The coach warns of the danger of Sunday's opponents

Rui Borges looked at Sporting Clube de Portugal’s Liga Portugal trip to AVS Futebol SAD in his pre-match press conference.

Previewing the game
"It's a stadium where we dropped points last season. We had that difficulty, which we also had in the Taça de Portugal at home, which shows what AVS Futebol SAD can do. They have improved a lot in the second half of the season, especially defensively. They are a very competitive side and the fact that they are already relegated liberates them from the pressure of the game. They will be up against a big team, the current champions. They will be very motivated and have nothing to lose, which will make them even more eager to demonstrate their true individual and collective value.

Morten Hjulmand’s injury
"We understood the seriousness of the injury at the time; so much so that he was supposed to come off at half-time -but the coach was stubborn. His foot was in a difficult condition and we possibly won't have Morten back until the end of the season. There is that risk, unfortunately. It wasn't a very pretty challenge, but we have to move on from it and think about the game against AVS Futebol SAD."

Believing in having a team to fight for the top spots
"We have demonstrated this at various points in the season. The entire squad has responded and given confidence to the coaching staff. Everyone counts, they are willing to play and want an opportunity. We have already won without Morten and without other players. Mathematically, the title is still possible and that's what we're focused on. My level of hope is still very high."

Hidemasa Morita
"He is a very important player. Before coming to Sporting CP, I had already said that I was a fan of his qualities. Now that I’m here, I'm an even bigger fan of his. A contract renewal isn't just about the club and the coach, it's also about the player. There are several parties involved. Of course, we would like to continue to have him, but there are things that, sometimes, are not possible on one side or the other, because an understanding cannot be reached. Players may want other challenges and we have to understand all of that when we get to the end of the season. We believe in him a lot and he's loved by everyone.”

Statements from the FC Porto coach
"I haven't seen or read anything. I'm only concerned about AVS Futebol SAD. We won't play against FC Porto anymore this season."

"Fortunately, I'm at a club where they give me the freedom to always speak as I want. At other clubs, perhaps, the coaches just say what they're told. Not me; I always say what I want. My freedom of expression is down to what I think and feel. I don't waste time on things that don't make sense to me. I'm focused on AVS Futebol SAD and I'm not going to comment on statements from a coach of a team we've already played against. Naturally, they've been worried about Sporting CP for a long time. It's a good sign, a sign that Sporting CP are truly great."

Gonçalo Inácio
"He'll be out for two or three weeks. He's out of tomorrow's game and the next few fixtures."

The Clássico
"There's selective memory. I could talk about the game at Alvalade where Alberto could have been sent off, or several other things. There are mistakes in every game, everywhere, and I'm focused on AVS Futebol SAD. We've reached the final of the Taça de Portugal, which was our objective, and we have to be happy about that."

Geovany Quenda
"He had a fantastic game against FC Porto. He's returning from injury after a few months out, and we have to understand how we need to manage his condition. He responded perfectly. He's a very important player. I hope he helps us a lot in this final stretch; he's another great option for our attack."

The team’s motivation
"We’re a team that alway demonstrates this ambition and always want to win. The players understand that, at times, things won't go as planned, it's part of the process, but they have a different mentality. They are champions, which says a lot about the human and sporting quality of all of them. I am immensely proud of my team and they demonstrated their ambition at the Estádio do Dragão. Tomorrow I believe they will give a great response again."

SCU Torreense reaching the Taça de Portugal final
"I’m happy for SCU Torreense. I've been on the other side, at lower-level teams, and I know very well how much people dream about this. I hope it’s a beautiful final against a team that are having a great season. Within their capabilities, they will make it as difficult as possible for us. It will be a difficult game against a highly motivated team."

Fotis Ioannidis
"He is recovering and training on the pitch, but not with the team. He is going through the stages he needs to go through. He is doing better and I believe he will still help the team before the end of the season."

Players out
"Iván Fresneda and João Simões are also unavailable for the game tomorrow."

The final stretch of the season
"The workload has been immense due to all the setbacks we've had. Injuries have taken away a lot from us. The motivation is there, they will want to finish the season in the best way and fight for whatever is possible. We have to do our part, and there's no point in thinking about the other teams. We are motivated by being in the final of the Taça de Portugal. There is fatigue -we can't escape that- and it's noticeable in some players, but the motivation to play and desire to help has been greater than this busy period. I believe that's what will lead them to get through this difficult stage.”