The coach reviews the win over Gil Vicente FC

After a very important victory over Gil Vicente FC, Sporting CP coach Rui Borges analysed the game in his post-match press conference.

Reviewing the game
“It was a game in which we lacked inspiration in general. We conceded the goal from the only chance in which Gil Vicente FC came close to scoring, which left us feeling a bit uneasy. Throughout the first half, we made poor decisions and moved the ball around very slowly… We were tense, and at halftime we tried to adjust one or two behaviours. In the second half, we managed to get Gil Vicente to play in the final third almost the entire time. It was a difficult game against a team defending with 11 players behind the ball. The substitutions helped to calm the game down, with Morten [Hjulmand] and Zeno [Debast] coming in. We kept trying, and it was a game in which we had to keep going."

Difficulties in getting shots off
“There was a team against us defending in the box with 11 players, that’s the justification for a lack of shots. We’re not always going to score five goals and shoot a lot. If the opposing team were as competitive throughout the season as they were today, they would certainly have more points in the league. We won, and that was the objective. I think the substitutions gave us some energy. Making changes early or late on is a question of opinion. I think I made changes at the right time because we won the game. The belief of the entire Sporting CP family has been incredible. Emotionally, the team are very strong.”

Possible scenarios in the derby
“We have to work hard and focus on the game and what we can control. It’s a game like any other, as decisive as today’s was, and perhaps the last game will be too, depending on the result at the Estádio da Luz. We all feel that we were uninspired, but that’s natural; the team aren’t always going to be at their best. I want to highlight the spirit and competitive attitude that the team had until the end of the game, as that’s why we won.”

The pressure for the Clássico
“The pressure has been there since I came here. I arrived days before a derby. I’m very calm in that sense. The title may be at stake, but since I have been a coach, the big games are the ones in which I feel less pressure, because the players are motivated by themselves.”

The emotional moment in the 2-1 win
“I ended up celebrating with the group, because I think I deserved it. It was an outpouring of emotions. Sometimes we try to remain calm, but we aren’t always like that. The way the fans have got behind us also provides emotions that affect us, and the 2-1 victory was an explosion of all that, with Edu and the stadium. The energy that you feel in the Sporting CP family is indescribable. I’m happy for Edu, who is a special player here, but I would be happy if someone else scored too.”

The possibility of becoming league champions
“I don’t have any burden to do that. My happiness comes from coaching Sporting CP. I really value where I came from, because I worked hard to get here. It’s not a burden, it’s happiness about being at Sporting CP. I’m fighting for trophies, and that happiness is much greater than the pressure.”

Difficulties playing inside and ‘activating’ Gyökeres in the game
“They defended in front of the box, which is difficult for Viktor and any other striker to overcome. There were always two competitive and fast defenders in front of him, covering 2-on-1, who created this difficulty. They created these difficulties for us. We had a lot of interior play and ‘one-twos’, but the space was so limited that we made more mistakes. Inspiration is not always at its peak.”