The coach analyses the meeting with Paris Saint Germain

Rui Borges spoke to the media in a press conference ahead of the seventh matchday in the UEFA Champions League, in which Sporting Clube de Portugal host the current European champions, Paris Saint-Germain.

Preview of the match
“Sporting CP, not only in home games but also away, have shown what we're capable of, our ideas and our personality. I hope we are able to do that again against a great team -perhaps the best in Europe, because they won the competition last season.

We also had the 'good fortune' that the draw pitted us against two of the three best teams in Europe, in PSG and FC Bayern Munich. I would add Arsenal FC to that list as well. This has to be, above all, a source of pride and enormous motivation to face the best and show that we are at that level.”

Facing PSG being the biggest challenge of his career
"What challenged me the most was the first day I came to this club. Every day here is my biggest challenge and the happiest day of my life. I'm at a big club and every day I have to try to be better, to win more and provide more history for Sporting CP.

Facing the best in Europe is, of course, a great source of motivation for the coaching staff and the players, to show that we are capable of competing with the best, both collectively and individually. However, the biggest challenge is me being the head coach of Sporting CP."

The return of Pedro Gonçalves and Ousmane Diomande
"Pote and Diomande may be available, although I'm not sure yet, for the game in Arouca."

Absentees
"Zeno [Debast] is back, Dani [Bragança] is back, and little by little players are returning to make the team more capable and stronger. For Tuesday, above all, a lot of courage is needed to face the best team in collective and individual terms.

Any player I put in will be highly motivated to give a response and help the team. Not only in the UEFA Champions League, but in all the competitions we are in, we have shown the greatness of this team. Tuesday will be the same. We will play with 11 and, above all, the group has shown that everyone is a solution, everyone is a great player. When a teammate fails, the others are even more motivated to show that we are a real team and that we are together."

European performances bringing confidence
"The team have given a tremendous response in the UEFA Champions League games. They've shown great maturity. We're playing at home, where we've won and where we've already faced good teams. Now, we're going to face a great side: the team with the most possession in the UEFA Champions League this season, who hold practically every statistical record in their league, and who have scored the most goals, along with Borussia Dortmund.

They are a very strong team in reacting to losing possession, winning the ball a lot in the attacking midfield and scoring many goals from there. We have to understand how to create danger against PSG, because I believe they will look at us with respect for everything we've done in the UEFA Champions League and in domestic competitions."

The team being viewed differently by opponents
"I believe that's the case. This only motivates us to continue demonstrating that we are good as a team. Regardless of the opponents, we respect whoever is up against us, but we approach this match with enormous motivation. We want clubs to look at us differently, and I think they have been doing so. This is thanks to the players, because of everything they have been capable of in these two years -but especially this year, which is the one that is our responsibility.

We are a great Sporting CP side, where the collective is the star of the team. It's the collective that makes the individual stand out. That's what we want to show. We know what PSG are capable of, but we also know that they respect us and that we are a great team who are highly motivated. The fans will be very important at all times. We need to continue to be very courageous, but above all very responsible."

Defensive solidity at Alvalade
"Sporting CP have proven to be a great team, not only defensively but also offensively. I believe it will be a great game between two teams that like to win and have a high percentage of goals, which demonstrates the quality of both of us. We know that they have some of the best players in the world in their positions, and it will be a challenge to neutralise that individual talent. Football is increasingly decided by inspiration, and we have to be able to neutralise that."

The standings
"I will focus only on Tuesday's game. Then we will see what we are capable of. We will soon see the consequence of our ability in this game and, later, we will think about Athletic Club. I don't make calculations ahead of time."

Different defensive organisation
"Our defensive organisation in Munich wasn't different. Edu [Quaresma] played as a right-back, not as a centre-back. He gave us other characteristics, but we didn't change tactically. We faced a great team that forced us to drop back more often as a unit, something that isn't so common. I believe that PSG, being a very possession-based and dynamic team, with midfielders without fixed positions, like Vitinha and Ousmane Dembélé, will make it difficult for us to activate the pressure at certain moments.

They will force us to drop back more often to a medium-low block, but not because of a change in our tactics, but because of their quality. What we are doesn't change, only some strategic individual behaviours. The opponents push us further back, and that's why, sometimes, the five-man defence is so dangerous."

Alvalade as a decisive factor
"I believe that Luis Enrique has analysed our home games in the UEFA Champions League, but also the away games, because we have given great responses and great demonstrations of our collective and individual ideas and quality. What we have been able to do has been demonstrated throughout the season.

In the UEFA Champions League, we have grown in maturity because the responsibility increases, and a small slipup changes everything. Above all, the team are committed, courageous, and confident."