The coach hails a professional display against AC Marinhense

After Sporting CP made it through to the Round of 16 of the Taça de Portugal, Rui Borges gave an analysis of the 3-0 victory against AC Marinhense.

The game
"I give a very positive assessment of the team, for the seriousness, humility, commitment, and composure we showed. It was a more intense first half, with more possession, and a slower second half in which we were serious in our transitions. These games end up being dangerous because you can allow the opposing team to hit you on the counterattack, but we always remained serious and demanding of each other until the end.

Honestly, I was happy with everyone's performance. There are individual details where the players, who are in the process of improvement, are aware of the strengths they need to work on. I was very happy with the whole team; everyone remained switched on and serious. I'm only sad because Rodrigo [Ribeiro] didn't score. He had a wonderful game, and I was sorry he wasn't lucky enough to score -because he deserved to get off the mark in that aspect too."

Rodrigo Ribeiro's growth
"He's a kid who has grown tremendously, and I think he can play both as a striker and behind the striker. He's skillful, technically gifted, and makes good and varied decisions.

He's very focused, and that's why he played up front, whilst in the B team he's been playing in another position – the one in which he trains with us. That was the conversation we had with him at the beginning of the season: sometimes, young players want to take a step forward. Rodrigo emerged very early. The Second Division will give him more skills, as it demands other things.

I usually say that I only control 20% of the team's performance, because the rest is made up of individual and collective decisions. After him coming into the top flight and playing 200 minutes, he needed to understand that when you’re a Sporting CP player, it's better to play 2000 minutes for the B team, score goals, and grow. This natural, continuous growth will give you things that training doesn't.

The young players have to realise this, he realised it, and next year he’ll possibly come back up. He is viewed differently, both internally and externally. That's why I said I was sad that he didn't score: he has shown an enormous capacity to learn, to read the game, and that makes me happy."

The recovery of injured players
"Zeno [Debast] is within the expected recovery timeframe. It may still take some time, and I don't believe he will be available for the next few games. I believe and hope that João [Simões] will be ready for the game against Club Brugge KV. He was left out mainly as a precaution."

The AC Marinhense coach
"The only thing I told Renato Sousa is to make the most of his chance. Sometimes, it's in these moments that we create our opportunities. Chase your dream, like Rui Borges did in the past. Many coaches are looking for this opening of an opportunity, and he had it. His team were very committed and very organised, thanks to him. I hope he has a lot of luck. Luck takes work, and that's what will dictate your future."

Francisco Trincão
"He was rested by the national team, so it didn't make sense for him not to be an option. He was in good shape, was fresh, wanted to play and he was serious. It was a solution, and it's good that we had him. He scored two goals that he richly deserved, he's been having great games, and he's just been lacking that consistent playing time.

Obviously, I respect the national team coach's decision; I'll always support him 100%, because I'm Portuguese. I won't interfere in his decisions because fairness is very relative. The Portugal national team have great players, all playing for big clubs; it's difficult to choose 11 men and leave out another 11, who are all starters at their clubs and with above-average quality. I'm happy to see him in the national team, as well as Pedro Gonçalves, Rui Silva, Geovany Quenda and João Simões -even [Ricardo] Mangas, who I believe can get there and be a solution. We work to get more and more players into our national team."

Relying on younger players
"If I didn't believe they were capable of responding at any time, I wouldn't even put them in these games. I see a lot of quality in all of them; they've given a very good response with the B team and have given us that confidence individually. Salvador Blopa provided another assist today; in the Taça da Liga, they all gave a good response as well. Blopa had another very good demonstration of his ability against a low-block side, delivering many high-quality crosses, so he met expectations, as did everyone else. Flávio [Gonçalves] is exceptional, and we will rely on them, in time, not only in the cups but in other competitions as well.

These are players we look at with a positive future perspective and in whom we have great faith. When they need to deliver for the first team, they will, and when they don't, they'll be in their natural habitat, which is the B team. They know they can't neglect their work, and perhaps that's why they've been called up more often."

Personal goals
"I'm living my dream. I'm where I want to be. If I were to stay here for ten years, I would be the happiest coach in the world, and I will continue fighting to win trophies. That's what this great club demand. We are the ones who create our dreams, and we will chase them. I still want to win the Taça da Liga and the Supertaça, which I haven't won yet. These are trophies I will strive to win, so that we can grow as a coaching staff. I am the leader, but those behind me work very hard and are very important. If I’m here, it is because I owe it to them, and we still have much to achieve."