The coach gave merit to his side's resilience in victory over SC Braga

After the full time whistle in Sporting Clube de Portugal's 0-1 win away to SC Braga, coach Rúben Amorim expressed his pride in his players -who battled against a numerical disadvantage when Gonçalo Inácio was sent off in the 18th minute.

"You have to give credit to the players. It was a very tough game against an excellent team. We were able to suffer," he said.

"We are good at defending in a lower block. Up to the 20-minute mark it was an even game. From then on, there was no game. There was one team attacking,  and another defending and trying to break out. We ended up scoring, we won and we have to keep going."

For Amorim, his absence from the dugout due to suspension had no influence on the game or the result.

"I have been suspended for other games. The team are doing well and the coaching staff know what to do. As we saw today, we have several leaders."

"This was another victory, and there is still a long way to go. We could lose at home to CD Nacional, just like we could lose at another ground. This was a normal game and Sporting CP’s third win over SC Braga this year, but we have to be aware that we can win at any ground and that we can lose at any ground."

On the changes he made at halftime, taking off Nuno Santos and Paulinho to replace them with Luís Neto and Matheus Nunes, he commented that "Neto is a very strong player, used to playing with the other centre backs. He is very aggressive and we have trained many times with ten men. We have to improve our offensive side with one player less. With Matheus [Nunes], it was like at the Dragão against FC Porto or SC Braga at Alvalade. He defends well and has the ability to go forward. It ended up working."
Sporting CP will have a change of goalkeeper against CD Nacional, with Antonio Adán having been shown a fifth yellow card of the season, and Amorim addressed the preparation required.

"We have to have our feet firmly on the ground. We can lose points in any game and that has to be in our heads. We have to prepare Max [Luís Maximiano], because Adán picked up a fifth yellow - I can't remember a goalkeeper receiving five yellow cards before. Max has a lot of talent, and this is how the players grow," he added.

"Our focus is on CD Nacional, and on recovering and preparing the players. Having these examples from these past few weeks, it would be a mistake for us not to go game by game. If we were three points from clinching the title, we would be candidates -because we always go out to win.

"We cannot ride this rollercoaster of emotions. I understand the supporters, but it is up to me to maintain my discernment at this point with a young group. This was a good victory, playing with a man down at an important stage of the season," he said.

Finally, Rúben Amorim explained the substitutions he made at halftime, taking out Nuno Santos and Paulinho to replace Luís Neto and Matheus Nunes. "Neto is a very strong player used to playing with the other central players. (...) He is very aggressive and we have trained many times with one less. We have to improve the offensive part with one less. Matheus [Nunes] was like in Dragão or Braga in Alvalade. He defends well and has the capacity to go forward. It ended up working, "he said.