The Sporting CP coach looks ahead to the game against Boavista FC

Sporting Clube de Portugal plays a Monday fixture at 8:15 pm, against Boavista FC at Estádio do Bessa on Liga Portugal Matchday 9.

Speaking ahead of the contest, coach Rúben Amorim said he does not expect an easy match.

"They are a club who are going through financial difficulties, but the team show great character. We will be facing a team with their own identity, very well organised, with very good dynamics, who are having a great season and have no pressure at all on them. They are very strong team, but we are prepared for the challenge."

Taking the three points will give Sporting CP the outright top spot in Liga Portugal, and that is what the coach is hoping will happen, playing down the short turnaround between Thursday's game and the Monday fixture.

“We have to be more than ready, despite playing our last game with a man down for almost the entirety, at a very difficult ground. This will be another difficult game, at a tough place to visit, with difficult conditions, but we are prepared. The players have already recovered.”

“We want to be outright leaders again with a victory against a very tough team. For the first time this season, I am not going to say who will play. Not a single player. The preparation we have been doing is the same as normal. Who will play in goal? You’ll see tomorrow.”

The coach also spoke about the game against KS Raków, saying that, due to the circumstances, he cannot make any comparison between that game and this Monday's at Bessa.

 “As there was a seding off after eight minutes, we can make no comparisons. The big frustration, and everyone felt this in our team, is that it is not the first time in Europe that we have become hindered really early, and that wears on the team and the coach. In the end we can win, lose or draw, but playing in conditions we are not expecting, with sendings off, becomes frustrating, especially when it is recurring for one reason or another.

"There were positive things, like scoring when down to ten men again, but there were also negatives. Still, we can take almost nothing away from a game in which we were reduced to ten men. Therefore, what we are going to do is see who the best players are, who is better physically and what characteristics they have to face Boavista FC."