The coach looks ahead to the Liga Portugal game

Sporting Clube de Portugal will face SC Braga this Sunday (7:15 pm local time) on Liga Portugal Matchday 8. The day before the game, coach Rui Borges previewed the match in a press conference.

What he expects from the opposition
"I expect a strong SC Braga. Regardless of their less positive results in the league [five matches without a win], they're always a great side. Despite everything, they haven't lost away from home yet, and that's where they score the most and concede the least. They're a team that want to dominate -I think they have the most possession in Liga Portugal- they get a lot of crosses and rely heavily on their wide men. They're a different team from last season and are buoyed by their result in European competition, when they won 0-2 against Celtic FC. In terms of us, we will also be a highly motivated team, in front of a packed crowd, who will do everything to win the match and continue our progress in the league."

Possible changes
"All players are available, and everyone has to be prepared to play. Whoever comes in will give a good response, and the coaching staff have the same confidence in everyone."

Focus on their game, despite the game between FC Porto and SL Benfica
"I want to win. I'm only worried about our game, which is against a great team who will pose a lot of difficulties for us. We're at the beginning of the season, so the other game won't decide anything."

The supporters
"Criticism is part of the game; it doesn't worry me. I know, above all, the affection I've always received from the vast majority of Sporting CP fans. On the street, it's been fantastic, and in the stadium, it's been absolutely incredible. What matters is that Sporting CP win. I believe that, little by little, more people will believe in our work. What drives me is to do my best for Sporting CP."

The 1-1 draw with SC Braga last season
"It was a game in which we were the better side in every way, and in a period when the game was completely under control, one incident completely ruined the result for us. It was from a cross, and this season, SC Braga are the team that create the most crosses, and [Leonardo] Lelo is the player who creates the most chances in the league. We have to be alert and prepared for the dynamics of this season’s SC Braga, which is completely different from last season."

The importance of defending crosses well
"I don't think it's our Achilles' heel. I even think that, in terms of our athleticism, and considering we are without Diomande, we've been very competent. We're a pressing team who go in for individual duels. SSC Napoli put in lots of crosses, and from the only one we couldn't stop, we ended up conceding the second goal. We have to find ways to neutralise that with small details and behaviour. It's a strength of SC Braga."

Defeats in the three toughest matches of the season (SL Benfica, FC Porto, and SSC Napoli)
"If I lose the 'big' league games but win all the others, we’ll win the title. They were very close games, and they ended up going the opponents’ way. We look at the past, but that means nothing to me. We didn't want to lose, but we're focused on things game by game."

The packed schedule
"The coaches are tired of complaining... The overload on the players is really getting worse. Looking at this specific match in the Taça da Liga that has been announced, it's also impossible to schedule it at another time. It's difficult to do. We have to hope the entire squad is available at that time."