Reaction to the hard-fought victory in extra time against AFS

At the end of the cup tie against AFS, Sporting CP coach Rui Borges reviewed the 3-2 win.

Achieving the objective despite needing extra time
"It's mission accomplished, that's for sure. It was a competent game until we made it 2-0, then we entered a collective state of relaxation and AFS, in two fortuitous moves, won two penalties and ended up believing a different result could be possible. Then, we entered a mental block, with several misplaced passes. Football, perhaps, is beautiful for that reason: it changes a lot and changes quickly. We put ourselves in a vulnerable position, but we also have to give credit to the opponents."

Impact of the 30 extra minutes on the upcoming league fixture 
“The players will be more tired in the coming days, but that won't be an excuse for our performance in the Clássico. We will arrive in top form to play a game with a different intensity. I believe it will be an important game, but not a decisive one. The pressure and motivation of playing a Clássico will outweigh the 30 extra minutes today.”

The return of Nuno Santos
“Above all, I'm happy to see him returning to the team after such a long break. It's fantastic for me, for his teammates, and for the fans. He's far from at his best, but we'll help him. He'll get there, but he needs time and patience to understand that. He can play as a full-back or as a midfielder and he's another player who will add a lot of quality and, above all, a lot of competitiveness.”

Several options in the squad for the wing position
“The players have to show me how prepared they are to respond. I like that they know how to play on both sides, because football nowadays is more unpredictable. Above all, I have more solutions with different characteristics. I'm happy that everyone is switched on and able to respond.”

Assessments of the standings before the Clássico
“I don't look backwards, only forward. We will do everything to win that game, but it's not decisive because there are many games left. We finished eight points ahead of second place in 2024/2025 and dropped nine points. All the games will be very difficult. For me, it's not a decisive game, but it's an important game.”