The coach has a plan in place for the Taça da Liga game against CD Santa Clara

Sporting Clube de Portugal travel to the Estádio Municipal de Leiria this Wednesday, to face CD Santa Clara in the semifinal of the Taça da Liga.

Rúben Amorim, the club's coach, is targeting victory in the team's defence of the cup, noting that “fighting for trophies always brings with it good feelings."

“We know that this week a trophy is going to be decided, but even if it were a friendly, what matters is winning. Winning is always important and helps any group. We are going to face this Final Four stage taking things game-by-game, as we have always done, but with the aim of winning the Taça da Liga," he began by saying in his pre-match press conference.

The coach also explained the state of mind in the dressing room after recent losses to CD Santa Clara and SC Braga in the league.

“The feeling is different for the athletes, the coaching staff and for everyone at the Academia Sporting. That's good; it's a sign of our high level of demand and the fact that we haven't been used to losing. Still, it's clear that the group are sad about the defeats. We have looked at those games and taken away what we were missing, realising that they are different defeats -even though the points dropped are the same. These are new feelings and the players have to adapt; these are the moments that help us to grow,” he added.

Finally, Amorim, who will be without captain Sebastián Coates as the captain joins up with the Uruguayan national team, expressed how Os Leões need to play in order to win.
“There are important factors that we have to improve in relation to the last game with CD Santa Clara: Intensity and concentration. The opposition have good players and a good coach, who hasn't lost since taking charge. They don't have any responsibility in the game and that has a very big influence. We also have to improve some technical and tactical aspects, score goals and, above all, increase our aggression and intensity -because that is our DNA.”