​The Sporting CP coach prepares for the game against FC Famalicão

Sporting Clube de Portugal host FC Famalicão at the Estádio José Alvalade on Sunday, on Matchday 21 of the Liga Portugal season.

In the lead-up to the match, coach Rúben Amorim warned that Os Leões have not yet managed to beat this weekend's opponents in the league with him in charge, and rejected the idea that the players are already thinking about the upcoming game against FC Porto.

“This is the most important game, not least because we haven't won against FC Famalicão yet and we know the quality of their players. They have a new coach, with whom they are conceding far fewer goals, and they play with a line of five that includes Ivo Rodrigues dropping in, which then moves to a line of four,” the coach began by saying in his pre-match press conference.

“As for the game against FC Porto, the best way to go to the Estádio do Dragão is off the back of a win over FC Famalicão. That's what we want to do, in a very difficult game. We want to maintain our way of playing and our dynamic, and improve compared to the game we played against them away from home. We will treat this game like another final."

Amorim will be able to use the entire group, including the returning Islam Slimani, who is part of the matchday squad.

“I didn't know him well, but he's better in his link-up play than I thought. He has to get back into the rhythm of things, because he has only played a few minutes recently, but he's already in the squad because he has different characteristics to our other forwards. I am very satisfied with him; he has integrated easily, and we are lucky in that regard, but at the same time we already had this information from everyone here at Sporting CP. I am very pleased to have Slimani in the group,” he assured, without clarifying whether the Algerian international would enjoy minutes on Sunday.

“It depends on the game. I don't know if we're going to need Slimani or another player, but he's an option. He won't be a starter."

Asked about possible rotations, due to the fact that Ricardo Esgaio, Pedro Porro, João Palhinha, Pedro Gonçalves and Pablo Sarabia are all at risk of missing the Clássico with FC Porto if they receive a yellow card against FC Famalicão, Amorim stated that now it was not the time to be thinking ahead.

“We have solutions for every position. The most important thing is that we get to the game at the Estádio do Dragão with a maximum difference of six points. If a player can't play there, then he won't, because we have to win a very difficult game and we haven't been able to beat FC Famalicão. Therefore, we will not keep any player in reserve. We are able to win games with any starting XI,” he underlined.