I had to quit Sporting as our fans attacked us at training ground PODENCE HAPPY AGAIN AFTER LISBON HELL

DANIEL PODENCE knows full well the pain of defeat.

But if Wolves suffer a final-day reversal at Stamford Bridge at least the Portuguese winger won’t suffer a brutal fall-out as he did two years ago.

The pacy playmaker was training with his home-town club, Sporting Lisbon, ahead of the country’s cup final when the consequences of losing were brought too close to home.

Intruders wearing masks, claiming to be supporters, stormed their club’s training base, leaving head coach Jorge Jesus with blood pouring from his nose and mouth, striker Bas Dost with a cut head and keeper Rui Patricio (right) scared for his life.

The crime of Podence and his fellow players?

A failure to qualify for the Champions League following an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Maritimo that allowed hated cross-city rivals Benfica to take their place instead.

Incredibly, Sporting’s club president Bruno de Carvalho was charged with stoking the fires.

In the trial that followed, Patricio – who himself moved to Wolves afterwards – said: “We didn’t know if they were coming to kill us – but they came with everything.

“They told us to take our shirts off – they said: ‘We’re ashamed of you.”

While Patricio headed straight for the Black Country, Podence was shipped out to Olympiakos from where he was been added to Wolves’ impressive Portuguese contingent in January.

When the move was mooted, the 24-year-old was understandably keen to do his homework.

He said: “Only someone who was there at the time knows what myself and Rui went through.

“It was unbelievable. Scary? Yes, you can’t describe it.

“Even if I tried to speak to you about the situation, you wouldn’t understand because it is too heavy to explain in words. It would be unfair on me and you.

“Has it been difficult to forget? Yes, my dream is to live in a world where it’s not good to lose or draw but people have to understand that someone needs to win.

“I want to win all the time but it’s not possible. If you lose or draw and you end up being afraid to go home or to walk the streets, it’s very difficult to live in this kind of world.

“We had drawn one and lost one – then we were afraid of doing anything.

“I’d like to live in a world that I live in here.

“We’re trying to do our best but sometimes it goes wrong. We all need to feel secure. My girlfriend needs to feel safe.” Podence and

Patricio both lived in the city and came to the same conclusion: Get me outta here.

He added: “We left at the same time, we thought the same. Rui came to Wolves and I went to Olympiakos.

“It wasn’t a good situation for us both. Because we were from the city, it was more difficult for us than others. We could feel it more than the others.

“So, one month after it happened, I went to Greece. Going to another country – a place where no-one knew me at a club that received me so well – was good for me.

“It relaxed me. I could forget anything when I was out on that field. They did a great job with me.”

Podence arrived at Molineux seven months ago and has taken time to settle in but showed his worth with his first goal for the club during the midweek victory over Crystal Palace.

As for life in Wolverhampton. How is it?

“It’s been difficult with Covid,” he said: “But I have my girlfriend Kayra and my dog, a Boston Terrier – Dogui.”

Hang on. The dog is called: ‘Doggie’?

“Yes,” he said, “I didn’t know what this name meant in English!”

Podence is smiling again. After what he’s been through, it’s difficult to begrudge him that.