The Sporting CP coach gives his view on Friday's fixture in Faro

Although Rúben Amorim will not be present in the dugout for his side's Friday night game against SC Farense, the Sporting CP coach nevertheless gave his opinion on the Liga NOS Matchday 27 fixture in his pre-match press conference, reviewing the two consecutive draws in league action along the way.

"We were unable to win against Moreirense FC and FC Famalicão, but we were clearly the better side in both matches", he said.

"We increased the number of chances we created, and allowed the opposition fewer opportunities of their own. However, from three shots on our goal, we conceded twice. That's part of football. Of course, it's always better to win, but the team are very calm and working well. They believe me when I say that they are doing better, because they are."

 SC Farense are currently involved in a relegation battle, although the competitive nature of the Portuguese league and the team's recent performance against SC Braga mean that they are not a side to be taken lightly.

"SC Farense are a team that play well," assessed Amorim. "Even though the results say otherwise, they have had some good moments recently and almost took points from SC Braga. In their last game they did well against CS Marítimo, conceded a goal and then were unable to turn the result around."

"They are very strong in dead balls and use this weapon very well on a smaller pitch. I think they are the team with the most goals scored from corners, and all of these details are important. We have looked at that and prepared well for the game, bearing in mind the opposition coach and the individual values of the team. We are prepared for this game."

Amorim's suspension means that he will not be able to take the reins of the team for 15 days, but he says that “the important thing is to win, regardless of whether or not I am present.” Also missing will be the injured Zouhair Feddal, who the coach feels he will be able to replace with other members of the squad.

"I am not at all concerned about the defence. Everyone has responded excellently, from Luís Neto to Eduardo Quaresma -who came in during the last game and with whom I was very happy. Sometimes I really need these opportunities to see other players."

"I'm very confident because they can give us other things. If we play with Matheus Reis or Luís Neto, then they are completely different players and, according to how the match goes, we will play around with that. We have other players who are in better condition than Feddal at the moment, and they will occupy that spot.”
 
An experiment with Pedro Gonçalves and João Mário in midfield last time out attracted attention from fans and media. Amorim played his cards close to his chest as to whether they would be used in the same role on Friday.

"We have made a choice based on what we have seen from SC Farense and our team. Gonçalves can play in midfield or upfront, and where he plays also depends a lot on the opposition. He and João Mário will not get in each other's way; they will gel well, because they think about the game in a similar way, despite having different characteristics: Gonçalves gets forward more and João Mário is more of an organiser", assessed the coach.

"We have other players for the forward line and in the middle, and sometimes the difficulty is in choosing our starting XI, because they are all training well and want to play. Overall, it shows us that we are in better shape, we have more solutions and we can confuse the opposition more."

In his final address before the game, Amorim reassured the fans that “The players are very calm because we have a very clear way of playing, and when there is not much doubt about that, it does not change depending on the results. I see a team who are prepared and focused, and I think we are going to have a great game tomorrow in Faro."