Coates on extending his stay in Alvalade

Sebastián Coates was a largely unknown name for many Sporting fans when arriving at Alvalade this January, but the backing given by fellow Uruguayan and former teammate at Liverpool, Luís Suárez, has certainly rung true: "A player like Sebastián brings lot of quality to a team. I am certain he will be a great signing." Since arriving in the Portuguese capital, Sabastián truly has bossed the Sporting defence in an intimidating double-team with Rúben Semedo.

"All players dream of playing for a club that is fighting for titles, with ambitious objectives, and that made the difference for me", said Coates in an interview with the Sporting website after signing his loan extension, before adding a word on his odd forays forward: "Personally, my role is to defend, but If I can help in attack then I will."

Jorge Jesus' focus on defence has actually taken the Uruguayan by surprise, considering that goals are need to turn in wins. However, the final result can of course be decided by good defending. "The coach worries a lot about how we defend. Of course goals are needed to win, but he really worries about getting us all defending. Not every coach does that and it makes a big difference", said the defensive giant, finishing: "This is a great club with fans who are always pushing the players. I want to do my best for this shirt for us to get the results that we all want."

Alvalade president sits down with the Sporting president ahead of league showdown

You have to go back 42 years for the last time that Sporting and Benfica took the title race down to the last match of the season. It was in 1974, when millions waited for the final whistle. History isn't on Sporting's side, with the league leaders going into the decisive fixture tending to hold out and take the trophy, however Bruno de Carvalho sees things a little differently.

“Going into the last match of the season, we are two points behind first place. Of course it isn't the place we would prefer to be in and of course we would like to be in first. However, we are completely focused and we know anything could happen. That is what makes football such a beautiful game. While it is mathematically possible, anything can happen", commented the Alvalade president in an interview with the Sporting Journal this week, adding: "What I see is a Sporting team focused on our match and that believes that we can bring home a title that we have been missing for so long now. We will do everything we can to do that."

Sporting's hopes of silverware after the dust settles this weekend does however not just depend on what happens in Estádio Municipal de Braga. Meanwhile in Lisbon, Benfica will host Nacional, with Sporting needing the team from Madeira to at least steal a point.

“Looking at Benfica-Nacional, well from what I have seen and heard it seems like Nacional doesn't count for anything. It seems like Nacional doesn't care. That if what I have felt when listening to commentators associated with Benfica, but honestly I don't believe it", affirmed Carvalho, continuing: "Nacional are a good side and I don't think they want to be the side show for the league title. I know how hard Rui Alves has been working to put Nacional on the map and they are fighting for places further up the league now. Of course Benfica are motivated, because winning gives them the league, but Nacional are motivated as well."

The coach reacts to the 2-2 draw in Minho

Following the 2-2 draw between Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga, coach Rui Borges held a press conference and analysed the match.
 
Analysis of the game
"It ended up with the bad taste of conceding a goal after the 90 minutes. The three games I’ve had against SC Braga with Sporting CP have been the same. It is what it is, and we've also scored some goals in stoppage time.

We started very well, we could have made it 0-2 and SC Braga equalised from their only approach on goal. In that move, we could have done more, but we had a very good first half nevertheless. The second half was different, as we dropped back a bit and SC Braga had more possession, but they still only managed two shots on goal. Apart from that, they had two crosses into the box. We sat deeper, but we controlled ourselves. We improved and grew with the substitutions, we stabilised things, but we lacked more of the long possessions we had in the first half. SC Braga were fortunate in the 90+3', and this happens.

We could have scored more goals and we didn't. SC Braga were lucky and deserve credit for believing."

Eduardo Quaresma's introduction
"It didn't change anything in terms of the idea or strategy we had, but did switch up the characteristics of the players on the pitch."

Luis Suárez's missed chance
"Credit to the SC Braga goalkeeper. The game would have been different had we gone 0-2 up, but we don't know how it would have ended. It's not worth going into that; he has scored other goals that nobody expected."

The team concede a stoppage time penalty away from home

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 2-2 away to SC Braga on Liga Portugal Matchday 25, as their opponents snatched a late equaliser from the penalty spot. The Sporting CP goals came from Gonçalo Inácio and Luis Suárez.

On a sunny evening in Braga, Rui Borges made only one change to the starting XI from the side that won against FC Porto in midweek, bringing in Pedro Gonçalves in place of Luís Guilherme. On the bench, Zeno Debast was back available after injury troubles.

After a back-and-forth opening few minutes, Sporting CP began to exert increasing dominance. The first serious attack came in the 11th minute, when Geny Catamo shot from outside the area and the ball was deflected out for a corner. Shortly after, from roughly the same position, the Mozambique international tried his luck again, but struck off target.

They threatened once more in the 15th minute, when Morten Hjulmand played through to Gonçalves in an offside position. Shortly after, a great team move saw Francisco Trincão, Gonçalves and Suárez all get touches, before Catamo narrowly missed the target.

One of the most active players, Catamo had another chance in the 22nd minute, dribbling past defenders on the right flank and having his effort smothered.

From the ensuing corner, Gonçalves crossed in and Gonçalo Inácio, with a great header, sent the ball into the back of the net. It was his first goal of the 2025/26 season.

The lead could have been doubled two minutes later, when Trincão set up Suárez. One-on-one with Lukáš Horníček, he was denied by the goalkeeper.

After Gonçalves shot wide, the pace slowed down slightly. Unexpectedly, SC Braga equalised with their very first shot. Assisted by Rodrigo Zalazar, Ricardo Horta finished from the middle of the area to make it 1-1.

Boosted by the goal, SC Braga improved and managed to balance out the midfield, although without creating dangerous chances. At the other end, Sporting CP also failed to threaten, until the 44th minute.

It was then that, on the stroke of halftime, Bright Arrey-Mbi handled the ball in a challenge with Luis Suárez and the referee awarded a penalty. The Colombian himself converted the spot kick, scoring his 23rd goal in Liga Portugal and his 31st of the season in all competitions.

To start the second half, a very well-worked counter-attack had Iván Fresneda finding Luis Suárez, who then looked for Gonçalves. Defender Florian Grillitsch cleared for a corner,  having come very close to scoring an own goal.
 
Hidemasa Morita tried to surprise Horníček from long range, before the control of position evened out during a spell with occasional approaches for SC Braga.

Sporting CP had two free kicks -one from each side- taken by Gonçalves and Trincão respectively. The defence cleared the first, and Horníček caught the second after several Sporting CP players had made contact with the ball. In response, João Moutinho shot wide.

Luis Suárez also missed the target from distance, and in the 72nd minute, Morita and Gonçalves were replaced by João Simões and Luís Guilherme.

Close to the final quarter-hour, Víctor Gómez tried to surprise Rui Silva, but the goalkeeper was alert and made the save.

In the 82nd minute, Ousmane Diomande's header forced Horníček into action, followed by Maxi Araújo shooting wide a minute later. In response, Grillitsch tried to equalise from long range, but without success.

However, in the 93rd minute SC Braga won a penalty, and Rodrigo Zalazar converted, frustrating Sporting CP in the closing moments.

Following this 2-2 Liga Portugal draw, Sporting CP will now travel to Norway to face FK Bodø/Glimt for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11th.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand [C], Hidemasa Morita (João Simões, 72'), Geny Catamo (Eduardo Quaresma, 81'), Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves (Luís Guilherme, 72') and Luis Suárez.

The coach previews a big weekend in Liga Portugal

Sporting CP visit SC Braga this Saturday in Liga Portugal action. On the eve of the game against the current fourth-placed team, coach Rui Borges spoke about the challenge.
 
An important weekend
"Our ambition is to be first in the table and for that we have to do better than in the first meeting against SC Brage. As for the game between SL Benfica and FC Porto: We have to do our part and then understand the consequences.”
 
Analysis of the opponent
“SC Braga don't change their game plan, regardless of the players on the pitch. They want to have the ball; they are the team with the most possession in the league, along with Sporting CP, and that clearly shows in their play. They are also very strong in reacting to losing possession in the final third. Above any individual player, the idea is always there; the characteristics change depending on who plays. They are an attacking team that will create many difficulties for us, as they did at Alvalade when we drew 1-1. In the last ten games, they scored as many goals as Sporting CP.”
 
The renewal of Francisco Trincão and the expiring contract of Hidemasa Morita
“I focus a lot on the present. I am happy about Francisco, a player who has been growing, becoming more and more mature, and has enormous importance to the achievements and dynamics of Sporting CP. Since I arrived, he's been one of the players who has impressed me the most, if not the most, because he gives everything for the team, besides his quality and intelligence. He's always 'switched on', plays in several positions, makes Sporting CP much stronger, and for that reason, I'm happy for him and for Sporting CP.
 
Regarding Morita, it has a lot to do with the structure and the player's will. He's a player we like very much, he's in good form, and at present he's an important player for Sporting CP.”
 
Changes in attack to counter SC Braga's characteristics
“Just like SC Braga, we also don't change our game plan. We might change some players; that's natural, to have different things in terms of attack or defence. Compared to the game against FC Porto match, there are different teams and game plans to face. Strategically, we can look at it differently, but never straying from our game plan. We look at the whole picture. We will face a good, well-organised team, but we also believe that we will create difficulties for SC Braga."
 
SC Braga being fresher because they didn't play in midweek
"I don't know, it's subjective. They had more days of rest, they may have more energy, but that won't be an excuse for the intensity of the game. SC Braga had more days to prepare for the game, they have fresher players, but our ambition and will to win are so great that this will never be an excuse."
 
The matchday
"If Sporting CP win, we will have done our part, which is what's important. We want to have a better second half of the season than the first, which was good but not quite enough. To have an extraordinary second half of the season, we have to win tomorrow. We have to do our part and then understand the consequences. If we don't do our part, the other result doesn't matter.”
 
Zeno Debast returning
“He could be included in the squad. He could have already been included for the game against FC Porto, but he chose not to be because he wasn't in his best condition.”
 
Fotis Ioannidis' situation
“For now, he is out of tomorrow's game.”
 
Luis Suárez’ workload
“Without Fotis, it ends up with us sacrificing Luis a little more, but fortunately we have managed to balance that effort. He's not a player prone to injuries, he's been doing very well and he's a 'tough guy'. In that sense, we are very calm. We would very much like to have Fotis because he would be extremely important at this stage, even to balance out that wear and tear, but it is what it is. I'm not going to complain."
 
Prioritising competitions
"I don't see it that way. I think the team are doing well. Now we'll have three or four more games in a row, but playing on Wednesday I think we can have the team capable of responding. Everyone is prepared to play and that has a lot to do with the team's form and the season, in addition to the strategic aspect of each game. We really want to win tomorrow's game and we really want to win at home against FK Bodø/Glimt, because we want to continue making club history in the UEFA Champions League."
 
Lessons learned from the clash with SC Braga in the first half of the season
"In the second half, SC Braga had better possession, they didn't create much danger, but they ended up equalising with a solo move in the area, a pull back and a penalty. Above all, we are two teams that like to have the ball and it will be a good challenge for both of us. We need to understand what the opposition are good at and be very balanced, both when pressing and when we can't do that. The opposition also deserve credit, but mentally we have to be able to understand all the moments of the game. At Alvalade, we lost our composure without the ball, because SC Braga bring out many midfielders -like Pau Victor, who plays as a number ten and takes away reference points from the defensive line.”

The midfielder speaks about his 150 games for the club

Hidemasa Morita recently reached the milestone of 150 games for Sporting Clube de Portugal. In a conversation with the club's official media, the Japanese midfielder spoke about this symbolic moment and his time at Alvalade so far.

150 games for Sporting CP
"It's incredible. I knew I was close to 150 games, but I hadn't realised it was going to happen in a game against FC Porto. It was very special. I'm very happy, even more so because we won the game at the Estádio José Alvalade. It was a great day."

His first impressions upon arriving at Sporting CP
"I immediately realised it was a huge club. When I was at CD Santa Clara, my goal was to come to this club, and it happened. I remember the first day well."

What it means to play for Sporting CP
"It's a huge pleasure. Being here and playing for this club is incredible."

His first goal scored, against Gil Vicente FC
"Nuno [Santos] tried to shoot and ended up setting me up. I only had to touch the ball to tap it in. I was very happy. The goal itself wasn't anything special, but it's a very good memory. I'll never forget that day."

The atmosphere around the team
"Many players say that this club is not just a club, it's a family. I have no doubt about that. I feel it every day."

The trophies won at the club
"The second league title was even better than the first."

Winning the Taça de Portugal
"It wasn't an easy game - it never is when we play against SL Benfica. The stadium at Jamor is very traditional, it had a special atmosphere and it was a different experience. But we managed to win the cup. I had never won that trophy before, so it was another very special moment."

Friendships in the dressing room
"I have a good relationship with everyone. Today, for example, I plan to have lunch with Zeno [Debast] and Iván [Fresneda]. I love them and feel very comfortable with them."

The celebrations at Marquês de Pombal
"For me, the best moment was when we arrived at Marquês. There were a lot of green lights and an incredible atmosphere. It was a very long night and I couldn't party the whole time [laughs]. Many times I sat on the ground, absorbing everything and applauding."

What Sporting CP represent
"As I said, this club is a family. I can say that from the bottom of my heart. This club is part of me."

Living in Portugal
"I feel very comfortable here. I've been in Portugal for five or six years now and I really enjoy living here. The people are very friendly. Whenever I go to a shopping centre or somewhere else, Sporting CP fans, and even fans of other clubs, come over to talk to me and greet me. I really like the people and also the food. Everything is perfect."

Portuguese food
"I really like pasteis de nata. I even told my wife that when I go back to Japan, maybe I'll open a restaurant selling them there."

His favourite dishes
"Cod isn't really my favourite type of food, but I really like seafood, fish and rice. It's very good."

What he misses most about Japan
"Probably my family. I also often go to Japanese restaurants to eat ramen or sushi."

A message for Sporting CP fans
"Thank you for always supporting us. I feel that we all fight together and that we stand side by side. Even when we don't play well, the fans always support us and spur us on. I just want to say thank you. Let's continue together until the end."

Sporting CP extend the player's contract at Alvalade

Sporting Clube de Portugal and Francisco Trincão have reached an agreement for a contract renewal through until 2030, keeping the player at the club with a buyout clause remaining at €60 million.

Since joining Sporting CP in 2022, the Portuguese international has reached almost 200 appearances, winning two Liga Portugal titles (2023/24 and 2024/25) and one Taça de Portugal (2024/2025) to date.

Of Trincão’s 45 goals scored for Sporting CP, 11 have come in the 2025/26 season, in which he has also played 38 times across the UEFA Champions League, Liga Portugal, Taça de Portugal, Supertaça and Taça da Liga.

Speaking at the Teatro Politeama in Lisbon, where the renewal was announced, Trincão said that "It's a great feeling. It was something that had been talked about for some time and now it has come to fruition. I'm very happy to be able to continue representing Sporting CP.”

When asked what convinced him to extend his time at the club, the 26-year-old explained that the reasons were the same as those that made him move to Alvalade in 2022: "The fans, the stadium, the club, and the affection that I received. That continues to this day, and it's the same thing that makes me stay at Sporting CP."

"Winning trophies and going to Marquês to celebrate is always a unique experience. I think the second time was even better than the first," he reflected.

One of the highlights of this season for Sporting CP has been the performance in the UEFA Champions League, as they finished seventh in the league phase and advanced directly to the Round of 16, where they will face FK Bodø/Glimt.

"We are happy with our showing in that competition. By getting through the Top 8, we saved ourselves two extra games, which was good. We had a difficult draw, but we are motivated to continue in the competition.”

As for his best position of the many that he has played in at the club, he explained that "I always try to respond in the best way, whether I’m on the left, on the right, or wherever else the manager needs me. I’m a more complete and mature player now, and I can do a lot within the scope of the game."

Finally, Trincão left a message for Sporting fans: "I hope that they continue doing what they have been doing so far, supporting us until the end. It has been paying off, especially this season, and we always count on their support."

The team best FC Porto 1-0 in the first leg

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated FC Porto 1-0 in the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals, thanks to a penalty converted by Luis Suárez in the second half.

A sellout crowd of almost 50,000 spectators at the Estádio José Alvalade saw Rui Borges’ side take the win, fielding the same starting XI that had  begun the victory over GD Estoril Praia.

In the first minute, FC Porto’s William Gomes threatened with a dangerous cross that went out of play. The visitors started with a high defensive line and strong pressure, but Sporting CP, as soon as they settled into the game, began to dominate.

In the 12th minute, after a pass from Hidemasa Morita, Francisco Trincão shot from a central position, but the ball hit Luis Suárez. Sporting CP created their first opportunity on goal in the 16th minute: On the transition, Geny Catamo set up Iván Fresneda, who cut in from the right and struck with his weaker foot just wide of the post.

Sporting CP had another look in the 20th minute when Luís Guilherme took a corner from the left, finding Geny Catamo. He shot first-time, but sent the ball over the bar.

The momentum was interrupted several times by frequent stoppages, many of them due to FC Porto players going down. That resulted in an unusual ten minutes of added time in the first half.

Before the break, there were notable shots from Pepê and William Gomes, with both deflected out for corners.

The second half got underway with a very dangerous cross from Geny Catamo to Luís Guilherme at the far post, and the subsequent clearance resulted in a corner. From the next move, the Mozambique international shot, but Diogo Costa made the save. In response, Alan Varela tried his luck from long range and hit the post for FC Porto.

Ousmane Diomande, with a header, forced Diogo Costa to intervene again. At the other end, shortly after, Rodrigo Mora missed the target.

Sporting CP caused panic in the opposition defence in the 58th minute: A free-kick from Trincão on the left ended up with Catamo, who returned it to the middle of the area hoping to find a teammate, before it was cleared.

The deadlock was broken from the penalty spot: Iván Fresneda hit the post, Morten Hjulmand was brought down and referee Cláudio Pereira awarded the foul. Suárez sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, making it 1-0 and reaching 30 goals for Sporting CP.

Borges made his first substitution in the 65th minute, bringing on João Simões and Pedro Gonçalves for Morita and Guilherme.

FC Porto again tried to create danger from distance, but Seko Fofana's shot went wide.

Working on the counter-attack, Sporting CP threatened in the 74th minute through Trincão, and in the 79th minute through Catamo, while FC Porto never got close.

Suárez had a chance to double the lead in stoppage time, although the Colombian didn't connect well enough with the ball and the score remained 1-0.

Sporting CP will now travel to SC Braga home ground on Saturday in Liga Portugal. The second leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals takes place in April.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Freseda, Ousmane Diomane, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand [C], Hidemasa Morita (João Simões, 65'), Geny Catamo (Daniel Bragança, 84'), Francisco Trincão (Nuno Santos, 84'), Luís Guilherme (Pedro Gonçalves, 65') and Luis Suárez.

The coach looks at the Taça de Portugal game against FC Porto

Sporting CP face FC Porto in the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals on Tuesday night. On the eve of the match, coach Rui Borges previewed the encounter in his press conference.
 
The approach to the first leg
“It’s another Clássico, against a good side who are top of the league. These are always very competitive games, and sometimes they are more strategic -that’s part of the fixture. It’s two legs and this is the first ‘half’, in which we want to win. That will always be our objective. We’re up against a good team that will certainly come with that ambition as well. We are playing at home, we really want to win and take a step ahead in the tie. We will have to do a lot for that.”

Fotis Ioannidis' situation
“He is a doubt for the game. It’s still very much a day-to-day thing and we have to see how he feels.”

The penalty awarded for FC Porto near the end of the match against FC Arouca:
“For me, it might not have been a penalty, but the referee decided that it was. I'm not going to talk about refereeing decisions here, nor about incidents from other games.”

The strategic side of 'big' games
“Sometimes it’s not about fear, but about respect. The teams know that each team have their own way of playing, their strengths, and whilst using your own strategy to win, you have to protect yourself from the opposition’s strength. It’s natural that in some moments the game becomes more strategic. Football is changing, becoming more dynamic and increasingly thoughtful. I believe it will be a good game, with two competitive teams who want to win -using their strengths and at other times wanting to neutralise the other side. I think it’s natural, and 'big' games end up having some extra element of strategy. It’s not about not wanting to lose, but about what the game requires and the respect that exists on both sides.”

The cup
“We are focused on what we can do against FC Porto to be in the final, which is our objective. We want to defend the cup we won last season.”

Upcoming important games in other competitions
“I'm not looking at the SC Braga game, I'm looking at tomorrow's game, which is an important fixture. We want to take a solid step on the road to the final. I'm only focused on the game against FC Porto. I believe there might be one or two changes, both for us and for the opposition, but I don't believe there will be many.”

João Virgínia playing in goal
“I never said who is the starting goalkeeper in this competition. They are all prepared to play, whether that’s Virgínia, Calai or Rui. For me, there are no goalkeepers for a specific competition; they are Sporting CP goalkeepers. The moment, the strategy, the opponents, everything counts towards the coach's decision-making on this.”

Pedro Gonçalves and Zeno Debast 
“Pedro is [fit] and Debast is too. Debast started training a few days ago, having been out for a long time, and his condition will still not be the best to help the team to the fullest.”

Needing to be clinical in attack 
“We never deviate from our game plan, regardless of the opponent. In some Champions League games where we don't have as much possession, we might play in lower blocks than usual, but we never deviate from our main idea of what to do with the ball, and tomorrow will be no different. We will face the team that have the best defence, who defend in a compact, competitive way, and are very strong in duels and transitions. Offensively, they also have well-developed specific movements and can quickly get into the final third. We have to be prepared for that, and very balanced, like the game at Dragão, where we allowed them little or no chances to be created. The goal is to try to be ourselves, making better decisions to overcome a team that defend very well. We will also have to be very committed and rigorous in defence.”

The favourites in the game
“In these games it’s always 50/50, whether we’re playing at home or away. Of course, I ask our fans to once again make the difference, with their energy and strength, for us to win the game. Regarding what happened in the last derby, that’s not what will motivate us to have a great game. What motivates us is defending a cup that we won last year. For me, the cup final is very special, as I said last season.”

Increased mutual knowledge of each other
“It’s natural that as time goes by, the teams know each other better and are increasingly better prepared. Even so, they are still special games. These two teams want to win this trophy; in the league we are in the top two places, and therefore, the passion of the game can cause a loss of concentration. This can be costly because there is a lot of quality on both sides, and some individual inspiration can decide these games. They are always very competitive meetings, and tomorrow will be no different.”

The planned change for cup semi-finals to return to single-leg fixtures
“I’ll say it’s positive, because I come from a background at lower-level teams. It means they can have the opportunity to play at home and take advantage of that against stronger opponents. They have the opportunity to dream, and I also dreamed of achieving special things in that situation.”

Differences compared to the first Clássico at Alvalade
“Very honestly, I think the teams aren’t going to be very different, but the game will be. The moment is different, the individual form of each player makes the team different, and it’s a different phase of the season, with more fatigue, and that can also be a factor. As for the team’s identity and strategy, I don’t think it’s different. Given the way things are now, it could go either way.”

The players missing for the game 
"Giorgi Kochorashvili and Ricardo Mangas are both unavailable."

The coach talks after the victory over GD Estoril Praia

Following his team’s 3-0 win over GD Estoril Praia, Sporting CP coach Rui Borges analysed the game in a press conference at the Estadio José Alvalade.
 
The impressive performance
“It’s a credit to the work of the team, the coaching staff, and the structure. It was a game of two halves. We started very well, because it was important to create discomfort for GD Estoril Praia, who have quality in their attack. We were proactive in reacting to losing possession, and with the ball we were very dynamic, with a lot of positional variability. We got into the final third with quality and scored the first two goals by attacking behind the opposition’s defensive line. We had a great first half. In the second, we made many mistakes in our passing and allowed GD Estoril Praia to gain confidence, giving them more possession in our midfield. Nevertheless, we remained very focused. The central defence pairing had a great game, and I think Gonçalo Inácio had one of his best games of the season. We managed to stay focused and were also able to get out of our own half, creating real danger.

Pedro Gonçalves staying on the bench
“He didn’t come on because he didn’t feel one hundred percent fit. We opted not to expose him to any risks and, in some way, conserve him."

Being drawn against FK Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League
"They are a great team and have beaten big teams in Europe. Anyone who thinks the draw was good for us is mistaken. They are a very competitive, intense team that will create many problems for us. They are in the Round of 16 because they have a lot of quality and have beaten great teams. Until then, we still have to play FC Porto in the Taça de Portugal and SC Braga in Liga Portugal, two games that will demand a lot from us. We will have to be prepared for them."

João Simões’ place
"Simões came on before Daniel Bragança today. It has a lot to do with moments in the game, strategies, the opposition and more. Morita had both a fantastic first half and start to the second. João has also had great games. It’s about the moment and the strategy; he hasn't lost his place. On the contrary, this makes the team stronger, with everyone at a very high level. Today he came on and played very well. Dani came on next. I'm happy, above all, to have all three of them available. Dani is growing in terms of confidence and is improving physically, because his technical quality and vision are out of this world.”

The third goal coming from Nuno Santos and Daniel Bragança
“I wish they hadn't gone through the injuries. Nuno's decision making is phenomenal. Dani did an exceptional job, but Nuno's pass, which seems simple, is only simple for him. It makes me want to laugh because I'd like to have him at one hundred percent fitness. He's aware that the break was long and he needs time to be the best Nuno. I’m very happy to have both of them back, because they are always necessary players on the pitch.”

Luis Suárez making fans forget about Gyökeres
“I’ve already said that I only think about the players I have. He’s had a great season and scored two goals, but he lost possession more often than usual. Not everything is perfect with him, but he had a good game. He’s been important to the team, but he reflects the good things the collective are doing.”

Luis Guilherme’s response 
“There are no undisputed starters, but his adaptation has been very good. He has met expectations, adapted to the ideas, and increasingly identifies with Sporting CP. It seems to me that he’s a kid with a fantastic future ahead of him, but he’ll have to continue working hard because he’s in a team full of great players.”

FC Porto’s victory against FC Arouca
“I’m focused on what we control, and only on our game. We did our job, we won, and that’s how we have to keep going. I won’t talk about refereeing decisions, I didn’t even see the [penalty] incident.”

Sporting CP’s form ahead of the game against FC Porto
“The games are difficult for everyone. It's not about a phase in the season, but about the opponents and what is at stake. The pressure is on. We'll see maximum effort in every game, and against FC Porto it won't be any different. It's going to be a great game between the two teams at the top of the league table. It's the first of two games against them, but we really want to continue in the competition and defend the cup. We're facing the team that's in first place in the league, which means they're the strongest team."