors can be found for a tepid debut for the Bayern Munich loanee against Newcastle but the Portuguese will be expected to improve quickly

The stacks of freshly woven scarves outside Swansea City’s home bore Renato Sanches’s name; the mouths inside mused excitedly about the potential of the team that will foster him. Two hours later there was just as much to discuss but with brows rather more furrowed. If a scrappy defeat by Newcastle proved anything, it was that one cannot microwave oneself a hero and on this evidence patience will be required if the loanee from Bayern Munich is to become a leading man in the battle to stay in the Premier League.

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