The coach reacts to the 2-2 draw at home to CD Tondela

Following the 2-2 draw between Sporting Clube de Portugal and CD Tondela, Rui Borges answered questions from journalists at the press conference.

His first reaction
"We weren't the best in the world 15 days ago, and we're not the worst side in the world now. Frustration exists; it's part of the demands of this club. We never doubt ourselves, because then we can't improve and overcome the less positive times. In the last two games, we could have scored more goals, and we didn't. That's football, and we have to deal with the frustration of those moments. We have to believe in what we do and in the quality that brought us here. This less positive moment doesn't erase what's happened before. We have to support each other to overcome this less good phase."

Fans
"The fans' frustration is natural. It's part of the demands of representing Sporting CP. We always want to win, and we're going through a less positive phase. I understand their frustration, and we have to deal with it. I only ask that they continue to support the team during the game. At the end of the game, if there is frustration, we have to understand that and deal with it."

What he demands from the team and himself
"I demand to be better and better and overcome this less positive phase of the season. Things aren't going as we want, but it's not due to a lack of attitude or will. If it were, it would be a serious problem for me. They want to give everything for the team, but things aren’t going as they want, and you can see that the confidence isn't the same. In these five years of great achievements for Sporting CP, there have been some less good moments, and we have to be able to overcome them."

The consequence of the draw
"The dialogue between all of us is a daily one, and all scenarios are always there. I understand what it's like to be second or third. We really want to be second, and now it's difficult to get there. We know the difference between us third place, and we can't run away from the consequences. I know, the structure knows, and the players know. We all know."

Pressure
"I've been under pressure since I arrived at Sporting CP. I work at a great club, with the highest demands, and that want to fight for trophies. When we're far from them, it's natural that there's frustration. The pressure doesn't affect me."

Fatigue
"It is down to several factors over time. We’ve lost important players who could have responded. At times, we had to overload some with minutes. In this phase, we’ve lost some important players, and it's difficult to manage. There are players who clearly aren't at their best physically, but they want to give their all. We knew very well the situation we were in and what we wanted to compete for, but there were several injuries that imposed an overload on some players."

Daniel Bragança
"He was limited in what he could do, but he had a great game. He wanted to be with the team, like the good captain he is. He gave it his best and he was very good."

What he will do in the coming weeks
"I’ll work. It's what I've always done, believing in the players I have. To increase their confidence and make things a little lighter mentally. We have to help them free themselves from this lack of confidence."

A late pair of goals prevent a win for Os Leões

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 2-2 at home against CD Tondela in a rescheduled Liga Portugal Matchday 26 game. Two late goals from the visitors meant they claimed only a point from the encounter.

Rui Borges made some changes to his starting lineup for the game, replacing Ousmane Diomande, Ricardo Mangas, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Francisco Trincão, and Rafael Nel with Eduardo Quaresma, Maxi Araújo, Daniel Bragança, Geny Catamo, and Luis Suárez.

After a dangerous attack for each side in the first two minutes, Sporting CP didn't take long to assume control. Geovany Quenda had a chance in the 2nd minute, when he shot just wide, but the move was ruled offside in any case.

Shortly after, Catamo also struck wide, and Os Leões began to apply considerable pressure, preventing CD Tondela from playing out from the back and recovering several balls in the attacking area of the midfield. Zeno Debast played a brilliant long pass to Catamo, who tried to set up Pedro Gonçalves -the Portuguese international missing by centimetres.

On 21 minutes, a quick, collective transition by Sporting CP culminated in Quenda's pass to Araújo, whose shot was saved by goalkeeper Bernardo Fontes. Shortly after, Suárez appeared in a dangerous area, but couldn’t get his shot off.

The game continued practically one-sided. Shortly after the half-hour mark, Catamo found Suárez, who tried for goal, but Bernardo Fontes blocked him once more. The Colombian striker tried again immediately afterwards, but this time, with his weaker foot, he missed the target.

Before halftime, Bragança, with a half-volley, shot straight at the opposition goalkeeper.

At the start of the second half, CD Tondela were the more aggressive team, and had efforts from Rony Lopes and Tiago Manso go wide. Sporting CP continued to dominate in terms of possession, setting themselves up in the attacking half and regularly approaching goal, albeit lacking decisiveness.

The visitors sought to exploit counterattacks, as happened in the 54th minute through a Pedro Maranhão shot that was poorly finished.

The first sign of danger from Sporting CP in the second half came in the 56th minute, with Gonçalves taking advantage of a sliced clearance by the defence to shoot first-time, forcing a good save from Bernardo Fontes for a corner.

Subsequently, Francisco Trincão and Salvador Blopa replaced Geovany Quenda and Georgios Vagiannidis.

Sporting CP had a clear chance to open the scoring with an Araújo break down the left, as he played the ball in to Catamo at the far post. The Mozambique international, unfortunately, shot over the bar.

The opening goal finally arrived in the 62nd minute: A good cross from Blopa on the right was met by Suárez, who got ahead of his marker and finished with class for his 34^th goal of the season.

Buoyed by this, Sporting CP continued trying to score. From distance and with power, Blopa struck wide, and Gonçalves also lacked accuracy with his attempt. The number 8 would be substituted in the 74th minute to make way for Luís Guilherme.

From a free kick, CD Tondela’s Makan Aïko tried to threaten, but without success, and the game, despite the minimal advantage and low intensity, seemed to be under Sporting CP's control.

A second goal arrived in the 78th minute, with possession recovered in attack, a linkup and a Catamo shot. In an attempt to clear, defender João Silva sent the ball into his own net, to make it 2-0.

With the game nearing its end, Nuno Santos and Giorgi Kochorashvili came on for Catamo and Bragança.

CD Tondela stepped up in the final stages. Tiago Manso threatened in the 89th minute, and referee Fábio Veríssimo awarded a penalty in the 90th. Makan Aïko took the spot kick, but Rui Silva made a superb save.

However, from the ensuing corner, Salvador Blopa turned the ball into his own net. Shortly after, from another corner kick, Cícero Alves headed in another goal, making it 2-2 and denying Sporting CP the three points.

Os Leões play again on Monday, May 4th, hosting Vitória SC at 8:15pm.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Georgios Vagiannidis (Salvador Blopa, 56'), Eduardo Quaresma, Zeno Debast, Maxi Araújo, Hidemasa Morita, Daniel Bragança [C] (Giorgi Kochorashvili, 85'), Geny Catamo (Nuno Santos, 85'), Pedro Gonçalves (Luís Guilherme, 74'), Geovany Quenda (Francisco Trincão, 56') and Luis Suárez.

The coach reviews the win over CF Estrela da Amadora

After the hard-fought victory in Amadora, Rui Borges spoke to the media about Sporting CP's performance in the game.

Analysis of the game
"It was a difficult, competitive game. We knew that games after the UEFA Champions League are always very difficult for us, and that was the main point that came up in our team talk. We are well aware of it. We had to compete. We controlled the game with possession, but we lacked some inspiration in the final third. In the first half, CF Estrela da Amadora defended their area with eleven men, and we could have made better decisions. We didn't let them believe in themselves or get into transitions; in that aspect, we did well. We knew it was important to have that strictness as well. The game was a bit like that: We had a lot of the ball, but lacked inspiration in the final third.

Changes to the starting XI
"It was about managing our energy. Gonçalo Inácio has a lot of playing time under his belt. He was also on his fourth yellow card, but the decision was mostly due to physical issues: he came back from international duty, we began a month with many games, and to avoid a setback and losing him, we opted for this strategy. Edu [Quaresma] and Zeno [Debast] deserved this confidence; they had a very good game at home against CD Santa Clara. They demonstrate the character and willingness of everyone to take advantage of the opportunities the coach gives them.

We ended up refreshing the central area a bit, the two centre backs and two midfielders coming in. Morten [Hjulmand] didn't play against Arsenal FC, [Hidemasa] Morita played 90 minutes, Dani [Bragança] has been doing very well... it was important to have some mentally fresh players there too. There weren't so many changes that we could say it was all with the upcoming games in mind. It was another small physical and mental refreshment in a central area."

A decisive week-and-a-half
"It's natural that it's a decisive week, as we are getting closer and closer to the end of the season. The games become more decisive, but I only care about looking at the next one. And the next one is against Arsenal."

Geovany Quenda's return
"I'm very happy to see Quenda back. He's an important player who gives a lot to the team. He had a long break, unfortunately, but his teammates and the coaching staff are happy to have him back. He's a different kind of player and can help us in this final stretch of the season in the competitions we are involved in."

Wind
"The wind affected everyone, not just Sporting CP. In terms of the wind, or the cold... the adaptation is difficult for everyone and affected the quality of the game."

Iván Fresneda's substitution
"Iván was complaining about a knock and we opted to take him off at halftime."

Daniel Bragança's performances post-injury
"Dani has grown. He's an even more mature player and, of course, that is combined with his technical quality and reading of the game. I read a few days ago that, in the future, he could be a coach. I have no doubt about that. He has excellent game reading and decision-making skills; he needed time but he's in good form, he's added a lot to the team, and his teammates see that quality in him to help and make a difference."

Difficulties in speeding up the game
"In the first half, possession was very slow. We had to make the ball move around more, and that's why I say that the wind ended up greatly affecting the game. The players ended up being a little afraid to make some passes and realise that the wind makes things different. We had to move around a lot. The ball had to travel a lot down the wings, and even then we needed to make simpler decisions to 'crush' the opposition. We reached the final third and were very slow, as we weren't gaining numerical superiority. We improved at halftime, but in the first half we weren't managing it well; there was always numerical equality and time for CF Estrela da Amadora to reorganise the threat and defend their goal.

They opted to play with a five-man defensive block, which ended up being more difficult to break down. They are competitive and intense players in terms of physical and athletic ability; it's natural that we also lacked some energy, but despite everything, we knew it was a game where we had to compete, more than just wanting to play very well."

The midfielder's fifth goal of the season downs CF Estrela da Amadora

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated CF Estrela da Amadora 0-1 in Liga Portugal, thanks to the continued purple patch in front of goal from  Daniel Bragança.

For the short trip to Reboleira, coach Rui Borges made four changes from the starting lineup that had faced Arsenal during the week. A modified central defensive pairing saw Zeno Debast and Eduardo Quaresma alongside one another, and in midfield Morten Hjulmand joined Bragança.

On a very windy and cold night, with the wind chill factor nearing 0ºC, the first few minutes at the Estádio José Gomes passed without significant moments. Sporting CP had plenty of possession but little space, circling the goal manned by former Sporting player Renan Ribeiro.

The first shot of the match, in the eighth minute, came from the home team. On a fast break down the left, Ianis Stoica left several opposing players behind and crossed into the penalty area, where Eddy Doué was alone to shoot well over the target.

Sporting CP remained on top, despite the scare, but lacked precision in the final pass. They only managed to overcome the tight opposition defence in the 19th minute, when Iván Fresneda, on the right, headed the ball down into the box and Francisco Trincão shot over the crossbar.

Playing into the wind and up against a blockade in the central channel, Sporting CP tried to rely mainly on short transitions and speed down the flanks to progress up the pitch. However, it was through a set piece that, in the 29th minute, they came very close to opening the scoring: Trincão took a corner from the right and Stefan Leković, attempting to clear, only miraculously avoided putting the ball into his own net.

Down the left flank, in the 34th minute Maxi Araújo combined well with Hjulmand, but a timely interception by Robinho cleared the danger once more as the Uruguayan prepared to shoot.

With the visitors setting up in the opposition half, CF Estrela da Amadora sought to catch them on the counter-attack and benefited from the momentary 'help' of an unusual 12th player: A cat that invaded the pitch and forced the interruption of the match.

After a goalless opening 45 minutes, Sporting CP returned for the second half with Georgios Vagiannidis on the pitch.

However, history repeated itself, and in the first few minutes of the second half, Sporting CP continued to struggle to overcome the well-organised Tricolor defence.

A change of pace was needed, and Bragança delivered it with his left foot: In the 59th minute, Trincão surged down the right flank, set up the number 23 on the edge of the area, and Bragança fired a low shot into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

In the 66th minute, Rui Borges made another substitution and, to the applause of the hundreds of Sporting fans present in the stadium, Geovany Quenda – alongside Hidemasa Morita – returned to action after approximately four months out due to injury. The 18-year-old could even have made an instant impact with a goal two minutes later, but although teed up by Luis Suárez in space, he couldn't bring the ball under control.

With the game becoming more open, in the 70th minute CF Estrela da Amadora won a corner and, in the ensuing play, Max Scholze had a powerful shot that forced Rui Silva into a save.

In the 79th minute, Sporting CP tried to seal the win with a powerful shot from outside the area: Geny Catamo drifted from the wing into the middle and, still far out from goal, unleashed a piledriver that hit the post.

In the final minutes, the opposition pushed forward, seeking the equaliser. Sporting CP showed maturity and defensive prowess to secure three more valuable points in Liga Portugal.

Now, attention turns to the trip to London, where they attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the UEFA Champions League quarter final tie with Arsenal.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Zeno Debast, Pedro Gonçalves (Geovany Quenda, 67’), Geny Catamo (Rafael Nel, 90+4’), Francisco Trincão (Ousmane Diomande, 90+2’), Maxi Araújo, Iván Fresneda (Georgios Vagiannidis, 46’), Daniel Bragança (Hidemasa Morita, 67’), Morten Hjulmand [C], Eduardo Quaresma and Luis Suárez. 

The coach looks ahead to Friday's game against CD Santa Clara

Sporting Clube de Portugal host CD Santa Clara this Friday at 8:30pm, kicking off Matchday 28 of the Liga Portugal season.

In a press conference before the game, coach Rui Borges previewed what he anticipates will be a difficult encounter.

Geovany Quenda and Giorgi Kochorashvili returning to training
"Quenda is not yet fit for action. We need to have a little more patience, for a few more days, so he is still not one of our options. That's unfortunate, because he is a player who contributes a lot. He is an important player for our team, despite his young age, just as he was last year. I'm happy to see him back, but not so happy that I can't use him tomorrow, as he would certainly be a great asset.
For me, it's easy to manage his emotional side, because he is very motivated to return and help the team in all the competitions we are involved in. This makes me more anxious than him: he is very important to us and is another player who gives us solutions. He is happy and he is raring to return.
Gio is also back and we still have to find out if he will be available or not, but he has been training well and I'm happy to see him back too."

CD Santa Clara
"CD Santa Clara haven't lost in their last five games, and in that spell they've earned the fifth most points, which clearly demonstrates their improvement under the new coach. They remain a very well-organised team defensively, allowing the opponents few scoring opportunities, are very strong on the counter-attack, with fast and strong players in one-on-one situations, and they have good decision-making. They're a very competitive and intense team in their duels, and one of the teams with the most bookings in the league, which shows the intensity they put into their play. They will create problems for us, and we have to be at our best to win."

Pedro Gonçalves
"If he wasn't fit, he wouldn't have gone away with Portugal, nor would he have stayed until the end of their training camp. He was fine, it was the coach's decision not to use him. Above all, I hope he's motivated, and I believe he is, to continue giving a great response at Sporting CP and greatly help his team -which is what he has been doing throughout the season.
I believe that, with everything he has done and shown at Sporting CP, he is always a player who can make a difference at any moment, whether for the club or for Portugal. I make my decisions at Sporting CP and that's already a huge responsibility. I can't comment on the choices of others. I know he was fit, that he had a cramp and recovered, but he would have been fit to contribute for his country."

Title calculations
"Whoever is ahead of us in the table deserves credit, as it's a sign that they have been more competent than the others so far. However, we are still in the fight. There are many games left and we have to be focused on what we control -which are our games-, do our best and win, starting with tomorrow's game."

The absence of Luis Suárez
"I'm not going to discuss the disciplinary committee's decision, as it is what it is. He took responsibility for what he did and we respect the decision.
There are alternatives. We might play with a false 9, but we have Rafael Nel and that's an option for the game too. We'll see, considering the players returning from international duty, who we can put out. Morten [Hjulmand] arrived ill, Gonçalo Inácio and Rui [Silva] arrived injured, Pote is just out of shape -or so I hope... but we'll see what we can do and field a team that, above all, is capable of the intensity of the game."

Preparation without the internationals
"It's the demands of my job. It was one of the biggest difficulties when I arrived here: I'm obsessed with training, as I believe that repetition gives a team a lot of stability at all times during the game. Arriving here and not being able to train with everyone, especially in the middle of the season when we're fighting for all competitions, left me very stressed in that moment. It was also part of my growth as a coach, to become better and more capable of responding at Sporting CP.
For tomorrow's game, when there's no time to prepare fully, the solution is rest, to relax and get them as prepared as possible for the game. They know our game plan and what they have to do in each game. We are very focused on who we are as a team; not ignoring the opponents, but with images and the little we can do on the pitch, we look at the strategy and get them as prepared as we can."

Controversy in previous games against GD Santa Clara
"Controversy will always exist in football. We all make mistakes, so many times. Part of it is up to me, journalists, players and everyone involved in football to assess. The best way is this: Valuing the participants. That's what I try to do: Make my team better and more capable, so that people identify with the team, so that they become better and players."

The coach reviews the win over FC Alverca

After the 1-4 win away to FC Alverca, Sporting CP coach Rui Borges analysed the victory in his press conference.

Analysis of the game
"I think we were the better side for the entire 90 minutes. We started well and scored against an FC Alverca team defending in a low block. Then, we entered a period of ‘controlled sleepiness’ which could have hurt us. We overdid it in that sense. It was a more subdued game then, but the second half was completely different. We were dynamic and had a different energy. We wanted to get the second goal, even running some risks at the back. It was a very good second half, both with and without the ball. It was a game controlled by us, with a second half that was better than the first."

Nuno Santos' injury
"It's a muscle injury, I can't say more than that. Unfortunately, a player who has been out for 15 months has these risks when they come back."

The yellow card given to Luis Suárez
"I think now there should be a white card. It was a strange situation, but I won’t comment much on it."

The postponed game meaning the team are the chasers in the standings
"We are focused on ourselves and we know what we have to do in this final stretch of the season. It has always been like that and the team gave another great response today. Now, some of the players will go away with their national teams and we will take a breather to prepare for an intense month."

Only one change in the starting XI
"We played on Wednesday. It was noticeable that our energy wasn’t the same in the first half, but we tried to press high. The most important thing was to recover from the mental strain of the Champions League. There were some players who had received 120 minutes and others 70, but we played on Wednesday, so it wasn’t an excuse. The team gave a great response, thankfully."

A 50th victory in charge of Sporting CP
"I’m happy. It’s another milestone in our journey as a coaching team. We’ve been doing a great job, and the quality of play and the data demonstrate that. Above all, I’m happy to have been in charge of a great Sporting CP side for all these months."

Sporting CP earn a strong victory against FC Alverca

Sporting CP defeated FC Alverca 1-4 in Liga Portugal to return to winning ways in the competition, outgunning the opposition with two strikes from Pedro Gonçalves and goals from Luis Suárez and Geny Catamo.

To face an FC Alverca side sitting in 11th place and coming off a run of five consecutive draws, coach Rui Borges made only one change to the starting XI that had made history in midweek in the UEFA Champions League: the suspended Maxi Araújo was replaced by Nuno Santos, who hadn't started a game since October 26th, 2024. Ricardo Mangas returned to the squad after more than a month out.

Sporting CP were up against a FC Alverca side who hadn't lost at home in 2026 and, moreover, had earned 19 of their 29 points at their own ground.

The team didn't take long to show their intentions, as 'Pote' was played through with a fast pass. He reached the ball on the goal line and, without an easy angle, shot straight at goalkeeper André Gomes.

FC Alverca also started aggressively, but quickly had to rely, above all, on their organisation to contain the rapid inside combinations initiated by Sporting CP.

Geny Catamo tried his luck from distance and almost surprised the goalkeeper, who prevented the opening goal. It was a goal that finally arrived just a few minutes later: On 22 minutes, Pedro Gonçalves collected a loose ball in the area and, with great finesse, placed it into the top corner to put Sporting CP ahead.

Misfortune then befell Rui Borges's men, as Nuno Santos fell to the ground, being forced to go off injured. Georgios Vagiannidis came on in his place, and the substitution coincided with a shift in momentum.

A long-range shot from Lincoln, was securely caught by Rui Silva, and the opposition managed to push up the pitch and grow stronger until halftime. After a couple of blocked shots in the area, a header from Sandro Lima didn't go far wide of the post.

In the second half, Sporting CP once again showed their lethal nature. Immediately after receiving a yellow card for simulation for a penalty initially awarded then overturned by VAR, Luis Suárez produced a masterpiece to make it 0-2. The Colombian cut inside from the left and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the back of the net, claiming his 24th goal in the competition and his 33rd of the season.

FC Alverca tried to respond quickly to get back into contention, but Nabil Touaizi shot wide in the home team's best chance.

Sporting CP took the scoreline to 0-3 through sheer force. Before the 70th minute, Geny Catamo cut in from the right and struck a piledriver of a shot to increase the lead.

Rui Borges began to make changes, bringing on Zeno Debast and Daniel Bragança for Inácio and Morita. As the final ten minutes approached, he also introduced Mangas and gave more playing time to youngster Rafael Nel.

André Gomes made a flying save to deny a fantastic goal from Vagiannidis, who had popped up in a central position.

There would be two more goals before the end of the game. First of all, FC Alverca’s Marezi found the back of the net with a cross-shot. Then, just two minutes later, Pedro Gonçalves scored his second from a free kick on the left.

Mangas hit the post in the final chance, with André Gomes getting down to deny Rafael Nel a goal from the rebound. The score ended 1-4, marking Rui Borges' 50^th win from 73 games in charge.

After the international break, Sporting CP return to action to play CD Santa Clara in April.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GR], Iván Fresneda (Ricardo Mangas, 82’), Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio (Zeno Debast, 71’), Nuno Santos (Georgios Vagiannidis, 27’), Morten Hjulmand [C], Hidemasa Morita (Daniel Bragança, 71’), Geny Catamo, Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco Trincão, Luis Suárez (Rafael Nel, 82’)

The coach talks before the game against FC Alverca

Sporting CP travel to Ribatejo this Sunday to face FC Alverca in Liga Portugal. Coach Rui Borges spoke in a press conference ahead of the game.

Returning to domestic action after the UEFA Champions League
“Because of all the fatigue from the game against FK Bodø/Glimt, it will be a difficult task, and it will also be so because of what FC Alverca are like. They have been growing and, therefore, it will be a difficult game. The most important thing is to recover and get the players switched on as much as possible to the demands of the next game.”

Possible changes
“It's possible that there may be some changes. We will have to see how the team are feeling. In terms of the left side, we don't have Maxi [due to an accumulation of yellow cards], but we have Nuno Santos and Ricardo Mangas, who is back in. These are two solutions and either one of them gives us something.”

Luis Guilherme's Injury
“The time off that he needs could be around four to six weeks. We have to see about his ankle. The knock happened in the last moment of training. There are things we can't control.”

The impact of accumulated fatigue
“It's part of the demands of the club. Of course, there was an unusual amount of emotional and physical expenditure this week, but we have to be able to deal with it. It's not something new, it's always been here. We've played a lot of games and we're going into a very busy month of April. It's part of being where we are, but we have to find solutions to continue to do Sporting CP justice.”

Players called up for their national teams
“There are many of them, but it is what it is. We can't escape it. They also want to play for their national teams, with a World Cup comng up. I am happy, above all, to see them with their national teams, achieving another goal and dream. It doesn't mean that we're going to stop responding to demands in April.  It's difficult for the players who need time to get rest. For example, Zeno [Debast] had a long break and is good to play for 30 minutes, because if you put him in from the start he won't have that response.

Postponement of the game against CD Tondela
“It was a regulatory right that we had and we exercised it. It's a good thing we did that, because if we had that game we wouldn't have been able to give the physical and mental response that we gave against FK Bodø/Glimt. We were fantastic for 120 minutes. We'll have to put the game against CD Tondela somewhere on the calendar. Protests from rivals is noise; it's part of the game, but the postponement was a right we had.”

The historic UEFA Champions League run
“It's important to find ways to switch on the players and draw on their energy. It won't be the same this weekend, because as much as we want it, it's impossible. The rest time isn't the same, the recovery isn't either, but we have to raise our energy to a good level. We're going to face a team who haven't lost at home in 2026, have grown a lot and defend well. It will demand a lot from us. The game could be separated into transitions and we have to understand what response we can give.”

A possible contract renewal with Sporting CP
“I'm very calm about that. I know well how the interaction and mutual trust with the Sporting CP structure is. I have a contract with Sporting CP and whatever has to happen, will happen in due time.”

The many good options for the centre back
“Perhaps it’s the most difficult position to manage. I have four fabulous defenders, they all deserve to play, and that’s a headache for me. Edu [Quaresma] has responded well. Diomande had that dip which coincided with Ramadan, which is natural. Zeno is coming back and doing very well, and Inácio has had a fantastic season. I have four high-quality defenders and any one of them can be a starter tomorrow.”

Luis Suárez’s fatigue
“I don’t believe Ioannidis will be available in the coming weeks. Regarding Luis, he's very particular. We also appeal to the good sense of the national team coaches, so that they understand the players’ fatigue and what they still have to play. He has been a very selfless player, giving everything to the team, and it shows. Physically he has been phenomenal, but he's not a machine and he'll have setbacks -as he already has.”

Post-UEFA Champions League euphoria being detrimental
“The euphoria is outward. For us coaches, it's over after ten minutes, because we have little time to recover and we know how difficult the game against FC Alverca will be. The players had a break to enjoy time with their families after achieving something unprecedented, but after we started training there was no more euphoria. The most important thing is to be able to draw on our energy."

The coach previews a busy week of action for Sporting CP

Sporting Clube de Portugal host CD Nacional this Sunday at 6pm, on Liga Portugal Matchday 20. In his pre-match press conference, Rui Borges talked about the fixture.

Analysis of CD Nacional
"Tiago Margarido has done a great job for them. For us coaches, and in this case for him, to be in charge of CD Nacional for a hundredth game -he must be the active coach in the league who has been at the same club the longest- it's something to be commended. They are a good team, very strong when making fast attacks and offensive transitions, and Gabriel Veron has added quality to that. Away from home, they have four defeats, but always by the narrowest of margins; they played very well against FC Porto and won in Braga, which clearly shows the quality we will encounter with them. They are a competitive team, strong in the duels, and they commit some fouls that demonstrate the intensity with which they approach games. They are strong on offensive set pieces and in Madeira we conceded a goal from that. After the UEFA Champions League, making a change of mindset is always difficult, but the ambition is there, and the motivation too. I believe we will have a great game against a good team."

Focus on the league after a European Top-8 finish
"I'm in charge of a great group, who know that games after the UEFA Champions League are difficult, due to physical and mental exhaustion. Only a great team can fight against this and maintain the same quality and intensity of play. This is a challenge for us as a team. I believe in the responsibility of the group, who know that we have to win, and that we will give everything to do so against an organised and competitive team, with the help of our fans. Our ambition, will to win and fight for the title will overcome all the difficulties that may exist in the game. I am happy for all the Portuguese teams for their success in Europe. It gives value to our football and our position in the ranking, where we have overtaken the Netherlands. Congratulations to all the teams that managed to qualify. It's good for all of us."

The squad and transfer market
"I want to use my entire squad. If someone has to leave, they will leave, whether it's Alisson [Santos] or someone else. It's a credit to the whole team, which has increased in value because of everything we have done throughout the season -in Europe and domestically-, and for the collective and individual quality we have demonstrated. These supposed departures and arrivals are natural, and I deal with it well. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Sporting CP are above any player and any coach. I need everyone and I want everyone available, but when one player is missing, there are others to come in. Alisson is called up for tomorrow, he's a Sporting CP player and, therefore, I won't elaborate much further on that."

Luis Suárez and Pedro Gonçalves risking receiving fifth yellow cards
"They will come into the match without any restrictions. I'm looking at CD Nacional, I want to win the next game and that's what matters to me. They will both play, they are options, they know the responsibility better than anyone and the fact that they have four yellow cards, but it's pointless to think about FC Porto if we don't beat CD Nacional. Then, in Porto, whoever is available will give the best response."

Players unavailable
"Gonçalo Inácio is in the squad for tomorrow. Fotis Ioannidis is still out. We can bring in Souleymane Faye now. Zeno Debast is out; it's not a problem, it's just us managing the injury he had. We don't want him at 70%, we want him at 100%, because we need him in this final stretch of the season."

Different options on the wings
"They are all different. [Souleymane] Faye gives us different things than Alisson, Luís Guilherme and Geny [Catamo]. They are two very promising players that we went after. We believe a lot in the potential of both.
 I don't look at a player just in terms of his shot or the goals he scores. We have to look at several things. Alisson, for example, has enormous potential, but it's necessary to understand the context and how much he has to grow. We sign players mainly for our league games, as those are the important ones, and the performance has to be high, especially there. That's our first focus. Of course, we want them to do well in every game, but they all have to improve in some areas. Alisson, in decision-making against low blocks, because he doesn't have as much space, while in the UEFA Champions League he can go one-on-one. Faye plays deeper and goes further up without the ball more than anyone else. They are very dynamic players and, above all, different. This increases the quality we have, plus the team's strategy and strategic options throughout the games."

The most important week of the season
"The team always have an inherent responsibility. It's an important week, like all the others. I understand the question, because access to the semi-finals of the Taça de Portugal is at stake; we are in second place in the league and we have that responsibility, but Sporting CP aren't happy with just a cup; we want to fight for everything. We are in these fights and we will do everything to continue. We will play the league leaders away from home, but it's a game like any other. First, we have to beat CD Nacional, so as not to let that gap widen, and then we'll think about AVS, and only then about FC Porto."

The coach reacts to the 1-1 draw against Gil Vicente FC

Following Sporting CP's 1-1 draw in Barcelos, coach Rui Borges gave his analysis of the match against Gil Vicente FC.

The result
"It all ends up being subjective, about the 'ifs', but we could have made it 0-2 to kill the game off and prevent Gil Vicente FC from growing in confidence. We started the second half very well, and in the first half we controlled play. Gil Vicente FC tried transitions and set pieces, where they created more danger, and we managed to break their press, but we lacked some quality. We scored from an attack that we should have tried more often, and then, in the second half, we started very well, but from the 20th minute onwards we let the game open up and Gil Vicente FC launched counter-attacks, which they are dangerous from."

The performance
"We had 64% possession and we had quality in the initial stages of the build-up, but we lacked more quality in the final third. Even more so in the first half, because in the second half we started very well and were very strong. Afterwards, we should have worn down Gil Vicente FC more, but we lost possession and allowed them to start counter-attacks, but the danger they provided was even greater from set pieces. We won't always finish our chances well, but the team were proactive."

Solutions to counter the way the opponent closed down the central areas
"The important thing was to break their initial press and establish ourselves in the opposition midfield, to force them to stay further away from our goal. We could have varied things more with longer balls instead of low passes which went through many players. That was lacking more in the first half -more than speed. The first half was less dynamic, the second half was better, but within what was asked of us, the team had a good game. We were penalised by what happened in the final part of the game."

The many players out
"It's not an excuse. We could have made it 0-2 and then we would be talking about something else, but we didn't manage to do that. We let a team who are having a great season believe in their chances until the end, at home. The sending-off affected the game and made the opposition believe even more. I'm not going to lament the players who were missing. I want everyone available, of course, and it was important, but the team fought well and had quality. There's no point in thinking about who's not here. I'm already thinking about the game against Vitória SC in the Taça da Liga, because I don't have Inácio due to his sending off and we don't have defenders available."

The effect of the draw on the top of the table
"Last year we had an eight-point advantage and dropped down to second place. There's a long way to go and we're only focused on what we can control and do."

Points lost late on against SC Braga and Gil Vicente FC
"These are two specific games. Here we were down to ten men and Gil Vicente FC, in those following minutes, grew in strength and deserved to get the draw, while we were still organising ourselves. With SC Braga it was a penalty, a move in the area. We ended up being penalised, but that's the nature of the game."